On July 26, 1956, the ladies of the Congregational Society in Cornwall were celebrating, and with good reason. This was the 150th anniversary of their very first missionary work.

In 1806, the women Congregationalists of Cornwall had organized the Female Cent Society. This society, which was also the first missionary society organized in Vermont, collected money for the Middlebury College Charitable Society.

Dues were set at a minimum of one cent per week. They used the money to pay for educating young men who wanted to study for the ministry, but didn’t have the financial means to do so.

The Vermont Book Of Days photo.