The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-10-07
eulDEBoARo SUNDAY SCHOOL
Description of It's Organization Half
a Century Ago.

About a year ago, the undersigned
announced through the Banner that
he had undertaken the task of com
piling history of the Guideboard
Sunday school, and appealed to the
| public for information. The only
| responses he received were in Sc
! curing an old record-book from Bur
| ton Harwood, some verbal remi-
niscences from Mrs. j. P. Daley and
a column-long newspaper clipping
| from Mrs. William f.. Hawks of
North street, published in one of the
| newspapers of the year 1857, prob
ably the most extensive and authori
| tative account of the Guideboard
school ever printed. Through the
| courtesy of Mrs Hawks and the
editor of The Banner, the public is
| given the benefit of this bit OF in
formation, the article referred to be-
/ ing printed in full below. Thus far
| not enough information has been
! received to warrant the commence
ment of the history, but the writer
| does not give up the task. still ex-
! pecting that others who are in
! possession OF facts relating TO this
school will respond, thus enabling
him to complete the undertaking.
Philip T. II. Pierson.
Furnace Grove Sabbath School
Accepting an invitation of a
friend on Sunday afternoon last we
visited the Sabbath School which
has been held every Sabbath for the
last three months at the Furnace,
| about two miles east of this village.
Sometime in July last, Capt II. l..
Shields proposed to furnish a room
| On his premises in which Sabbath
school and religious meetings could
be held. In accepting this PROPOSE
ton Rev. c H. Hubbard, pastor of
| the Congregational Church, of this
village, organized a Sabbath school
and since that time he has also
preached there several Sabbath af-
ternoons. to quite large and atten-
| tive audience. The School was or
ganized with eight scholars. and
from that time to, and including last
Sabbath week, in all III Sabbaths,
The school has assembled every Sab
bath afternoon; the whole atten-
dance has been II teachers and 36l
scholars. The average attendance
has been teachers and 80 scholars.
During this period the scholars are
said to have manifested unusual in.
terest in their attendance and eff
forts to learn their lessons.
Among other decorations in the
room. where services are held. We
noticed thsdollowing quotations from
the Holy Scriptures conspicuously
displayed:
Those that seek Me early shall
find Me-"
Have always a conscience void of
offence toward men,
Cast thy burden on the Lord
and He shall sustain thee"
Go into all the world and preach
the gospel to every creature
Last Sabbath being designated as
an anniversary day with this
School, the attendance of older peo
pie was quite large. At four o'clock
the meeting was called to order by
Mr. Il. G. White, Supe .lntendent OF
The school, who greeted The children
with few kind words, and express
ed his gratitude at always finding
them so prompt in their attendance
upon the Sabbath School. After
singing by the scholars, assisted by
their teachers. Mr.. II. d. Hall. a
prominent teacher of this school,
spoke at some length, presenting to
the scholars in a clear and compre-
hensive manner the duty which they
all owed TO their Creator The chill
dren were next addressed by Mr. II
7. White. Supt. of the Sabbath
OF this village. He related to them
two or three timely anecdotes, all of
which no doubt had the desired ef-
feet upon the minds of the Sabbath
School pupils. Although his re-
marks were brief, they were 10 the
point and were words well calculat-
ed to inspire the heats OF the little
pilgrims to renewed earnes,ness =.
the work in which they have but
recently started, Mr.. f. c. White
then spoke to the school nearly as
follows.
1T gives me pleasure dear friends
and teachers TO come befo.e you Il
this Time. our first anniversary. May
We ever be grateful to our Heavenly
Father that He put IL into the heart
OF enc to make an offering unto him
b. opening these doors and afford
irg us these conveniences 70, wor-
ship. and for our Sabbath School.
And those teachers who have labor
cd with Us, may you look for a high
or reward than earth can give. The
hour which we have passed here on
Sunday afternoon for the last three
months. We have endeavored TO
spend pleasantly and proftably, and
at the same time to vary our exer-
cises so as not 10 weary the chill
dren. We hope and trust some good
has O. viii resalt from our labors,
and thai the seed thus sown. in fu-
ture years may spring up and bear
frait."
In order 10 get the children in
terestCd % increase ouf numbers an
offer was made a few Sabbaths since
TO the one that would bring in the
largest number of new scholars land
keep them I'M to Oct. LIST should be
rewarded with n new Bible: and also
any embcr 90 the school that
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