The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-09-25
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Of COUNTY IN
CONVENTION
Successful Gathering at East
Arlington
THE ATTENDANCE WAS LARGE
Enrolment in the County Has Fallen
off Slightly During the
Past Year.

The largest attended and one of the
most successful conventions of the
Bennington County Sunday Schools
was held Wednesday at East Airing
ton. The weather was perfect and in
every way the day was ideal TO. trav-
el. Delegates came from all parts of
the county by trains, automobiles and
carriages and when the convention
was called to order at 9.45 a. M, in
the Congregational church by the
president of the association, there
were 80 present, nearly all being from
outside the town. After opening with
short praise service Rev. n. l.. Ball
of East Arlington led ten-minute de-
votional service which was timely
inspiration as the opening of the days
proceedings.
Next came the report OF the Stats
teal secretary which was given by j.
l.. Griswold of Bennington. The re-
port, although not complete from the
fact that five of the small schools had
not reported, seemed to show that
there had been a falling off in the vi
tai statistics from the year preceding.
There were given 4l0 officers and
teachers in the county and 2206 schol-
airs enrolled, with an average attend
ance of $780, This is a little less
than 10 pei cent of the average at
tendance of last year. There are at
present 81 Sunday schools in the coun
ty, all but three or four of which keep
open during the entire year.
Rev. James s. Clark OF North Ben
nington gave short address on the
outlook for the futute and spoke of
the advantage in combining of Sun
day school efforts in community and
of the disadvantage of the overlap
ping of the work of the denomination.
al county and state organizations.
The temperance work Of the county
was put before the convention by the
superintendent of that department,
Mrs. w. II. White of North Benning-
ton. She pointed out the need of
greater effort in the teaching of tenn
perance in the Sunday school and ex.
planned that voters voted license to
great extent because Of lack OF in,
terest In the temperance work and
the lack of interest is caused by the
lack of teaching. The anti-cigarette
work was also taken up and showed
that splendid work was being done
against this evil as we'll as against
the liquor traffic throughout the coun
try.
a. ]. Hicks gave his report as treas
urer and showed that the total re-
cepts for the year to have been $ls7
and after paying the county expenses
has a balance of STAG. which is appli.
ed on the county apportionment to
the state treasury.
After the appointment of commit
tees the convention divided into con.
fd'ences, the Elementary division
meeting in the Methodist church un.
der the leadership OF Mrs. A. Sexton
of Bennington. Working methods for
the teaching OF the smaller children
were well explained and questions
were discussed regarding this impor.
tant department OF the work. The
Advanced division met at the Congre-
gational church under the leadership
OF Miss Mabel T. Winch OF East Ar.
lington. who gave a helpful talk of
the senior and intermediate work. An
Interesting paper was read by Mrs
G. A. Warner and summary remarks
by n. L. Ball.
AT noon the convention adjourned
and all the delegates were served a
splendid dinner at the Methodist par.
sonage by the ladies' of the two
churches.
The afternoon session opened with
l4O in attendance. After singing
prayer was offered by Rev. ]. c. Nit.
chell Of White Creek, Ny.
a review Of the county work cover.
ing for the past 50 years was given
by the secretary and it was interest
ing to know the progress OF the as
ISOLATION during the half centurey of
its organization. II was organized at
Factory Point (now Manchester Cen.
tre) on May 18Th. 1868 and held con
ventions semi-annually or annually
continuously to 1857 when a lapse Of
i've yeas occurred. It being re-organ.
lied in 1892.
II. n Morse. Secretary Of the Ben.
nington County improvement assOciat
ton. gave a very fOrceful and interest
ing address on Community Interests
and the Bible school, He showed
that 10 moi u-ith tha sr.a,... -.