Article February 1, 1900 Issue

A Church Built by Children

St. Louis Globe-Democrat

Schofield, Wis., January II.—The only church organization in this town which possesses a building of its own is that of the Christian Scientists, and yet the town is soon to celebrate its semi-centennial anniversary. But more extraordinary still is the fact that the church edifice was built by children, the only case of the kind in the history of this country. It was erected during current year, and every dollar represented in its construction and furnishing was contributed by the children of the town or obtained through their solicitation.

In 1896 Miss Mary E. Graves, a resident of Schofield, organized a Sunday School in her own home composed of eighteen boys and girls of the village, ranging in age from eight to fourteen years. The school was organized in accordance with the regulations of the Christian Science Church, and its exercises were the ones customary in Sunday School of that denomination. For about two years and a half the school was conducted under the fostering care of Miss Graves, and in the latter part of 1898 its finances were in such a healthy condition that its members decided to build a church edifice.

The surplus in the treasury amounted to exactly nine dollars, all of which had been accumulated through weekly collections averaging from one cent to ten cents from each of the children. With this sum in hand the youthful members of the Sunday School appointed a building committee from their own number and proceeded to carry out their resolution to build a house of worship, and "to turn it over when completed to a body to be known as First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Schofield, Wis."

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