| Picture this scenario. It is about 8:00 am on | | | | Even if a family did not arrive for worship, |
| a Sunday morning and you have stumbled out of | | | | the pew was still theirs and remained empty |
| bed knowing that it is your responsibility to | | | | while others stood. |
| wake up your other family members, feed them | | | | |
| breakfast, and get them dressed in their | | | | Then, around the mid-1800s, church seating |
| "Sunday best." Even though you are tired an | | | | began to evolve further. It became uncommon |
| might just like to pull the covers over your | | | | to pay for a reserved spot on a church pew, |
| head, you live up to your family's | | | | and church pews were filled much as they are |
| expectations and prepare them and yourself | | | | today, on a first-come/first-serve basis. |
| for the Sunday services at your local church. | | | | Still, though, it was uncommon to find |
| | | | adequate pew space in churches. |
| You cook bacon and eggs, find some stockings | | | | |
| that don't have a run, get out your pumps and | | | | As pews began to become more mainstream, |
| flowered dress, and the do all those same | | | | there were different areas of pews for |
| things for your daughter. You find your son's | | | | different people. Generally, the more |
| tie that he can't find for himself, and tie | | | | affluent people sat closer to the altar or |
| your husband's tie straight because he can't | | | | pulpit, while the poorer people sat farther |
| do that either. | | | | away. There would also be special seating for |
| | | | black people, children, and sometimes widows. |
| You are not even out the door yet, and | | | | They may or may not have been labeled with |
| already you are tired and your feet hurt. You | | | | the proper designation, such as Negro Pews or |
| pile everyone into the car and are careful to | | | | Widow Pews. |
| bring Cheerios for your toddler to snack on | | | | |
| and a coloring book for the older kids so | | | | When slavery was still the custom in the |
| they won't misbehave during the sermon. You | | | | United States, slave owners could pay for pew |
| can't wait to get in there and slide into | | | | space in order to have their servants close |
| your favorite pew. | | | | to them to tend to their needs, or sometimes |
| | | | there would be a separate galley for slaves. |
| What would happen if you got there only to | | | | |
| discover that your church was no longer | | | | Most pew reform in the United States began |
| having the congregation members sit? You | | | | around the 1930s. Black people and white |
| discover to your shock that the church chairs | | | | people, at least in the northern states, sat |
| and pews have been removed and you are | | | | next to each other if they so desired. There |
| expected to stand for the entire service. | | | | was no special seating for widows or other |
| Chances are, you would be distraught, and | | | | special groups of people. Children began to |
| thankfully that is not likely to happen. | | | | sit with their families, for the most part. |
| | | | Also, pulpits changed during this time. |
| Anyone who has ever walked into a modern | | | | Pulpits began to be more important, and pews |
| church knows that there are either going to | | | | were arranged so that everyone could see the |
| be church chairs or church pews to sit on. | | | | preacher behind the pulpit and the altar. |
| Not having any kind of seating would be | | | | |
| unheard of in our society today. Several | | | | Over the course of time, some churches have |
| centuries ago, however, most churchgoers were | | | | come up with various ways of setting up the |
| expected to stand rather than sit, so | | | | pews or church chairs. At one time, it was |
| churches did not have pews. | | | | even common for members of the church to face |
| | | | each other. In the Catholic tradition, before |
| Most churches were built around a dome or | | | | the Vatican II Council changed many elements |
| central area where priests or preachers would | | | | of the Catholic Mass, the priest did not face |
| preach, while the congregation stood around. | | | | the parishioners and had their church chairs |
| It worked well for standing parishioners, but | | | | facing the same direction as the |
| around the seventeenth century, the | | | | parishioner's pews faced-most likely toward |
| congregation began to be expected to | | | | the altar and/or crucifix. |
| participate more, and the need for seating | | | | |
| increased. Still, however, there was not much | | | | Today, the world is different and all |
| seating, and the pews or church chairs that | | | | cultures and colors, both the sexes, the |
| did exist were typically reserved for the | | | | young and old alike, and the wealthy and less |
| wealthier people who could afford to pay the | | | | affluent are seen as equals in most churches, |
| church rent money to hold their pew open for | | | | and the seating arrangements have |
| them until they arrived. | | | | accommodated that belief. Anyone can sit |
| | | | anywhere they want, and only on the most |
| In the 1700s it was common for pews to have a | | | | crowded of days will there not be enough pew |
| family's name on them and everyone knew that | | | | space to give everyone a place to sit. |
| those pews were reserved for that family. | | | | |