Early Morning Seminary

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_karl61
_Emeritus
Posts: 2983
Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:29 pm

Early Morning Seminary

Post by _karl61 »

Many times people have posted about seminary. I attended in the mid 1970's and attended in 9th, 10th and half of 11th grade. The tiredness that I experienced at that age at 5:15 in the morning is something that is hard to explain. After I stopped attending, it was still difficult to get up at 7:00.

Later I remember reading how teenagers are on a different clock and need a lot of sleep. I always thought that school for high school students should start at about 9 or 10 am and go to 5 pm.

In Utah, the way I understand, things were different. The Church Education System was some how linked with public schools. Youth were able to leave school during the day and go across the street and attend seminary. I hear that there was an uproar about separation between Church and State.

Here is an article about how important sleep is to teenagers:

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-heal ... ns-n186976
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_sunstoned
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Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:12 am

Re: Early Morning Seminary

Post by _sunstoned »

It is called release time here in Utah. The seminary buildings are right next to the schools and hold classes all day long.
_cafe crema
_Emeritus
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Joined: Tue May 11, 2010 5:07 am

Re: Early Morning Seminary

Post by _cafe crema »

karl61 wrote:Many times people have posted about seminary. I attended in the mid 1970's and attended in 9th, 10th and half of 11th grade. The tiredness that I experienced at that age at 5:15 in the morning is something that is hard to explain. After I stopped attending, it was still difficult to get up at 7:00.

Later I remember reading how teenagers are on a different clock and need a lot of sleep. I always thought that school for high school students should start at about 9 or 10 am and go to 5 pm.

In Utah, the way I understand, things were different. The Church Education System was some how linked with public schools. Youth were able to leave school during the day and go across the street and attend seminary. I hear that there was an uproar about separation between Church and State.

Here is an article about how important sleep is to teenagers:

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-heal ... ns-n186976


The American Academy of Pediatrics has an article about it here. This is not new news, 15 years ago my SIL was involved in a group agitating for change in the school day for high school in our district. The parents ran into a total brick wall on changing start times. What they got instead of later start times was earlier start time with gym being the first class of the day. The early gym worked well with my child until it was combined with a very late lunch. I have sent (and still do) my kids to religious education "religiously" but I would never make them get up earlier on a school day to do it.
_Jonah
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Re: Early Morning Seminary

Post by _Jonah »

karl61 wrote:Many times people have posted about seminary. I attended in the mid 1970's and attended in 9th, 10th and half of 11th grade. The tiredness that I experienced at that age at 5:15 in the morning is something that is hard to explain. After I stopped attending, it was still difficult to get up at 7:00.


I too was a product of 1970's early morning seminary in California. Since I was a Son of a Bishop, I had no out. Four years, 98% attendance. Once I was awake I couldn't go back to sleep. That was of course until after lunch at school. I remember in my classes after lunch just laying my head down on my desk and I was out. I'm sure my teachers were convinced I did heavy drugs. Nope...no heavy drugs...I just dropped a little LDS.

I did have one fun moment though in the annual parent/student after church seminary meeting held prior to each school year. The meeting was held to get...err...I mean guilt...parents into enrolling their kids in seminary. One year I am sitting there listening to the seminary teacher telling parents/students that one of the blessings of going to seminary was improved grades. My buddy sitting next to me tapped me on the arm and then whispered something that made me crack up. The seminary teacher stopped in his tracks and said, "Jonah, do you have something to share with the rest of us?" I said no, but he persisted. So I said, "Well (my buddy) was just asking me when the "good grades blessing" was going to kick in because since we started seminary a few years ago our grades have gone into the toilet." And with that, the "spirit" exited the meeting and we soon had punch and cookies.
Red flags look normal when you're wearing rose colored glasses.
_Maxrep
_Emeritus
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Joined: Fri Feb 09, 2007 4:29 am

Re: Early Morning Seminary

Post by _Maxrep »

I used the sleep deprivation issue years ago, when my wife and I were speaking with a doctor, to plead my case for having my eldest child drop out of seminary. Now all of my children will not be attending. My gift to them :)
I don't expect to see same-sex marriage in Utah within my lifetime. - Scott Lloyd, Oct 23 2013
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