From 1911: Field Day Of Baraca Classes

The following article is from 100 years ago today, published in the Hartford Courant on August 21, 1911.
I gather that Baraca was a common enough word for the average Hartford Courant reader in 1911. This atheist had to look it up, it is "an international, interdenominational organization of Bible classes of young men."
The photo shows a Baraca class at a Texas church in 1920 (if anyone has one to share of Middletown, send it in).
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First annual event to be held Saturday
Several hundred visitors are expected here on Saturday at the first annual field day of the Baraca classes of the state. The suggestion of having a Baraca field day originated in the class in the First Baptist Church in this city, and invitations were sent out to all the classes in the neighboring towns. The responses were all so encouraging that a meeting of the various representatives was held in this city a couple of weeks ago to perfect the plan. it was decided at that time to make the affair a permanent one, and with this end in view a handsome silver cup has been purchased, which will be held for one year, by the class scoring the most points. The cup will be competed for annually until one organization has won it three times.

There will be ten events in Saturday's meet as follows: 100-yard dash, 220-yard dash, half-mile, shot put, standing and running broad jumps, obstacle race, throwing baseball, half mile relay, and tug-of-war. The program will thus be a varied one, and consequently the entry committee are expecting a large list of competitors in the various events. Corey Miller of Pine street has charge of the entries and has announced that none will be received after Wednesday, as it is absolutely necessary for him to get them by this time in order to make up the lists. Individual trophies are to be provided for the point winners in the different events, and shields will be presented to the willing [sic] relay and tug-of-war teams.

Thus far seven classes have entered the meet as follows: Hartford Fourth Congregational, Kensington, First Methodist, Meriden First Baptist, Meriden Main Street Baptist, Cromwell Baptist, Yalesville Baptist, and the local organization. Invitations were sent to the four New Britain Baraca classes but thus far they have maintained a dignified silence, and nothing has been heard from them. The officials for the meet have not all been chosen as yet, but the full list will be announced within a few days. The meet will be held on Andrus field and will commence promptly at 2:30 o'clock. The local Baptist Church will be open all day for the convenience of the visitors.