USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > A Century of history of the Walnut Street Presbyterian Church of Evansville, Indiana : with sketches of it's [sic] pastors, officers, and prominent members and reminiscences of early times > Part 10
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Secretary-Mrs. W. J. Torrance.
Treasurer-Mrs. Harry Little.
Mrs. Harry Greek has been promoted to the office of Presbyterial Foreign Treasurer. Among other Presbyterial officers from Walnut Street in former years are. Mrs. Lo- rain Cutler, 15 years, Presbyterial Foreign Treasurer; Mrs. Mary Little, Home and Freedman Secretary; Miss Lorain Cutler, Young People's Secretary.
Account of the 50th Anniversary of the Women's Missionary Society, June 3rd, 1921.
An incident of unusual interest to the members of the Walnut Street Presbyterian church was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the organization of the Woman's Missionary society, which took place Friday afternoon at Ballyrae, the summer home of Mrs. George Clifford, where a charter member, Mrs. John W. Foster, of Washington, D. C., formerly lived.
At 4 o'clock, using the porch as a stage, the society and guests witnessed a pageant depicting the 50 years of history. As an introduction, Mrs. Fred Ruff appeared as a herald, bearing a lighted oriental lamp. In original verse she depicted the plan of God for the ages and lighted the candles of a Jewish candelabrum from which the candles of charter members were lighted as she told of the call of women to service for others. Miss Lorain Cutler, in a pink muslin embroidered by Mrs. Eliza Drew, a charter member, read her grandmother's reminiscence and called the roll of the original membership.
The herolds announced the advent of the "Messengers," as Esther Kirk, in the dress of a child of long ago, brought greetings of the mission band and lighted her small taper from the candles of the women.
One of that small band, Mrs. George Clifford, then re- called the past and joined its history with the present, her taper becoming the electric torch of today. An interest- ing greeting from Mrs. Graham Lee came as a voice from the past.
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Then the heralds ushered in the Westminster Circle- the youngest organization of the missionary society, and as they joined hands the circle gleamed with tiny electric lights and they lifted their childish voices in the missionary song of all ages, "From Greenland's Icy Mountains."
"With a parting word of inspiration from the herald, and a song, "The Holy City,' 'the pageant ended and the so- cial hour began ,ending with a picnic supper by the Ladies' Aid in the rose gardens, to which all members and men of the congregation were invited.
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...
From right to left-Mrs. Lorain Cutler, 91; Mrs. An- geline Fuhrer, 92; Mrs. Emily Dalzell, 83; taken in 1920, at an out-door meeting of the Missionary Society.
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WOMEN'S SEWING SOCIETY AND LADIES' AID.
As women in the gospel story were last at the cross and first at the tomb of the Christ, and were gathered in the upper room for ten days with the disciples waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit, so in the group of twelve pioneer men and women, gathered together by Rev. Banks, the home missionary in 1821, to form the nucleus of a church, there were seven women whose names deserve to be mentioned, as the founders of Women's work in Walnut Street Presbyter- ian Church :
Abigail Fairchild, Julia Ann Harrison, Mrs. Smith, Rebecca Wood, Mrs. Chandler, Mrs. Eli Sherwood and Mary O. Warner.
In 1832, at the dedication of the Little Church on the Hill, their number had doubled. We can picture them- busy furnishing the building, making curtains, molding candles, covering the box pulpit with the green baize and cleaning up after the workmen.
The earliest records preserved are of a reorganized sewing society in 1847. The books of the Secretary and Treasurer consist invariably of a small blank book, with paper cover, spotted and veined in imitation marble, which, however, has stood the test of time better than the more sub- stantial ones of leather, used by Session and Trustee.
The membership soon increased from thirteen to twenty-two. The principal object stated in the first book of 1847 was the "purchase of a lot on which to build a new church." That being deferred, they took up other pressing needs. They contributed one year $150.00 toward the church debt; at another $200.00 for repairs; they paid the annual taxes and insurance besides keeping up insurance on the Minister, Rev. Wm. H. McCarer. They whitewashed the walls; they painted and cleaned, one year economically "renovated spots" no doubt caused by leaks or mold-wo- men's work the world over. Among curious items is one for "tending lights," recalling dripping candles and snuf- fers, while the purchase of a chandelier for $25.00 reveals a love of beauty and desire for adornment. In 1851, follow- ing the new fashion, the ambitious women sent to Cincin- nati for lamps at an expense of $11.00. Evidently the light was too intense for eyes accustomed to candles, for there is an item of $2.25 for "green berage to cover the lamps in the church."
The dues were twenty-five cents a year, but the society
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relied largely for the funds on private orders for sewing and knitting and on an annual Fair, held at some public hall or hotel, where the sums cleared varied from $140.00 to $253.00; a Floral Festival in May, 1853, yielding $147.00. Much of the material was purchased by the society, the work done at fortnightly meetings at the homes. Here light refreshments were served, "limited to bread and butter, one kind of relish and one kind of plain cake."
The minutes state that "anybody breaking this rule must pay a forfeit by entertaining the society until she adopts this idea." Later one member was fined fifty cents for icing her cake.
Sales are reported of night caps, linen frills, nubias and tidies, socks and stockings, worked slippers and otto- man tops, double gown, needle-book and emery. In 1849 the items, "little stockings" and "little mittens," proclaim the provident care of mothers for little ones in the home, in view of the approach of winter, while the heat of summer creates a demand for "little sunbonnets," at half-price and Christmas and birthdays require "dressed dolls."
They had their troubles, too, at these Fairs-troubles over broken tumblers and rented tables lost which must be replaced, boys must be hired to watch, while mothers ran home to attend to the wants of the household and alas- counterfeit money must be deducted from the receipts.
Ice cream was the favorite dish, even in these early days. The old-fashioned idea of the "man as head of the house' appears in the notice of the meetings at the home of Mr. Shanklin and Mr. Warner.
In 1859 the society was reorganized, primarily for the purpose of raising funds for the purchase of an organ for the new church. A Strawberry Supper in this year brought $158.00 into the Treasury; a week's Fair in December, $586.00; another in 1872, under Mrs. M. Dalzell, $600.00.
Undersleeves were now the fashion and everything trimmed with tatting or footing. Several entries of shirts indicate the absence of factories and orders from the beaux o fthe day, secured, no doubt by zealous young women, eager to prove their worth as future wives! The sum of $750.00 being raised before it was needed for the organ, the women were persuaded to lend it to the trustees for the usual in- debtedness, but some shrewd official demanded "10 per cent interest for fifteen months with the personal note of the Treasurer, and church collections as collateral."
In 1870 the Society was divided into ten social com-
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mittees, giving monthly entertainments, each vying with the other to make the most money for the proposed new car- pet, the years' work netting $578.00. In 1871 the women were most active, soliciting a Semi-Centennial anniversary fund for the Mission, now First Avenue, raising over $3,000. A committee was appointed in 1873, entitled, "Put on Kind- ness," its aim not to make money but to secure mutual ac- quaintance and sympathy, which they hoped to accomplish by interspersing musical and intellectual exercises with the socials.
The Society was roorganized in 1877 under the name of the "Ladies' Aid Society of Walnut Street Presbyterian Church," which continues active to this day, Mrs. Lizzie Shanklin being its Treasurer for twenty-eight years. A perusal of her books shows the really big things accomplish- ed. In 1886 the women voted and raised $1,000 for church improvements, besides paying $530.00 for decorating the au- ditorium and $100.00 towards electrifying the chandeliers. At this time the sheet-iron ceiling was put in, the red, blue and green glass borders with emblems of dove, anchor and cross were replaced by plain yellow glass; the square walnut seats by golden oak, costing $1,090.00. In 1890, a smoky furnace had so defaced the walls that it was necessary to duplicate the frescoing at a cost of $411.50-No wonder the Society willingly paid $163.00 towards a new smoke stack.
In 1893, the stained glass windows were put in the front of the church at a cost of $461.00, the sale of Mrs. Reilly's book, $102.00 defraying part of the expense.
In 1898 they recommended to the Trustees the removal of the iron fence shown in early photographs, and replac- ing of brick pavements with cement, promising to pay for the same. The Trustees agreed with alacrity. The removal of the iron fence recalls the dent in the Second Street side of the fence caused by a great storm blowing down a part of the steeple. These bills paid for, in 1914, the Aid do- nated $918.00 toward other church improvements, and in 1915 again renovated the walls and ceiling at a cost of $500. Besides these things, all the incidentals that come up in the care of churches. Twice ,$203.00 and $114.00 for hymn books, music for the choir, parsonage several times ren- ovated; linen and silver in 1890, carpets and cleaning, pots and pans, dishes and dusters. Count it all up-those figures of forty years of women's striving and it makes a startling sum -- almost $18,000. It was dangerous to show a surplus , !
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at the annual meeting for the trustees immediately requested the ladies to assume some church liability. One cannot but admire the courage with which they saw their hard-earned funds melt away and began accumulating again.
These large sums were raised by annual monthly sub- scriptions, by Fairs, Suppers and other entertainments. Most of the provisions for the Suppers were donated and the cakes of Walnut Street were famous the city over. Peo- ple had time in those days to come to supper and spend the evening in social intercourse.
From 1880-1900 many novel and clever entertainments were given, whose programs are now of interest. At a conundrum social the women propounded riddles for guests to solve. The M Social, where everything on the printed menu began with M, reading thus: "Meted out by minister- ing maidens of model manners, made manifest by mons- trous monograms-Modern Martha and Mary, who mind the meal and minister to the mouth may mention that they mean to make this memorable medley, meriting meditation, mas- tication, metoposcopy, memory, mirth and money."
The Butterfly Social was a gay affair, the whole lecture room decorated with fluttering tissue paper decorated but- terflies, whose bodies were clothes pins. These gay-winged beauties were afterwards sold by the hundreds. Mrs. Al- fred Bixby was the originator and creator. At a Chinese Social, the menu was in Chinese hieroglyphics and covering the wall and displayed on tables were the Chinese curios and embroideries of Mrs. Chas. Denby, Sr., recently returned from the Legation of Peking. In the garden of "Singing Flowers," a large canvas curtain was painted in the church parlors in August by Miss Grace Tyrrell, the center of each flower cut out and faces of living singers inserted. The pro- gram consisted of choruses, solos and duets, many of them popular songs of the day. It was given in Evans Hall in the summer of 1886, clearing $275.00 The one longest to be remembered as a source of amusement was the "District Schule," where the participants consisted of the older peo- ple of the church in girlish costume of pantelette and frill, or silk hat and frock coats. Mr. George Cunningham as Schoolmaster, was inimitable. The audience laughed till they cried, though some of the older people went home very much shocked. These suppers were served in the parlors, leav- ing the lecture room for program and sociability, and Wal- nut Street in those days was a real community center.
Two time-honored institutions have been banished;
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the window stick with crotched end for pulling down the upper window sash and the human organ blowers. The sight of old Dr. Johnson swaying down the aisle at a call for fresh air with the long stick unconsciously hit- ting a bald head on one side and dislodging a woman's bon- net on the other side of the aisle, amused many a small child in the family pew. A rope and pulley made ventilating easy. The vagaries of various organ blowers were many. Regular- ly "Crazy Al" went to sleep during the sermon and had to be awakened by one of the bases at the lack of response in the organ. An electric motor installed was a joy, except when some practical joker turned off the switch in the room below, as happened lately.
The latest form of activity of the Aid Society, inaugur- ated as a part of the New Era Movement, is the monthly twenty-five cent supper, where 125 are served at once, often cafeteria fashion, on trestle tables with paper cloth and nap- kins. The good supper, not by any means light refreshments and calculation of expense to fit the receipts, show skillful management of the heads of committees. After the supper a devotional service is held by the Pastor, with reports of New Era neighborhood captains or other business. As one looks back into the past, the heads of committees, bustling efficient Marthas pass in review, "doing with their might what their hands find to do." Mesdames Bayard, Decker, Keen, J. L. Orr, W. H. Cutler, Etha Gilchrist, McLean, Han- kins, McCoy, Annie Sullivan, Gilbert, Dalzell, Clem Sullivan, Weever, Babcock, S. W. Little, French, Storms, Cunning- ham, Wedding, Garvin, Sheridan, Crawford, Rutherford, Norton, Howe, Kirk, Sheets, Archer, Wemyss, Faul and Russell.
Last, but not least, like Dorcas of old, can be shown the garments for the poor and destitute which the women have made. First a community industrial school, where poor children were taught to sew, was organized and man- aged by Mrs. Samuel Bayard and had many of the Aid as faithful teachers. When Parke Memorial was established as a Mission of Walnut Street, a sewing school was held every Saturday morning under the leadership of Mrs. Philip Decker and Mrs. W. E. French, with members of this so- ciety as teachers, and was carried on for years. When this was no longer needed, a similar school was conducted in the Kindergarten room of Centennial school by Mrs. W. H. Cut- ler and Mrs. Etha Gilchrist for the children of the cotton mill mission. It was truly a labor of love and entailed much
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self-sacrifice. During the world war, making of refugee garments and hospital supplies was the patriotic service of the Ladies 'Aid, and last winter garments were made and mended for children of a local charity, the Christian Home.
Of the women of Walnut Street as of old may be said, "Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates."
WOMAN'S GUILD.
The youngest organization of this century-old church is a Woman's Guild.
For a long time Walnut Street Church has felt the need of a society where the new and younger members of the congregation might meet and get acquainted with each other and the older members; where the problems of the church and of the community might be discussed and where a study of the Bible might stimulate and contribute to the devo- tional life of the church.
Realizing this need, more than forty women met No- vember 4 ,1921, and made tentative plans for a social, study and service guild.
This young and untried organization asks the good-will, the advice, the encouragement of the old church, so rich in interesting history, in illuminating experiences, and in splendid achievement.
DAISY FLOWER VEATCH.
SABBATH SCHOOL.
To Miss Philura French, afterwards Mrs. John Shank- lin, who had come to the backwoods to make her home with her sister, Mrs. Calvin Butler, belongs the honor of first gathering the children together in a Sabbath School. Mrs. Reilly says the older people shook their heads at this "in- novation upon the established custom of Sabbath observ- ance." It must have been a great relief to those pioneer boys and girls, accustomed to long church services, with un-
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intelligible doctrinal sermons. Tradition still preserves for us the picture of the watchful elder, armed with a long stick, warranted to reach to all parts of the small room and tap upon the head any restless or mischievous boy or girl. The text books of that first school were the Scriptures and West- minister Catechism. Among the Superintendents in the early years were intellectual men and organizers of a high order: Mr. Conrad Baker, late Governor of Indiana, Mr. John W. Foster, afterwards Secretary of State under Pres- ident Harrison, Mr. Myron K. Safford, Head Master of a Classical School for boys and girls and Mr. Alexander Gow, Supt. of the Public Schools of Evansville-all men of deep piety, elders in the church, impressed with the need of bring- ing up the children "in the fear and admonition of the Lord."
It was the custom to celebrate the anniversary of the Sunday School the first Sabbath in February, with appro- priate exercises, songs from the Golden Censer, recitations and address by the pastor. A printed program of such an occasion, February 7, 1869, preserved in a scrapbook, gives the names of scholars earning premiums --- a Bible or a good book, for perfect attendance and perfect lesson recitation for a year. Of seven named, Miss Mary Davidson is the only survivor, but "Willie Cutler" and "Robbie Shanklin" were awarded a "suitable premium," a Bible still preserved, for only missing one Sabbath on account of illness. I am won- dering who earned the premium, the boys or their conscien- tious mothers. In 1870, Nellie Goodge and Daniel Kress were awarded a gold dollar each for bring in the most new scholars, the conditions imposed requiring more than ten. The Sabbath School of that day held a quarterly Mission- ary meeting Sabbath afternoons with appropriate address and collections of from $30.00 to $60.00 reported by classes. Each class had a Missionary title and reported with scrip- ture recitation-some of the titles quite original : "Regulars, Lilies of the Valley, Dew Drops, Eureka, Small Rain, Buds of Promise," the Infant Class, "Little Lambs." There were twenty-five teachers, 140 scholars in Testament Class, 90
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in Infant Class, 35 in Bible Classes, making a total of 290. T. W. Turner was Superintendent, James L. Orr, Secretary and Treasurer, James H. Cutler, Librarian and C. K. Drew, Chorister.
Advocates of graded instruction in the Sabbath School may be interested in our experiment in Walnut Street in 1869, outlined in the minutes of the Secretary. For months, reorganization was the leading subject of discussion in the weekly teachers' meeting. It was finally decided to try a plan, urged by one of the teachers, Mr. Alexander Gow, Supt. of Public Schools, for graded classes with special helps prepared by Rev. Chas. D. Knox. All honor to these men of vision and high ideals far ahead of their times! There were six grades in the school ; boys and girls together, Infant Class, Primary, Second Year, Third Year, Second Bible Class, First Bible Class. The Testament Classes were divided into six classes each, with two teachers, one to give instruction and the other to take charge of books, paper work and collections. There were weekly teachers' meetings with instruction by experts and quarterly examinations of pupils in the presence of parents and friends.
A personal visitation of parents was required to secure punctuality, regularity and home preparation of the lesson. The teachers agreed to give the experiment a fair trial of six months. Alas! the plan was too revolutionary. The scholars even resorted to modern strike methods and left the school rather than submit to the arbitrary separation from friends, made necessary by the new grading. After a year of growing opposition and rebellion, the teachers voted to adopt the Uniform Lessons, the same from the In- fant Class to the Bible Class. It was over thirty years be- fore another trial of graded instruction was made, this time about 1904, the young woman of progressive ideals-Miss Emma Decker, Elementary Superintendent of that day. Miss Decker had graded the pupils into departments accord- ing to age before the present graded system of lessons was issued and adopted the helps for each department as issued. She had received her inspiration from a visit to Winona.
About 1904, boys and girls from nine to twelve years were organized into a Junior Department, the first class of ten being graduated in 1906. A course for Beginners was in- troduced in 1905, the Primary several years later. Mrs. George Clifford became the first Junior Superintendent in 1907 and continued until 1919. Other departments have quietly and naturally been added until today the whole school
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is graded according to modern standards from Cradle Roll to Adult organized Bible Classes, the latest a Men's Bible Class under the leadership of Mr. Boaz Crawford.
The Cradle Roll under Superintendency of Mrs. John S. Hopkins, enrolls babies at birth, remembering each year with birthday postal cards and urging the bringing to Sun- day School at four or five years.
The Beginners' Department, with sand table, paste- board men and animals, illustrates the telling of the Old Testament Stories. In the Primary, Miss Blanche Jung, a trained Kindergartner, has for many years emphasized the Bible stories with handwork of crayon and pasting and memory work of psalm and verse. At nine, pupils are grad- uated to the Junior Department, where a course of four years of consecutive Bible history, of hero tales and mission- ary biography is studied week by week. Home work in spe- cial books of prepared question and answer, story telling, and outline work, is required, as well as memory work of scripture and hymns.
In the Intermediate grade, biography and the revised catechism require three years with promotion to Senior grade at the end. Senior boys and girls study the Bible book by book and relate teaching to life. Adult classes con- tinue advanced study and are organized with officers and committees for increase in numbers and usefulness in church and community service. Diplomas are awarded on Rally Day with appropriate exercises. The picture card with scripture text, once offered as reward of merit, has given place to buttons and pins. Contests to increase attendance and punctuality have been urged. Three boys in recent years achieved the remarkable record of five years perfect attendance-Ralph Dannettell, Arthur Moss and Fred Mann, the latter proudly displaying his coat lapel covered with gold and silver stars, the premium of his day.
Various schemes have been used. On a cardboard ther- mometer, a simulated mercury rose from freezing to boiling as stimulated pupils brought in new members. The hands of a paper clock moved slowly forward as members in- creased. 'Last year an aeroplane race of rival captains and crews stirred lagging enthusiasm for punctuality and re- ularity, so necessary to efficient work.
Walnut Street has never been a large school. From 1890-93, the number is given as over 600, including Parke Memorial, recalling the fact that children of German churches were attracted to Walnut Street by teaching in English. In 1895 the number fell to 375 and has for years
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been less than 200. The small classes, however, afford op- portunity for individual recitation and training for leader- ship. In modern times the universal anniversaries of Christ- mas, Rally Day in October and Children's Day in June are yearly observed with excellent programs, varying from sim- ple recitations to cantatas, tableaux and elaborate pageants.
For some years an orchestra was a help to the singing of the gospel hymns, but today Mr. L. E. Karcher alone leads with his cornet, having served almost without ab- sence since 1909. To facilitate teaching and secure at- tention, tables were installed for separate classes in the lec- ture room, beaver-board screens being added in 1920 to pro- vide desired privacy. They help deprive the teen age boys' class of his admiring or disapproving audience, although books and papers occasionally still fly over the top, replacing the paper-wad which used to adorn the ceiling.
The most recent innovation is the social program with athletic activities. Walnut Street has for years had its an- nual picnic in June, by boat or traction to some neighboring grove, where baskets laden with food were set forth on a common table and games and contests occupied the after- noon.
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