USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Honesdale > History of the First Presbyterian society of Honesdale > Part 11
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In October, 1866, Superintendent Seely read a letter from Rev. H. H. Jessup asking if the school would take upon them- selves the support of a little girl in the mission school in Syria. The teachers met and agreed to appropriate fifty dollars per annum for that purpose, and in November the school appropri- ated fifty dollars for home missions.
After the close of the school in February, 1867, some forty scholars remained for a familiar conversation with Dr. Dunning on the subject of religion and many were deeply interested.
Mr. Seely held the office until October, 1867, when he was succeeded by W. B. Holmes, who held the position until 1872. The average attendance for 1866 was 146; for 1867, 166; 1868,
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184; 1869, 193; 1870, 183; 1871, 182. Mr. Holmes was suc- ceeded by George F. Bentley. The teachers in 1872 were Eliza Dimmick, Mary Foster, Hattie Sutton, Mary Roe, Eliza Cort- right, Fannie Torrey, Emma Ward, Carrie Smith, Mrs. Snyder, Mrs. Grennell, S. D. Ward, H. M. Seely, E. F. Torrey, John K. Jenkins, W. H. Stanton, H. C. Hand, L. Stearns, A. Thomp- son. There were eighty-four girls and fifty boys in the school and in the Bible class, ten. Infant class forty-one; officers and teachers, twenty-two. M. L. Tracy, Ella Scott, Mrs. W. B. Holmes, Mrs. G. N. Snyder, Caroline Torrey and Mrs. Lang- don are mentioned in 1873. Total attendance in 1873, 252. The school commenced the study of the international series of lessons in 1873. About 1879 Mr. Holmes was again elected superintendent and he held the position until 1885, when he was succeeded by Andrew Thompson who held the office con- tinuously until 1901. The superintendents who had long terms have been Stephen Torrey, S. D. Ward, W. B. Holmes, George F. Bentley and Andrew Thompson, and they were all devoted and excellent officers.
George F. Bentley died at Honesdale, October 13, 1881, in his 40th year. He was a young man of great promise and an efficient worker in the church and Sunday school. His early death was greatly lamented by the Sunday school which appointed a committee consisting of Andrew Thompson, W. Sullivan and Samuel Foster, who reported resolutions highly eulogistic of Mr. Bentley which were adopted by the school and recorded among their minutes. Company E, of which he was the first captain, and the court where he practiced law, also took action in relation to his death. Though young he had made an abiding impression upon the church and community for good. No life is lived in vain which accomplishes life's great end. His principal work in the church was in the young peoples' meeting and in the Sunday school, where his influence was uplifting.
Miss Clara T. Sutton was born in Honesdale, September 24, 1854, and died May 14, 1902. The Sunday school appointed Miss Clara R. Torrey, W. B. Holmes and R. M. Stocker a committee to prepare a suitable minute, expressive of the Sunday school's great loss in her death. The following, which on motion of Andrew Thompson, was adopted by a rising vote, was reported by the committee : "Miss Clara T. Sutton was born, reared and educated in this town, and her life work has been that of a teacher in our schools. Her high attainments as a scholar were largely the result of self culture. The persevering efforts necessary to obtain an education had their disciplinary value and gave her a strong personality which impressed
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itself upon her pupils. Her education did not end with the studles of the schools; she learned to love God which is the beginning of wisdom. A conscientious searcher for truth she discerned the path of duty and fol- lowed unhesitatingly wherever it led. In the public schools, the Sunday school, the young peoples' meetings, wherever she worked, her influence was exerted to advance the cause of truth, goodness and righteousness. With a sublime faith in her God, she hoped all things, helieved all things, and did everything she could to advance the interests of her pupils in knowledge and in the love of God; to that end she never lost faith in her pupils nor gave up the hope of the ultimate salvation of the most wayward of them. She followed them wherever they went with her watchful care, her counsel and her prayers. Her chaste pure life, her modest tactful methods, her fine attainments and loving heart, manifested so sincerely to her pupils, attached them to her with an irresistible power, enabling her to exercise a wonderful influence over them for good. Her pupils, scattered far and wide, bear willing testimony to her devotion to their interests. The public schools of the borough have lost an excellent teacher, this Sun- day school and church have lost a conscientious, devoted Christian worker whose pure life was an exemplification of the truths which she professed and taught."
The Sunday school has lost many earnest workers whereof here no account can be given. A large proportion of the church members came into the church from the Sunday school. The devoted labors of officers and teachers since the organization of the school have been instrumental in doing an incalculable amount of good. The records of the teachers in the early history of this school are very imperfect and many worthy per- sons will not receive the notice they deserve, but the result of their work will abide for all time. The names of the teachers in recent years have been, Mrs. R. N. Torrey, Bertha Wilder, Miss Hallock, Hon. H. M. Seely, W. J. Gregory, Mary Waller, Mrs. W. B. Holmes, H. C. Hand, Gertrude Foster, H. S. Sal- mon, Mary H. Weston, R. M. Stocker, Mrs. M. L. Tracy, Mrs. C. F. Rockwell, W. B. Holmes, May D. Foster, Bessie Weston, Emma Tillou, Sybil J. Aldrich, Miss Yonkers, Lizzie Vetter, Mary Jenkins, Julia A. Miller, Hattie Wood, Helen B. Holmes, Mrs. W. T. Moore, J. A. Reitenauer, Mrs. S. F. Cory, Mary Tompkins, Andrew Thompson, Clara R. Torrey, Alice Tillou, Bertha Lane, Mrs. J. E. Richmond, Mrs. Andrew Thompson, Joseph A. Bodie, J. A. Hiller, Harriet Stanton, Florence S.
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Wood, Joseph F. Crandall, Harry Walter, Harriet Rockwell, Kate S. Tracy, Mr. Runyon, Viola Wilcox, Daisy M. Holmes, Grace Jadwin, Blanche Kesler, N. Hause, Mary Rogers, Anna Sutton, L. Richenbaker, Mrs. W. W. Wood, Mary Church, Katharine R. Torrey, W. W. Wood, Carrie Weston, Bessie Waller, Miss Kuhbach, E. C. Mumford, Clara Wilder, Mrs. W. H. Swift, Rena Watts, Howard E. Tracy, Alice Bodie, S. F. Cory, Grace Smith, Dessie Groner, A. J. Rehbein, Mrs. Grant Tallman, Olive Wilcox, Jessie C. Grant, Mary Pregnall, Flor- ence Jenkins, R. Louis Grambs, Annie Tracy, J. S. Gillen, Susan Jenkins, Mrs. E. R. Searle, Adelaide Dodge, Elizabeth Bentley, Blanche Wood, Clara T. Sutton, A. P. Thompson, Irene Tibbetts, Mattie Gillen, Katharine Stanton, D. L. Hower, Grace Jadwin, Jennie Schoonover, Mary P. Tracy, Marcia B. Allen, Dr. W. H. Swift, Miss M. B. Keeler, Grace Salmon, I. J. Many, Edith Swift, G. W. Decker, J. D. Romaine, Kate Erk, Eleanor Strongman. Primary teachers, Vinnie Rose, Liz- zie Wood, Fanny Durland, Cora Keene, Rena Kcene, Martha Jenkins, Suzan Keene, Mrs. Alma J. G. Dix, Susan Jenkins, Kate Minor, Mrs. G. F. Bentley.
Thomas H. Dickson remembers Charles T. Weston, Fran- ces Rowland, Benjamin C. Baldwin, George G. Waller, Fred- erick L. Chapman and Joseph Gustin as teachers. Mr. Holmes remembers in the sixties, Harriet Ward, P. W. Bentley, George F. Bentley, G. G. Waller, C. P. Waller, H. M. Seely, Mrs. H. M. Seely, Miles Tracy, Mary Hand, Lucena Reed, Dr. Otis Avery, Rufus Cushman, Susan Foster, Edwin F. Torrey, H. C. Hand, Stephen Torrey, Caro N. Torrey, Ada Torrey, Henry Torrey, Mrs. E. A. Penniman, S. D. Ward and W. B. Holmes.
The Sunday school as constituted in 1904, is as follows: Miles T. Hand, superintendent; H. S. Salmon and Herman Harmes, assistant superintendents; Cora Keen, Susan Keen and Antoinette Durland, primary; A. J. Rehbein, secretary, treasurer and chorister; Howard E. Tracy, assistant secretary and chorister; Ralph F. Martin, librarian; Charles T. Bentley, John F. Roe and W. W. Wood, assistants; Maude M. Collum,
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organist; Maude Rehbein, assistant; R. M. Stocker and E. C. Mumford, auditors.
The teachers are Edith Swift, A. P. Thompson, John D. Romaine, Mary P. Tracy, Andrew Thompson, Katharine A. Erk, Martha M. Collum, Edith Torrey, Mattie E. Gillen, Grace Salmon, Nettie Wilder, Herman Harmes, Elaese Krantz, Mrs. Edwin F. Torrey, R. Milton Salmon, Ada Hiller, Cora L. Watts, Eleanor W. Strongman, Millie M. Weaver, Grace Wilder, H. C. Hand, Jennie Lee, Clara R. Torrey, Grace Jadwin, W. B. Holmes, H. S. Salmon, David L. Hower, Carrie Weston, Rev. W. H. Swift, Mrs. Eugenia B. Tears and R. M. Stocker, substitute teacher.
The report for 1903 shows the whole number of offices and teachers to be 43, of scholars, 380; total membership, 423; average attendance, 224. Total collections, $529.84; contributed to missions, $227.60; used for school purposes, $268.71. Dur- ing the time when the chapel was being built there was con- tributed through the Sunday school treasury, $1,684.61, but this did not include H. C. Hand's class with $500, and many others. Mr. Thompson, who was superintendent and treasurer at the time, estimates that one-fourth of the money for building of the chapel came from members of the Sunday school, includ- ing officers and teachers with the scholars. Mr. Hand's class is deserving special mention for having contributed the large sum of $500 which they raised by voluntary contributions and through the sale of things that they made. The class is com- posed of young ladies who had to make some sacrifice to raise that amount.
The scholars in the Sunday school in 1904, were:
Class 1-Merle Eldred, Faith Clark, Alice Wood, Beatrice E. Rehbein, Florence Kimble, Florence Hiller, Florence Reifler, Florence Smith, Lottie Hartung, Helen Tryon, Helen Bishop, Ida Tonkin, Ethel Schiessler, Au- gusta Hartman, Charlotte Lane, Isabel Gray, Minnie Bidwell, Madeline O'Connell, Gertrude Krantz, Mabel Wills, Emeline Wills.
Class 2 .- Edwin A. Marsh, Winton F. Kreitner, Henry A. Brown, John A. Kimble, Roger M. Lawyer, Edward E. Neubauer, Irving Ball, Fred S. Berry, Clarence Helstern, Benjamin E. Bunuell.
Class 3-Robert Mauer, Royal Richenbacker, Harold Pohle, Ray Ham- bly, William Allenbacker, Robert Marsh, Raymond Alberty, Edwin Bun- nell, Charles Campfield, John McDonald, Duncan McTavish.
Class 4-Charles D. Thompson, Otto G. Weaver, James E. Mumford.
Class 5-Edson R. Kreitner, Joseph A. Bodie, Jr., Elmer C. Taylor.
Class 6-Russell Romaine, Albert Krantz, Charles Gerry, Chester Gerry,
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Harold Schoell, Howard Fitch, Arthur Tonken, Ralph Brown, Miles Gill.
Class 7-Mary Babbitt, Josephine DeWitt, Catharine Eich, Florence Eldred, Mamie Gerry, Charlotte O'Connell, Dorothy Richenbacker, Marion Romaine.
Class 8 Louisa Kraft, Lacita Hawkins, Elizabeth Mauer, Alice Slu- man, Lulu Richards, Hattie Hambly,
Class 9-Ray Brown, Ford Rehbein, Walter Jeitz, Albert McMullen, Harry Bishop, John Weaver, Ralph Jeitz, Walter Weaver, John Reed, Ray- mond Bodie.
Class 10-Bessie Bunnell, Mary Bodie, Emma Babbitt, Laura Cortright, Florence Dailey, Permelia Dexter, Kate Eldred, Martha Kimble, Tillie Neu- bauer, Maude Rehbein, Mignon Wood.
Class 11-Blanche Shuman, Frances Prosch, Ida Daily, Helen Secor, Angeline Weidner, Bertha Evans, Ora Evans, Mabel Schimmel, Dora Wiz- zard, Minnie Wizzard, Carrie Schupper, Helen Bergman, Helen Yerkes, Anna Korb, Nora Brenhoefer, Hannah Brenhoefer, Edna DeGroat, Bertha Weidenbein, Gertrude Roegner.
Class 12-Wilbur Bodie, Lloyd Shuller, A. Bernard Rehbein, Edward Hambly, Raymond McMullen, William Reed.
Class 13-David Peterson, Merton Canfield, LeRoy Kreitner, Clarence Bodie, Kenneth Uglow, George Hambkee, John Pullis, Roy Leinbach.
Class 14-Kate Swift, Louisa Edgar, Florence Brown, Blanche Secor, Amy Cory, Vera Rickard, Margaret Mumford, Bertha Jeitz.
Class 14-Fred Hiller, William Eldred, Horace Noyes, George Foster.
Class 16-Kate Babbitt, Irma Bond, Mable Beck, Stella Sparks, Kath- ryne Schupper, Christina Weidner.
Class 17-Marjorie Fowler, Helen Watts, Bessie Lawyer, Eva Harmes, Alice Tallman, Harriet Smith, Dorelle O'Connell, Vesta Ballard.
Class 18 Stella Congdon, Eva Wilson, Anna Reed, Alma Shuller, Barbara Boos, Cora Eich, Edith Eich, Mary Fitch, Grace Moules.
Class 19-Harold McClemons, Mortimer M. Stocker, Albert Allenbacker, Charles Pethick, Earl Herbert, Gerald Gerry, Andrew Schaffer, Lester An- drews, Homer Ridgeway, Harry Gray.
Class 20-Millie Biebas, Lois Secor, Edith Hambly, Lydia Hambly, Clara Kimble, Blanche Noyes, Mabel Reed, Anna Brown, Queenie Cooley, Mary Barnes.
Class 21-Bessie Swift, Florence Wood, Blanche Wood, Harriet Beers, Jennie Schoonover, Mrs. Angie S. Bodie, Olive Fowler, Mrs. Grace Powell, Amelia Meuller, Lydia Reifler, Sophia Reifler, Mrs. Miles T. Hand, Mrs. D. L. Hower, Mrs. Clara B. Kreitner.
Class 22-Jennie Lee, Lizzie Bassett, Marion Wilder, Alice Day, Clara Wilder.
Class 23-Ruth Schoonover, Ethel Penwarden, Florence Dodge, Anna Seaman, Rebecca Thompson.
Class 24-Grace Babbitt, Florence Evans, Ethel Lee, Julia Schimmel, Minnie Shuller, Millie Schwieger, Florence Watts, Margaret Weaver.
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Class 25-Emma Patterson, Mrs. John Romaine, Maggie Uch, Hattie Whittaker, Mrs. Willard Penwarden, Mary Lohman, Millie Brown.
Class 26-Lena Richenbacker, Mrs. U. G. Ridgeway, Louise Durland, Isabelle Penwarden, Suzan Keene, Mrs. John Boyd, Mrs. Charles Iloff.
Class 27-Edna Dimock, Meta Smith, Mae Wood, Fannie Watts, Grace Bishop, Mary Foster, Mary Mumford, Bessie Chambers, Mae Penwarden.
Bible Class- J. A. Reitenauer, U. F. Beers, S. F. Cory, P. R. Collum, G. W. Decker, E. C. Mumford, A. McDonald, G. W. Osborn, W. H. Stone, Mrs. G. F. Bentley, Mrs. H. W. Blandin, Mrs. C. M. Betz, Mrs. U. F. Beers, Mrs. S. F. Cory, Mrs. C. A. Cortright, Mrs. Coe Durland, Mrs. George Groner, Mrs. J. A. Hiller, Mrs. H. C. Hand, Mrs. Charles Irwin, Mrs. J. K. Jenkins, Mrs. William Jenkins, Mrs. C. C. Lane, Mrs. E, C. Mumford, Mrs. Charles F. Mills, Mrs. McGown, Mrs. McDonald, Mrs. G. W. Penwarden, Mrs. J. E. Richmond, Mrs. C. H. Rockwell, Mrs. R. A. Smith, Mrs. E. Searle, Mrs. A. T. Searle, Mrs. W. H. Stone, Mrs. M. L. Tracy, Mrs. R. N. Tillou, Mrs. R. N. Torrey, Mrs. G. Tallman, Mrs. VanDusen, Mrs. S. B. Wood, Mrs. U. V. Wheeler Mrs. Wells, Mrs. Oscar Bunnell, Mrs. H. Harmes, Miss F. Ben- nett, Ida Barnes, Susan Haines, Lottie Haynes, Florence Jenkins, Hattie Sutton, Kate Schlund, Emma Tillou, Ida Tracy, Mrs. Emma C. Swift.
Class 29-John Smith, Charles Bassett, Harry Penwarden, Harold Yer- kes, Henry Wilder, Eben Keene, Asa Bryant, Ray O. Bunnell, Herbert Hil- ler, Leroy Wood, William Weiser, Benjamin Dittrich.
Class 30-Frederika Turner, Helen Fowler, Grace Reitenauer.
Class 32-Adolph Schneider, Fred Mauer, Edward Jeitz, William H. Barrable, George B. Woodward, G. Willard Penwarden, William H. Preg- nall, George E. Helstein, William H. Hawken, Grant C. Tallman, Frederick W. Kreitner, William K. Kreitner, John Congdon.
Infant Class-Helen Andrews, Louise Bishop, Helen Burns, Ora Bond, Florence Canfield, Eva Canfield, Maude Daily, Edith Hartung, Hazel Haw- key, Eda Krantz, Alecia Krantz, Grace Kreitner, Emeline Keyes, Irene Latourette, Adelaide Metzgar, Katharine McDonald, Bessie McDonald, Florence Morrison, Mildred Pohle, Jeanette Pohle, Louise Penwarden, Elsia Prosch, Florence Pregnall, Nira Rebbein, Laura Rehbein, Olive Rock- well, Susie Starr, Edith Schimmel, Rowena Spencer, Mildred Weidener, Margaret Walls, Natalie Richards, Charlotte Peterson, Franklin Bishop, Wayne Bond, Edwin Babbitt, Robert Cory, Clarence Campfield, Farrington Burhart, Edward Daily, Charles Kreitner, Louis Kreitner, Wallace Kimble, Clarence Metzgar, Irvin Morrison, Albert Morrison, Charles Hartman, Ber- nard McArdle, Ray Martin, Charles Richenbaker, Milton Richenbaker, Charles Reitenauer, William Spencer, Walter Schimmel, William Fitch, Russel Sherman, Herbert Campfield, Alfred Kreitner.
Cradle Roll-The pioneer cradle roll of the Honesdale Presbyterian school was organized in 1904. It is composed of children of members of the church under three years of age. The following names are inscribed on the roll and may be of interest to the curious fifty years from now : Elizabeth Waller Martin, Jeannette Ward Burns, Elizabeth Hower, Frances
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Edith Reitenauer, Florence Edna Reitenauer, Leah Edna Kimble, Helen Rebecca Stocker, Doris Congdon, Rosa Andrew, Harold Layton Woodward, Frederick Rockwell, George Bond.
Willard Davis, who was superintendent of the Sunday school for a time, was a merchant in Honesdale for a few years. He had a store on Main street where Burnard now lives. His wife was Lydia Sutton, a sister of James H. Sutton. He re- moved to Vermontville, in Michigan, many years ago and died there.
Hon. Otis Avery taught in the Sunday school and superin- tended it for a short time. He was born in Bridgewater, Oneida county, N. Y., August 19, 1808, and he died in Honesdale, Feb- ruary 22, 1904, in his 96th year. His life was a long and eventful one. He had a common school education and learned the watchmakers' trade in his father's shop. In 1827 he first came to Bethany, working at his trade, and about that time he came down to Honesdale and saw the trial trip of the Stour- bridge Lion, and for a number of years before he died enjoyed the distinction of being the only man living who rode on that engine at that time. He finally concluded to learn dentistry and to that end went to New York, and December 6, 1833, re- ceived a certificate from Dr. Ambler, the only mode of graduation at that time, and immediately began the practice of his profes- sion, which he continued up to a short time before his death. When he began dentists were sometimes mobbed for practicing such an art. His practice extended from Utica to Honesdale and for ten years at Columbia, S. C., during the winter season. In 1850 he gave up practice in New York and elsewhere and established himself in Honesdale where, without any sign, at the rear of his residence, he had all the business he could do. He was an inventive genius and made most of his dental tools, besides inventing a sewing machine which was patented in 1850. Had he been as good a financier as he was an inventor he would have accumulated a fortune. He had quite a political career. In 1855 he was sent to the legislature where he mani- fested his independence. November 20, 1871, he was appointed
DR. OTIS AVERY
Y
JOHN F. ROE
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Associate Judge by Governor Geary. He was nominated by both the Democratic and Republican parties and elected to that office for five years more and at the expiration of that term he was elected by the Anti-Conrt House party for five years more, receiving more votes when opposed by both parties than he did when he had the endorsement of both parties. Dr. Avery was a quiet man, attentive to his vocation and just the opposite of what would be considered a politician. In reply to a question, why he lived so long, he said that he never tried to run things. In other words he attended to his own affairs but he was not unmindful of the good of community. He was not an agitator or aggressive reformer, but when placed in position where he had to act he would be found among the reformers. In his younger days he was an exhorter in the Methodist church, but for years before he died he was a member of the Honesdale Presbyterian church. In 1829 he married Louisa Hoel. His second wife was Mary Agnes Addoms whom he married in 1855; she is still living, a highly respected lady. Her son Mortimer C. is a lawyer in New York, and Frederick E. is the owner of a cattle ranch in Wyoming. The only daughter Agnes C. is the wife of of Judge Purdy.
David L. Hower, who was superintendent of the Sunday school for two years, was born on a farm in Lycoming county, Pa. He graduated at Lafayette college in 1892, and that fall entered Honesdale High school as vice principal which position he held until 1896, when he was elected county superintendent of schools. He is now serving his third term in that office. He retains his class in the Sunday school and is recognized as an efficient educator.
Miles Tracy Hand, the present superintendent of the Sun- day school, is a son of Hon. Alfred Hand, of Scranton, by his first wife, Phebe Ann Jessup. He attended Lackawanna school, graduating in 1889. In 1894 he graduated from Williams col- lege, after which he went to Turkey and taught mathematics in Roberts college at Constantinople, one year. In the fall of 1895, he entered Cornell university and graduated as mechan-
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ical engineer in 1897. In 1902 he came to Honesdale and is superintendent of the National Elevator and Machine company's shops.
HONESDALE MISSION SUNDAY SCHOOL.
The Mission Sunday school was a Union school but its officers and teachers were so largely drawn from the Presby- terian church that an account of the school is not out of place in this volume. October 30, 1880, Superintendent Snyder, just before he removed to Harrisburg, gave a history of the school which was published in the Independent and from this account it appears that addresses were given by Messrs. Caskey, Torrey and Brown, which were followed by Isaiah Snyder's farewell address, in which he says:
"In the autumn of 1858, a business man connected with a large wholesale dry goods house in New York City, visited this place. He was an active, energetic Christian, and, while he had an eye to business, he was true and loyal to the interests of the greater Master whom he willingly served. In looking over the town he learned that it was the terminus of the canal, that ordinarily a number of boats with their crews must be lying here over the Sabbath, and, as there was at that time much in- terest manifested in behalf of the boatmen along the line of the Erie canal, in the state of New York, and much good was being accomplished, he strenuously urged that a like effort be put forth here. To the question as to where the proper man could be found to undertake it, he replied 'You are the man.' When the ordinary plea of incompetence, unfitness, business engage- ments, etc., was put in, his prompt reply was: 'Can't you de- pend upon the Elder Brother? He has promised to be with you and you have nothing to fear. If you work for Him and with Him, success will attend you.' The promise was exacted and given that the effort should be put forth, which, after mature deliberation and earnest prayer for guidance and strength equal to the emergency, was faithfully made, with a result which time only will reveal. The necessary preparation in the way of books, papers, etc., was made, teachers and singers secured, and
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the day appointed to commence. Printed handbills were freely distributed among the boatmen and posted along the canal and an earnest invitation and hearty welcome extended to all. The teachers, meanwhile, had been at work about town inviting the children to come, and all things seemed ready. Sunday, May 29, 1859, was the appointed day to begin, and the district school house on Second street, near Sixth, the place. There were present, as teachers, on that day, Isaiah Snyder, Mrs. I. Snyder, Rev. L. D. Tryon, Misses Julia Strong, Josephine Turner, Hat- tie Ingersoll, E. Tillou and Mrs. Leggatt. The Bible class and choir were composed of the following: Dr. A. Strong, W. H. Ham, E. B. Freeman, Miles L. Tracy, H. J. Conger, C. H. Brown, R. J. Matthews, A. Cummings, F. P. Bennett, George W. Allen, Horace Weston and Levi McCreery. In the junior department there were ten scholars, as follows: John Reif, Philip Werstein, Martin Werstein, Robert Ferber, Hannah Britenbaker, Paulina Grambs, Louisa Reif, Phebe McCreery and Sophie Grambs. Although there were thirty present in all, there was not one from the canal, and this was generally the case in the subsequent efforts.
"The school was organized on the Union plan, with the Bible as the chart and Jesus of Nazareth as the great Pilot. The school organized with Isaiah Snyder as superintendent, and Rev. L. D. Tryon, since deceased, as teacher of the Bible class. Singing was made an important part of each session, and with success, as its popular concerts since that time have fully attested. The teaching was unsectarian, being based on those fundamental truths of God's word in which all Christians agree.
"From a small beginning the school grew rapidly, so that, at the end of the first year, there were in all 270 scholars, rep- senting 125 families. At the second anniversary, May, 1861, there were 314 scholars and 27 teachers, and at the Christmas festival, held in Liberty, Hall, in 1867, there were present 500 scholars and teachers, representing 350 families of Honesdale and vicinity. In 1862 the German Catholic church organized
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