(above) Miss Austin, center, flanked by key adult volunteers Mrs. Koth (L) and Mrs. Henshaw (R), 1947. Photo: Courtesy the Henshaw family
WHAT, WHERE, AND WHEN IN OLD KENILWORTH – The Sunbeams Club
The Sunbeams Club was a non-sectarian, after-school Bible club open to all children regardless of religious faith. It began meeting in the old McKinley School in 1935 under the direction of its founder, Miss Helene V. Austin (1905-1988). A beloved kindergarten teacher, Miss Austin taught here from 1924-1967.
The club generally met for an hour on Tuesday afternoons in Miss Austin’s classroom. Children at all grade levels who participated in the Sunbeams, brought their Bibles to school. When the dismissal bell rang, they hurried to Miss Austin’s classroom. There, with the assistance of many women volunteers, the children enjoyed arts and crafts, played games, sang songs, did some playground activities, and listened to Bible stories. In addition, children read Bible passages and took part in Bible contests.
Among some of the most intriguing aspects of the program was when a missionary came to speak to the children about work done in far off lands around the world. The big highlight was the annual picnic at Echo Lake Park.
Miss Austin’s two primary volunteers were Mrs. Ellen Shallcross Hernshaw, teacher aide, and Mrs. Dorothy Koth, teacher. Some other more frequent adults helping out were Mrs. Edith MacKenzie, Mrs. Esther Mathews, Mrs. Joan Neumann, and Mrs. Betty Thomas.
Only one student ever had perfect Sunbeam attendance for all grammar years. That was local resident Barbara Scheidegger, now 83 years old and known as Mrs. Arthur Morison.
After Miss Austin’s retirement in 1967 she continued to guide the Sunbeams until 1973 when the last club meeting was held. To commemorate the occasion a program was conducted at the Kenilworth Gospel Chapel. It was well attended by many former and then current Sunbeam children and their families.
Research provided by Walter E. Boright, Ed. D., historian, and Historic Signs, Inc.
Persons with inquiries about this or other aspects of Kenilworth history may contact Dr. Boright
at drbori@aol.com or 908-256-5200.
4. (above) Barbara Scheidegger (1950, gr. 8) had perfect Sunbeam attendance throughout grammar school.
5. (above) Barbara Scheidegger Morison (2019), now 83 years old, recalls her Sunbeam days.
(above) Miss Helen V. Austin (1970) led the Sunbeams from 1935 to 1973.
(above) Old McKinley School (1963) where Sunbeams often met.
