THE FIRST FEW YEARS 

Mr and Mrs Harry Knight came to Canberra in August 1929, just 6 months after the church's official opening ceremony. Their daughter, Betty (Mrs Betty Mills), was a little girl at the time and she has jotted down for us some of her memories of her early years in the church. 

I arrived in Canberra by train in the company of my parents in August 1929 and we were accommodated in a Government house in Ellimatta Street, Reid. Although we were "just around the corner" from the Reid Methodist Church, my parents, having been brought up in the East Malvern Baptist Church, wanted to join the Canberra Baptist Church. Fortunately for us, Mr and Mrs H Ransom lived almost opposite us and they kindly offered to take us to church each Sunday in their old style touring car. So Mr. and Mrs Ransom sat in the front, with their daughter Shirley in between them, and I sat in the back between mum and dad, with baby John sitting on our father's knee. We travelled to church via the old Scott's Crossing low level bridge (near the site of the King's Avenue Bridge). This arrangement continued until we moved to Bougainville Street in February 1931. 

Sunday School

Our Sunday School all assembled in the Greening Room, with the exception of the Kindergarten Section, at 2.45 pm each Sunday afternoon. The opening part of the afternoon went until 3.00 pm, when we divided into classes until 3.30 pm, then reassembled in the Greening Room to conclude the afternoon at 3.45 pm. As dad was the Sunday School Superintendent he conducted the opening and closing sessions and we all sang lustily the old Carey Bonner songs, following the lead of his strong voice. 

For many years Miss Bonnie Kappler conducted the Kindergarten very ably and I can recall coming out of Sunday School and waiting for the Kindergarten to conclude. They always sang: 

"The sun is going to his rest away across the sky,
The happy afternoon has gone, and we must say goodbye.
Goodbye, goodbye, be always kind and true,
Goodbye, goodbye, be always kind and true."

I can still hear my brother's deep voice above all the others when Miss Kappler asked the children to sing up. Then she had to ask John to sing a little softer. 

Shorthand      

As Dr Waldock advanced in years his preaching became slower. At this stage I was learning shorthand and trying to "get my speed up". Each Sunday morning I took my notebook to church and did my best to take down his sermons. It also meant that I kept my mind on what the Doctor was saying. Otherwise I'm sure my thoughts would have drifted in other directions.

Betty W. Mills   

Editor's Note: The Mr and Mrs Ransom mentioned in Betty's article are remembered in the King David stained glass window towards the front of the church near the choir stalls. Their daughter, Shirley (also mentioned), donated the window. Mr Ransom was the church's first Secretary and Mrs Ransom was church organist and choir leader.