134 A HALF CENTURY. 



a class was formed of our most prominent men, with Rev. Samuel 

 Rockwell, who had been our first pastor, as teacher. There were pres- 

 ent the first Sunday, eighteen persons, including such men as C. B. 

 ErTNin, Philip Corbin. F. T. Stanley, William H. Smith, Horace H. 

 Brown, Henry W. Whiting, Horace Butler, A. P. Collins, T. A. Conk- 

 lin, Gilman Hinsdale, Levi O. Smith, and other leading business men. 

 Thirty identified themselves with the class during the year. Of these, 

 twenty-three, including the teacher, have already passed away. Mr. 

 Rockwell resigned his position on account of his health in 1870, and 

 was followed successively by A. P. Meylert, John B. Talcott, Philip 

 Corbin, and John N. Bartlett. The last named has led the class for 

 the past fifteen years. 



Our present pastor. Rev. Dr. Cooper, has now, for nearly fifteen 

 years, been exceedingly helpful to the school in all practical ways, at 

 times leading our teachers in weekly preparation for teaching the les- 

 sons, and for thirteen years past conducting a large class of prominent 

 young business men. 



In regard to our list of teachers, I am sure no one will question 

 the statement that all through our history a very large proportion 

 of the most devoted Christian activity as well as the best educa- 

 tional talent in the church, has been enlisted in the instruction of our 

 people, young and old, in God's word. My yearly records for the last 

 twenty-four years include the names of nearly 350 members of the 

 church who have served for a longer or shorter time in this capacity. 

 This list in April, 1868, when I became superintendent, was thirty; 

 of whom eleven have died, twelve have left town, and five are now 

 teaching, though only two have taught continuously since that time, 

 viz. : David N, Camp and John H. Peck. The present number of 

 teachers is ninety-three. We have had from forty to sixty per cent, 

 of the resident members of our church connected with the school for 

 the past twenty-four years at least. In the early years of our history 

 comparatively few adults were in the school as learners; but our 

 theory for a long time has been, no limitations of age for the reception 

 of members and no graduating point encouraged for the retirement of 

 any who are able to reach the house of God. 



The ages of those now members of the school range from three to 

 eighty-seven years. It is indeed delightful to know that our revered 

 mother, Mrs. O. B. Bassett, who for nearly seventy-five years has 

 been in the line of Bible study in this and the Sunday-school of her 

 youth, is still able to be frequently present with us, while among her 

 six great-grandchildren, little Marjory Hart, only four years old, may 

 be found in the primary department taking her first Sunda5'-school 

 lessons from God's word. 



I cannot report the aggregate amount of contributions in the school 



