Show LARGEST SUNDAY SCHOOL STOCKPORT England Aug Aua 2 21 23 1894 On On August 19 I visit visit- visited ed d the Stockport Sunday tun to tobe tobe tob be the largest larget not only Duly in E England out in the world my way to the direction pointed out jut 1 I soon Eoon ap- ap approached ap approached the tae spot pot The first fini sight of the building my mind that it was wai a mill mid of Bom some um klud upon In- In InqUIrY inquiry In Inquiry however I 1 elicited tue lue information uon tion that inai it was wai the muted edifice I was waxin In search learoh of or Being directed to the proper entrance I was wax soon Boon ushered into the committee room and Intro Introduced to W B Leigh Esq i q toe the gener gener- general general al secretary who I learned nearly two years at his bia demise bad had succeeded him bim in that pool ti poci-ti tiun u This gentleman took pleasure ia In showing bowing mw me m through the building and furnished full tuU information on concerning the working of the school We apen spent two hours bourl noun together The building con con- contains cox taine lour Jour stories and li is j situated In ii an elevated position on Wellington street There are nearly Dearly rooms roomi in It The fae main room or hall ball will probably most over if people and ii is used for jubilees JUbilee anniversaries Sunday even even- evening eT lag n-lag ing service ervice once oboe a month and aDd for tor other purposes purport For adult male and aDa female classes olaree there are two main and ten claw class rooms room for tor for first Ant aDd acid second classes the be same am number of rooms room On the first floor door there are nine line ro rooms roomi for tor boys bOYI and an on ob the second door floer r ten ien rooms for girls three libraries l aone a one trACt room reona where tracts tract and a few fee ob cheap ap books are sold lold OD one commit commit- committee tte tee ke room one inspectors inspector's I room room one oae librarian room and aDd one onn on for tor the porter At present there then are re fifty Ie seven even en classes in 10 the school The gen len general general eral eraa library contains 2610 2500 books boox o the he Cea teachers ber library 8 and aDd tb the first and second CORd claw class library 2900 The latter Jatter J f to mb of ot in mata mata- gis- gis aines On oil the be walls wail aU of the ebin c dW e room can n be seen Hen icen elegant oil oil- tUp pidD pala and photo engravings of d men meD who have bave taken a very active part pars in the school some lome ome of whom Were wre In service fur for half batt a century or more Prominent amongst the oil oU paintings is Mr Joseph Mayor Mayer who was Vail con con- connected connected with rith the school from 1790 1190 until his ble death January 23 1867 Attached to to the school ii is a small mn building erected expressly for an lotan infant department to which all aU under five years year of age are admitted Ab About ut names are enrolled The Tae sanitary arrangements are ate the th most mOlt complete to So be found fouad in tn stir an v per por por- por portion tion Lion of ot England Eagland During the time school is iI i In in session apparatus to apparatus Ie liv In working order which ti takes takee off by bywater bywater water every fifteen minutes all im 1 pur pure ure matter ratter It li Is built bans of f glassed Id gla brick and was erected last as year at i cost COlt of 1000 Adjacent to the town are tour fou branch schools belonging to the Stock Stock- Stockport Stockport Stockport port Sunday Bunday school Last Laet years year's year an annual an- an annual JUla nual report gives the number of of teachers and scholars as follows Stockport Sunday Bunday school S Hea Hea- Heaton ton Hea-ton ton oD Mersey Lan Lan- Lancashire Hill HUl totaL 4 The officers of ot the school consist of o general inspector and assistant treas treal- sad and assistant general secretary librarian and assistant two auditors auditore committee of eighteen members forty visitors superintendents of different departments thirty-one thirty trustees and anda anda anda a finance committee of fifteen The school hours are from 9 to io 12 and from 2 to 4 The exercises consist of singing prayer short addresses Bible and writing lessons etc Once a month the majority of the classes shortly after 10 to different places of worship The day I 1 was present thirty five ve classes left the school chool for that purpose One Sunday evening each month is set apart for service in the main room for all aU mem mem- member members members ber bers of the school parents ant and friends Occasionally in the large room tea par par- parties par parties ii ties for tor parents and members of the schools are held At the last lut there were 1400 present and sod two wo nights nighta pre pre- preVious pre previous re- re fiODI 1100 were seated There is Ie alick asick a sick lick lok and burial society connected with b the school The school Is sectarian non and children of all aU denominations excepting Catholic Jew and Unitarian an an aD T W a prominent resident of New York Fork and who is Ie greatly interested in Sunday Bunday schools I makes a yearly visit to Stockport Bud and remains for lor a few weeks tor for the purpose visiting the school A large photo photo engraving of this gentleman can ben be seen een n in the committee room loom Looking over OTer the schools school's choo registry list I f noticed the following June JuDe 1888 No Ephraim Clarkson aged 5 years year Mr Clarkson is II porter for the school bool He l la is now 61 years of age aae Tb The finances of the school are kept up b by annual subscription from tb public collections at annual sermons and monthly meetings renter rente from books and stationery solo sold etc t registered I 1 my name as ae balUn hailing from Suit Salt Lake City The secretary invited me IDe to come lol some e Sabbath and address addre the he ad adult Jt itch J A brief brieC history of the be ort Sun Buo day Bun Ay 47 I Is t as as follows Mr Mr Robert Robrt 6 commenced 03 d the first Sunday school ool In 10 Gloucester England d in 1780 The report reboil rep t of oi Mr success having IDS reached Stockport it 16 U stimulated 10 cited J ted a few friends interested in the welfare of the youth to follow in 11 the footsteps of the illustrious Sabbath school chool I philosopher and they resolved to do likewise A A town committee kinder the She be sanction of the clergy olry and aDd aDdI I ministers of various denominations Was formed omed who established seven leveo schools of which this now known kno rn as the Stockport Sunday Bunday school wason was on F Fat fI nine years yearl it It was known ai ae aea as a atola's Wd D school under control con and sus AUS tamed nd by bl tha that ee ee Then air cir cir- arose w ah made change and n it wa was ed d the 1 d- d tot II Sunday 7 school During 3 he be first ailt twenty 7 yei up raup to the ibe time lime pf pt the v r erection o of the new building tb the teacher teachers were were paid paid id for tor their service the first wages were II la each sab aab sabbath bath In the he year 1804 the number of scholars having baving greatly increased the plan was conceived of erecting one large laree Sunday Bunday school undenominational al ad aa without distinction of sect or party Subscriptions were opened for tor that purpose June 15 1805 the th foundation stone was laid In n 1806 the building was finished and opened The secretary pre presented me with several pamphlets showing the pro pre progress pro progress gress of the school amongst which was wae waione one giving an account of the proceed proceed- proceedings proceed ings at the grand Jubilee held held Ju June 1855 in 10 commemoration of laying the foundation stone atone of ot the Stockport Sun Sun- Sunday Sunday Sunday day school Saturday June 15 1805 i aso also proceedings of the centennial ser ser- services services vices of the school held beld J ID io D November 1884 R A AVESON |