The first discussions of starting a Baptist Bible School in Metuchen took place in 1900 on the train to NY by Pastor Peter R. Letson & WIlliam A. Crowell.  It was decided the time was not right as there were not enough families and children in Metuchen, the local churches were already meeting in the afternoon and there was not a suitable meeting site.

Mr. Crowell and Pastor Lenn E. Wheeler had another discussion in 1902, and because the prior objections were now resolved, a meeting was set for December 14, 1902 at which time the first Baptist Bible School in Middlesex County was formed by twenty-one people.  The Royal Arcanum Hall in the Burroughs Building on Pennsylvania Avenue was rented for $140 a year, including heat and furnishings.  They doubled the membership by year end.

One of the earliest classes was the Baraca Class, started in 1905 as a Men's class which later became a mixed male and female class and then a ladies class.  The Home Department (a home study class) was begun by Mrs. Crowell that same year. 

The first Thanksgiving offering ($30.00) was set aside as a Nest Egg Fund for the future purchase of a church building.  By 1909, it had grown to $1,250.00 and was used toward a lot entirely paid for with Sunday School funds.  In April 1908, the church was organized with twenty-one constituent members.  In 1909, the church moved to the new Bank Building on Main Street while the new church was completed.  There is some confusion as to whether the church also met in Robins Hall on Main Street.  The church was completed in 1911.

In 1911 Sunday School lessons were used as the topic for the weekly prayer meetings.  The first Sunday School elections were held in 1913 and began reporting at the church annual business meeting.  The Sunday School was closed in 1917 for the summer by the board of health and again in 1944 due to an infantile paralysis epidemic.  By 1918 there were eight classes from Primary to Adult and Sunday School meeting at 10:00 AM. Originally the Sunday School met after the morning service.  By 1936, the time had changed to 9:45 AM.

Between 1947 and 1949 Sunday School attendance increased over 200% and they were holding classes in the kitchen, in the teacher's car on Communion Sundays, the parlor, baptismal room, parsonage and five classes in one room in the basement, so they began an expansion program.  For many years the Sunday School had their own budget and gave a portion of their funds toward missions, benevolence, Vacation Bible School, church debt reduction, parsonage phone bill and occasionally to help pay the coal and fuel bills.

By 1957 the Sunday School classes were again out of room and using the parsonage for classes and in 1960 the lot for our present building was purchased for $22,500.00.  Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in 1965.  An expansion, completed in 1990, gave the church its current footprint and much needed additional classrooms. We have grown from 21 members to more than 200 and average more than 180 in Sunday School.

If 85% of our church members, as statistics show, come from the Sunday School, there is nothing too good for the Sunday School and we can well afford to sacrifice something for its welfare; whether it be time, or strength, or custom or money.
Mr. William Crowell - 1916