Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-10-17
SABBATH .SchOOI Contention.


the second day were held in the
Congregational church and the re
mainder of the time in the Metho.
dist church. The houses were we'll
filled, and often crowded. Dele
gates, to the number of one hundred
and fifty or more, were here from
various parts of the State. ~ 4
A very excellent spirit pervaded
all the meetings, and the interest
continued to the close. To the citi
zrns it was very pleasant to see SC
many intelligent strangers in our
streets, and to receive them into
our families.
The programme of exercises, pub
lished two weeks ago, was followed
very closely. The services were
opened 10y appropriate Introductory
exercises under direction of Rev. j
Nee. Fulton. Words of welcome
to the Workers were given by Rev
Il. II. Elliott.
The President, Col. II. Fairbanks,
responded briefly, and then gave an
instructive address upon the work
of the convention.
Prof. d. Hayden Lloydc of La
noble, Ill.,, then led the convention
in very delightful praise meeting.
w. Z. Hazen of Woodstock was
chosen Secretary pro TEN. The
Cor vention gathered promptly at
nine O'Clock Wednesday morning
and devoted a half hour to prayer
and repeating the promises of the
Bible. Several of the delegates
then gave interesting reports OF
their own schools. The next eXer-
cise was the novel one of "hand
shaking" in which all seemed to
participate with pleasure.
A. M. Butler, Sec. of the Workers,
then gave his annual report. From
that gather the following facts in
regard to the early history of Sun
day Schools in the State, and their
present condition: In 1903 Rev.
David Switzerland, Scotch minis.
ter-afterwards personally known
to many Of onr readers-came to
this country and settled in Bath,
N. II. In Jan. 1906, he organized
a Sunday School in his own parish.
This was soon followed by one or
two other schools in his own and
adjoining towns. In all probability
this was the first Sabbath School
in New England, if not in the Uni
ted States. The interest in Bible
study there manifested soon spread
to various towns in VT. In 1911
school was organized in Concord.
The first school in Orleans Co. was
in Greensboro, organized in 1914 by
Col. Asahel Washburn, in his own
house. Another was formed in
Craftsbury the same year. The
first school in Caledonia Co. was
in Hardwick in 1914. The first in
Orange Co. was formed in a sc hool
house in Newbury in 1915. In
Windham Co. one was gathered in
Westminster in 1913. The first in
Co. were formed in
Westford and Essex in 1918, under
the direction of Revs. S. Parmlee
and A. Morgan. Other schools
were organized ear y, in other coun-
ties. In these early schools much
time was spent in repeating passa-
ges of Scripture. Children often re-
recited scores and even hundreds
of verses. The statistical report of
schools at the present time was as
follows: Number of schools in the
state 1876; number of scholars 3d.
$50; number under % years %, $40,
)r twenty eight per cent. of the
whole number of that age in the
state. Number of Church members
II S. s., 1S,442, or forty eight per
,ent. of the whole number. The
'eported average congregation is
50, lab, or twenty-eight per cent. of
he entire population.
About one -fifth of the schools re-
ported teachers meetings and a
somewhat larger number of month.
y concerts.
The number of conversions re-
ported in connection with these
chools the past year was about
even hundred.
A general discussion followed the
eading this report especially that
'art of it relating to the attendance
# church members. In the after
Oon, the convention resolved itself
ntO a Sabbath School, under the