The Portland daily press., 1896-06-29
SEYENTY-NINTH YEAR.
Ancient Portland Sunday Schools
Anniversary.

/
First Baptist Church's Celebration-Inter-
esting Exercises by Chi Idren--The
schools Usefulness.
Sunday evening the First Baptist Sun
| day school celebrated its 10Th anniyersa-
ry with appropriate exercises. The first
Sunday School ever established in Port
land was union school begun in 1916
in building which stood where the
Centre street school house now stands.
The late W. d. Little was boy in that
first Sunday school. The year following,
in 1877, this Union Sunday school was
disbanded and the First Free Baptist and
Second Parish schools were organized.
Both have continued in their great and
useful work to the present time. Last
May the Second Parish held their oele-
bration of the event.
1t was gratifying showing of prosper
ity that the ancient Sunday school made
| Sunday evening. Its class number 81,
Its scholars 467 and its teachers and Off
GERS 30. The primary department has
65 little ones. The average attendance
of the school has been 256, and one Sun
day SIT were present. The collections OF
the school during.the year have amounted
to $519. 81, of which $40. 90, have been
disbursed in benevolent contributions.
Twelve members Of the school have dur
ing the year been baptized and taken
into the church.
The platform and pulpit space wero
beautifully decorated with small green
trees and with an elaborate flower piece
in the form of a cross, with the word
Trust" in white letters, suspended
above.
After the preliminary exercises came
the Children's Hour, when the following
parts were taken by the little ones:
Song, Primary Department
1 hen and Now. Emily Mitchell
Sowing and Growing,
I Winnie Hunt and Henrietta Robinson
When Am a Man, Willie Adams
Jesus, Five Little Girls
Song, Marguerite Robinson
Message OF tue Flowers, Eight Girls
Duet Eta Skillin and Fannie Cleveland
A Little Heart and How 1t Grew,
Clara SOule
Song, Eva Leavitt
Little Givers, Sadie Ruby
Where all did SO well it might be un-
just to single out individuals for praise
But yet word of praise should be given
the song by Little Ethelyn Hunt. dim
inutiye, but graceful prima donna,
whose age may be guessed at about 5
years.
Superin tendent A. E. Neal, in making
his report, spoke in forms of praise of
the work Of ex-Supsrintendent Walter
H. Field in building up the school. Dur
ing the last year the school has been very
prosperous. A systematic canvass had
been made of the territory lying between
Smith and Cedar, Congress and Lincoln
streets, all the Protestant families being
visited and as many children as possible
being gathered in.
The late V. Richard Foss was also re-
membered in the report.
One of the most interesting features of
the evening was the solo, Grass and
Roses" by Mrs. Jennie King Morrison,
Mr.. Harry johnson accompanying on the
piano, and Miss Bertha Webb on the
violin.
| Rev. T. S. Samson of the Free street
church, gave brief address on the work
ana func tion of the Sunday school.
Among other things, he urged that the
church should bear the expenses of the
Sunday school, it not being proper to
use the benevolenees of the children for
the running expenses of the school.
The officers Of the school are: Presi-
don't, Rev. W. s. Ayres; superintendent,
A. Il. Neal; assistant superinten dent. e.
| B. bennett; secretary, NJ. 6. Clark
treasurer, G. A Patten; librarian, T..
| Delano; pianist. Miss A l. Evans.
During the morning service the pas
Tor, Mr.. Ayres, preached special SER
mon for the Sunday school.