From the records of the Pembroke Society for the Reformation of Morals
August 3, 1818: Met according…and received the following oral communication…The Sabbath schools,…have in operation eight schools, consisting of more than two hundred scholars, laudably engaged in committing to memory the holy scriptures. Wilbur’s, Emerson’s, and the Assembly’s Catechisms, religious tracts and spiritual songs and hymns; that they have appointed Mr. Wakefield Gale to go into the Northerly district and open a sabbath school if agreeable to the parents in said district, and superintend the same when convenient during his residence in town, and that they have made arrangements to ascertain the merits of the scholars in said schools for the purpose of conferring on the most deserving some printed cards as tokens of merit.
November 13, 1820:…The superintendents met on the first of May for the purpose of making arrangements for opening the sabbath schools; agreed to open schools in the several districts in this town and vicinity, if agreeable to the wishes of parents; and if teachers could be obtained: and succeeded in opening twelve schools with 32 teachers; and appointed persons to act as superintendants of those schools where there was no male teacher to conduct the worship.
This could hardly be considered a humble beginning of this church’s Sunday School activities! But it was the beginning of formal Sunday classes for children which has continued for nearly 170 years. Although today’s attendance is much smaller, it is significant that the church continues to offer classes to assist parents with the Christian education of their children.
