Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1911-09-29
LARGEST SUNDAY
SCHOOL In world
Theme for Interesting Lecture
By Prof. Norton
STOCKPORT (ENG.)
SUNDAY SCHOOL

DCdiS ihiS DiSiuStiohb HSSoi o"B ~
the Lecturer. and 1t Also Is
Foremost In Education
al Facilities.
At the Rally and Promotion Day exer-
cises of the Rocky Ford Christian church
Sunday school on Sunday last Prof.
Walter Norton. F. R. @. S., president Of
the Rocky Ford Business College. deliver
ed the following talk, which will be found
quite interesting to all Sunday school
workers:
The Stockport Sunday School. situate
six miles south of Manchester. England.
is in my opinion. the largest IN the world.
and my experience for fifty years. .lecturing
in over ten thousand towns, gives me
right to form this opinion. have visited
very many Sunday schools. and from this
observation the Stockport Sunday School
stands foremost in size and educational
facilities. | was scholar in this school
at eight years of age. that was SIS years
ago, and there are teachers now that l
remember as advanced scholars. have
this week received from the Hon. Secre-
tary, MIR. W. B. Leigh (whose father
and grandfather and other relations re-
member as teachers in this schooD the
reports of the annual meetings. the sew
eral services for the faithful who have
died. the opening Of a Centennial hall and
the opening Of new organ. The late
Joseph Mayer was the first teacher. and
he it was who formulated the idea Gust 4
years after Robert Raikes opened the
first Sunday School in England at Glou-
cester in lZ80) and commenced TO gather
subscriptions to build this wonderful Sum-
day School. The size Of it is marvellous
for there are 26 class rooms for boys.let-
tered A. B. and up to z. and another 26
class rooms for girls, similarly lettered.
every room seated to its full capacity.
holding 100 scholars or more in each
room. Then there are classes for grown
up. gray haired men and women. also a
room for monthly and annual meetings.
The last cash collection at the 1910 an
nual sermon. held in their Centennial hall
was over s5l 900. The funds of the
Centennial alone, as stated on the an
nual balance sheet is Sl05,00O, and the
old school building built in 1884. sum
probably as large would be the value.
ll2,5zl scholars have passed through
the school in the past l 90 years. that is
l,l2o scholars each year. or an average
Of 2l new scholars every week for the
past century.
There ares 500 teachers names on the
roll, and 25 OF these have been teachers
over SO years. and within this year many
moro will be added to this list. A mem
mortal of these faithful teachers has
been erected N the memorial hall, IN
the Centennial building. There are three
libraries, a first. second and senior.
A new organ has recently been erected
to the memory of James Leigh. by his
widow ana daughter, who was teacher
for So years. This organ has 2zl9 pipes,
SO draw stops. 6 pistons for swell stops,
compo pedal tremulants for swell. choir
and solos. wonder il this is one OF, or
the largest in the worldP
Each Sunday morning and afternoon
two or three hours is given to teaching all
comers, of all denominations except
catholics, and it is known that many
more students attend in the afternoon
than in the mornings. The instruction
consists in reading and learning and re-
citing the Catechism, the Psalms. and
Proverbs and other portions OF the Bible.
and when an examination has been held
and the scholar passes. he or she are
promoted to the large room for writing
and other instruction.
NV opinion of the great SUCCESS from
the very start for the Stockport Sunday
School is the subjects taught, for in the
year 1894 there were no public schools
no school boards. no compulsory eduea-
ton, yet with these additions, the school
keeps up its record. in fact is growing.
The world over have come across old
scholars, and wish button. or pin. or
some emblem could be worn in our coat
button hole that we may recognize each
other. When we find each other out,
the sparkle in our eyes. and our smiling
faces show the proud pleasure we have
in having been a scholar there, and to
quote scriptures. land this is a comfort
and solace." was persuaded to sign the
temperance pledge when listening to my
teacher on the curses Of drink. and to this
day have kept it,and feel hale and hearty
and strong and vigorous as any other
man come aorass at the age Of 65.
In many OF the towns have visited
speak Of Sunday schools and very few
people have heard OF the S. S. s.. especi-
ally in America. and the skepticism that
my statements are met with. makes me
fear everyone meet is from Missouri.
and "must be shown. therefore wherever
| travel will carry the reports and pic
ture OF the buildings to prove my state
ments. am asked why does not the en-
oyclopedias state thefacts Of this S. S. S.P