Dean Artemisia Bowden of St. Philip's College, TXWhat would women be doing in the
Episcopal Church in 1935?

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Illustration - Artemisia Bowden, Founder and Dean of St. Philip's College San Antonio, TX
Photo Courtesy of the Episcopal Women's History Project
Background:
  • The great depression stretches church resources and forces closing of some schools, consolidation of seminaries.
  • Government and businesses use a "one job per family" rule to force women professionals from their jobs.
  • The 1930 Lambeth Conference decides deaconesses are not ordained but recommends the order of deaconesses as the appropriate ministry for women.
  • The Church adjusts to the "new" Book of Common Prayer of 1928
  • Women continue in parish ministries, altar guild, the Women's Auxiliary, schools, Sunday Schools, settlement houses, hospitals, religious orders, orphanages, and retirement centers.
  • Women's Auxiliaries in the South are segregated with lesser voting rights for black churches.
  • Women's missionary service at home and abroad peaks.
  • New religious orders for women continue to be founded.
  • The Women's Auxiliary gets 4 seats on the National Council
  • Windham House in New York begins training lay women church workers.
  • Women attend provincial synod meetings as delegates, and more dioceses open conventions to women.
This web page is maintained by Webster Joan R. Gundersen
for the Episcopal Women's History Project.