140 A HALF CENTURY. 



Mrs. North provided at her own expense. The children at this season 

 also contribute, from their own supplies, books, toys, and pictures, 

 which are sent to more needy schools in the West or South, and so 

 they experience the blessedness of giving as well as receiving. 



The international lessons have been used in this department, with 

 the exception of the Sundays from Christmas to Easter, the past year, 

 when a life of Christ, prepared by our pastor, was studied with profit. 



The primary department now numbers 323 scholars and 30 teach- 

 ers. The officers, besides the superintendent, are Mrs. H. Dayton Hum- 

 phrey and Mrs. George D. Copley, assistants ; Miss Nettie Smith, 

 secretary, and Miss Lillian Hart, organist. 



OUR TEACHERS. 

 Deacon John H. Peck. 



The growth and development of a large, well-ordered Sunday- 

 school is an interesting study. The office of such a school is two-fold. 

 It is to train up the children of the church in the truths of relig- 

 ion and to foster the general study of the Bible : it is also to reach out 

 in a missionary spirit to the children of the poor, the neglectful, the 

 godless, and bring them within the sphere of religious influence and 

 instruction. A great and successful school sometimes gathers about 

 an individual of uncommon energy and magnetic influence, and its 

 power becomes immense ; the employment of new and ingenious de- 

 vices to attract attention; or of novel methods of instruction, sometimes 

 creates a temporary popularity and apparent success ; but the steady 

 normal growth of any school depends upon the efficiency of its teach- 

 ers. It is to the teachers of this school, their faithfulness, their con- 

 secration, tlieir esprit du corps, that its phenomenal growth is mainly 

 due. 



To speak of all, or even of many, of these teachers in the few min- 

 utes allowed to me would be manifestly impossible, but it will be 

 pleasant to recall the work of a few. 



The ol ler ladies, as they sit here, are thinking of Squire Bassett, 

 who year after year sat among them and unfolded in his quiet way, 

 the comforting truths of God's word. Those women never tired of 

 being Sunday-school scholars. The venerable Mrs. Eno, when nearly 

 ninety years of age, was still a regular member of the class, though 

 unable to hear what was said. When Mr. Bassett was called from his 

 work on earth, his place was well filled by the Rev. Mr. Nichols. This 

 faithful and conscientious teacher was wont to begin his preparation 

 of the lesson on Sunday afternoon and continue it through the 

 week. On the last Sunday of his life he was with his class, and after 



