The Newtown bee., 1902-01-31
and A. D. Leavenworth were the ap- praiSerS.
THREE NOTABLE EPOCHS.

About the year 1900, this commun- ity was swept by the wave of French intidelity. Elijah Sherman was then
 in his early manhood. It was at that epOchal period when the organization of the North Church was being cOnsid- cred. Associated with MT Sherman were considerable number of men of about the same age, and all these hav- ing imbibed skeptical views were de- termined that the new church enter
 prise should be organized as church of Free Thinkers. And but for MT Sherman'S conversion about that time the church would have been so insti-
 tuted. 1t is not easy to trace the myriad ways in which the religious life of our community has been affect ed by that providential interference with the plans of these men. The stamp of orthodoxy and evangelical teaching has been ineffaceably infused into the life of our town. An upward and epOchal movement began at that era.
 Another movement which has had a potent influence in the quickening of our moral life was in the direction of reform. For a considerable period previous to the year 1880 the moral
 tone of our town had marvelously de-
 generated. Prominent men openly de- clared they would as soon sell intOxi- cantS as groceries, saloons were numer- 1 ous, and the public conscience seemed dead. The conscience of the better element was aroused by the prevalent
 and growing evil, and an agitation be-
 gan and continued until the gross and growing evil was forced out of sight. There have been many lapSes since, but ] an impulse was given to the temper | ance reform which has been felt ever since and will no doubt be felt for generations to come.
 Another epoch in the modern life of | Woodbury may be called the new inn
 pulse of town improvement. A person
 acquainted with Woodbury five years
 ago would scarcely recognize it to-day, | with it's aqueduct furnishing us spark l ling and wholesome water, it's fire dis
 trict, affording protection to property, l it's tidy streets, it's obstructive and dis l figuring fences removed, it's State road
 and it's reconstructed and new dwell ! lngs. The tidal wave struck us but re- | gently, but we are being borne on it's
 crest to new and larger life.
 Another epochal era has been the
 educat atiOnal. Woodbury has for long
 period been noted for her excellent schools, but the idea of consolidation as the modern method Of securing the
 brst results, and a graded school with
 it's higher department, seemed to many
 d thing impossible. It is but natural
 for an inquisitive and acquisitive peo- pie to want to know. It took some
 of our people long time to under
 stand their needs educational, but
 as soon as they understood their
 urgency, by swift steps they secured
 the graded school, and an equipment
 adequate to our local needs. It is un-
 necessary to say that the founding of
 our Central school has been one of the
 most important epochs in the life o1
 our town. It is to be expected that a
 larger and richer life would be the out.
 come of a well-grounded religious faith,
 and so upon this foundation have been
 built these moral, physical and educa' l tional reforms.
 l In the last three movements that have been eDochS in the life of Oul
 town, thank God that I have shared
 with others of my fellow townsmen the
 dangers of battle and the joys of con
 quest. God only knows what another
 century may have in store for dear old
 WoOdbury, but she will have in all the
 future, as during the past 30 years of
 my happy life amid her charming