A CENTENARY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 89, 11 October 1941, Page 11

A CENTENARY

WESLEY SUNDAY SCHOOL

The centenary of the Wesley Sunday School, Taranaki Street, will be marked tomorrow at Wesley Church, Taranaki Street, by special services, and with reunions and by other functions during the week. In May, 1840, Mr. J. Swarm gathered some children for religious instruction in his home at Pipitea Point. From this class grew .the first Wellington Methodist Sunday School, which early in 1841 met in the raupo church, built by the Maoris for the missionaries. Later in the same year the school transferred to the loft of Mr. J. Wade's store., at the corner of Lombard Street, and what is now known as Bond Street, and stood on the edge of the water.. From this small beginning the school continued to grow, and through the years was accommodated in successive larger buildings. At the jubilee of the school in 1891 there were 850 scholars on the roll, with 45 teachers. The number of children enrolled and taught in the 50 years was 5300. At the anniversary of 1908 in the Wellington Town Hall, 400 scholars made up the choir, and were ably assisted by the church orchestra, under the baton of Mr. F. Billman. At the evening service nearly 500 people were unable to be accommodated. The scholars' pennies during the century for missions amounted to £3517. Up to June, 1941, nearly 13.000 children have been enrolled, with 1250 babies on the cradle roll.

The history of the school has been written by Mr. W. E. Howe (a lifetime worker and superintendent for many years), and has been published in a well-illustrated brochure of 40 pages. During thfe week's celebrations there will be on view an exhibition of old photographs and relics in connection with the school and city during the past century.