1951 Bible School, Zion Lutheran, Chatt

Summer is Bible School time for many local children. Most churches host Bible School (aka Daily Vacation Bible School) for a week in June or July.

Here is a photo I ran across the other day, a 1951 Bible School photo from Zion Lutheran Church in Chatt. This was probably one of the older classes, with an average age of about 10 years. There were likely several other younger classes.

Bible School, Zion Lutheran, Chatt, 1951.

Standing, left to right:
Mrs. Elsie Byers, Eileen Krall, Eileen Byers, Pat Myers, Cindy Reef, Evelyn Krall, Lois Krall, Rev. Waldo Byers.

Seated:
Larry Woodruff (front), Larry Caffee (behind), Farrel Krall, Joe Clase, Leon Kallenberger, Max Kallenberger, Jim Myers.

Rev. Waldo Byers was Zion’s minister at that time. Although I was not born yet, he was Zion’s minister from 1947-1960 and I remember him and his wife Elsie.

Rev. Waldo & Elsie Byers.

I remember going to Bible School at Zion Chatt most every summer while growing up. My earliest memories of Bible School are of Helen Jean White picking me up at the Miller farm and taking me and her two children, Martha and Charles, to the church. She drove us to Chatt in what I thought was a very cool car, in what I believe was a Pontiac Woody station wagon. For me it was like riding a small bus to Chatt.

Bible School was (and still is) a lot of fun. We heard Bible stories, sang songs, made crafts, had activities, and ate snacks. I remember at least one year when Bible School was all day and we took our lunch. Another year we had half-day Bible School for 2 weeks. But usually Bible School was one week for half a day. And we always had a program at the end of the week.   

Good memories.

4 comments

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    • Rose Baumgartner Myers on July 8, 2022 at 9:05 am
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    So enjoyed seeing this picture. I didn’t live in Chatt at that time, but these are all my school friends from Wiltshire! Later we moved to Chatt and I spent many wonderful years in that small community. My father managed the Andrews Saw Mill, Ralph Baumgartner.

    1. So very interesting to hear you connections to Chatt. Thanks for writing!

    • Sondra Samples on July 8, 2022 at 9:51 am
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    All of those kids pictured were my Willshire School friends, and Elsie Byers was my teacher in high school for English, speech, and Spanish classes. Good memories from some 70 years ago. Vacation Bible School remains a wonderful summer tradition and benefits so many kids.

    1. I am not surprised that you knew them all. I forgot that Elsie was a teacher and did not know that she taught Spanish. Thanks for writing!

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