THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

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    The Sunday School existed before the church was organized.  Mrs. Gustav Liljeroth conducted the school when started had only 2 girls in her school, which soon grew to 22 members as of January 1, 1884. This Sunday School at Temple Baptist Church (now named) is the first one mentioned in the Columbia Baptist history.  The Pastor and Mrs. Liljeroth left in May 1885 for Oakland.   N. J. Blagen, a Norwegian lumberman, member of the First American Baptist Church took charge of the school.  At the annual meeting on January 2, 1886, it was reported that the enrollment was 52.
    Nothing more appears in the minutes of the church until September 4, 1892, when N. B. Hedin became the superintendent.  Brother Hendin had recently came from Chicago and was a gifted and enthusiastic leader.  Hjalmar East was secretary and Goran Anderson, was treasurer.  Since then the Sunday School has developed and grown steadily and God has provided able teachers and workers.
    Many teachers have served long and faithfully but Miss Amelia Dahlgren has served longer than any other, having taught classes of girls, more than 35 years.  Group after group have come under her Christian influence and received the teachings of the Word of God.  In this she is typical of most of our teachers and it has been the happy lot of us in this church to have earnest, capable, devoted Christian teachers who have taught by their lives as well as by their words.  These teachers all testify to the blessing that comes from the study of the Word necessary in preparing to teach the lessons from week to week.
    Brother O. S. Rydman now the Honorary Superintendent of the Sunday School, served as its superintendent for thirty years, exactly one half of the time the church has existed and more than half of the life of the Sunday School. (at the writing of this account).  Time and energy were given unreservedly to the work of the school, to personally fetching pupils from dis-interested homes and to supervising the many details of the school organization.  Hundreds of men and women, now grown, will never forget the Sunday School sessions and Brother Rydman's chalk-talks.
    From its original limited facilities, the school has been given more and more room until now in out present building, there are suitable rooms for all classes and departments.

    The above account was taken from, "Sixtieth Anniversary of the Temple Baptist Church," compiled by Harley Hallgren.

    The following is from the 1945 annual report, written by Ruth Hanson, secretary of the Sunday School.

We can truly thank God for such a fine corps of teachers as we have in our Sunday School.  We know they are deeply interested in the salvation of souls for the Lord.  At present we have 15 classes with capable teachers for each:

    The present enrollment of the Sunday School is 174, with an average attendance of 163.
    During the year the Sunday School workers have met 6 times at the homes of the teachers and friends of the School, and we do thank all for their hospitality.  The Sunday School has presented excellent programs, among them being Easter, Father's Day, Children's Day, Rally Day, and Christmas.  We wish to express our appreciation to those who had the task of arranging these programs.  We had our annual picnic on July 4th at Peninsula Park.  We have held services one time each at the Union Gospel Mission and at the Multnomah County Farm.  On February 10 and 11 the Sunday School, in conjunction with the Young People's Society sponsored a worker's conference with Rev. William Tapper.  We have had an add in the "Post" each week since the month of June, advertising our Sunday School and its various activities.  In October we adopted the uniform graded lessons from the Baptist Sunday School Board.
    A most successful Daily Vacation Bible School was held June 11-22 under the supervision of Miss Lois Sorley, assisted by Mrs. Evelyn Lott, Mrs. Marion Johnson, Dorothy Carlson, and Mrs. Henry Peterson.  The school had an enrollment of 49 and an average attendance of 40.  A very interesting program was presented on Sunday evening following the close of the school.
    Our prayer is that the Lord will continue to bless the Sunday School and the work, and that souls may be won for His Kingdom.

Respectfully submitted, 
Ruth Hanson 
Secretary  

    The following is a list of people who severed as Sunday School Staff

    Temple Baptist Church Sunday School, it is very much alive today.  It has evolved into a class for every age group starting with classes for 2 and 3 year old up to through the golden years.  Classes are every Sunday Morning from 9:45 to 11:00 AM.  There is also a Cradle Roll and a Nursery available.  One thing that has not changed over the years are the theme of  the lessons that are taught.  The teachers and staff are every bit as dedicated as ever.  Click Here to read more about the Sunday School in the notes of Harley Hallgren.

"Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it."  Proverbs 22:6