Corning Methodist Church, 1913
Located on the northwest corner of Third and Pine Streets.  (Akers)

Methodist Church, Corning  (Daniel E. Moore).

"As the two pioneer churches in Corning, located one block apart on Third Street, the Methodists and Baptists have ever been friendly religious competitors.  The Methodists have had a one-room frame at the corner of Third and Pine from 1886 and the Baptists a similar primitive structure at Third and Olive since 1890.

"Reverend W. E. Hall was assigned to Corning at the annual White River conference in 1901 and this photograph was taken to emphasize the need of a larger building for a growing Sunday School.  In 1903, Reverend Hall published a 44-page brochure about the educational advantages available at his institution and listed an increase of officers and teachers to 17, and total number of members from 129 to 208.  The school also collected $166.67 which was a considerable sum of money in a day when a penny was the the prevailing contribution.

"Reverend Hall did not get to build a new building in Corning -- that honor fell to his successor E. E. Holloway.  But, he was pastor at Walnut Ridge and Pocahontas when their present church homes were build [sic].  He is identified standing at the left.  Before him stand his two sons, Claud and Eugene who is following in his dad's footsteps as a Methodist minister in the North Arkansas Conference."

East Side Methodist Sunday School

"Malissie June not only taught a class at First Methodist Church but threw open the doors of her home on East First Street to accommodate an afternoon session of the school.  She also served as the superintendent and had four teachers and 47 pupils when the above picture was made in 1903.

"Later the school was housed under a canvas extension she attached to the South side of her home.  Mrs. June is the lady in black standing at the right rear.  Mrs. Ada Ousnamer thinks she is one of the small girls standing in the front, but is not certain.

"The June house still stands on East First and is the former home of Mrs. Kitty McCann."

Date unknown.

Submitted by Danny Moore