Maryhelen Ellis Clague (1954-1956): Memories of General and Windham House

From September, 1954 to May, 1956 I was a student at Union Theological Seminary in NYC and an associate of Windham House, a Training Center for women in the Episcopal Church. The Center focused on Episcopal women studying for a degree in Religious Education at Union but it also welcomed students of Social Work, the Missionary Field, Nursing and Teaching, It was a special place for women of Anglican Churches worldwide, especially in India. We all shared a warmth and comradeship in study, daily worship and communal living that came to mean a great deal to all of us.

Union was a multi-denominational Seminary. Thus it was special to us that our own General Theological Seminary in the City arranged for the women of Windham House to take some classes there which worked toward our DRE degree. I remember well one class in Church History because I had read the book written by Dr. Dawley back in Florida and was enchanted to be sitting there listening to the man himself. I recall a class in New Testament with Dr. Parker and one with Dr. Casserley, both eminent clergymen. As I recall we did not share these classes with most other seminarians, though there were usually a few with us. The Episcopal Church at that time did not ordain women so the fact that my own Church’s Seminary welcomed the women of Windham House and offered them an opportunity to study,  I felt, was a great  blessing and I was very grateful.

At Windham House I learned a whole new way of looking at children and relationships.  All the theories we learned in classes, our mentors at the House enlarged and widened for us. Especially in the summer between when some of us took part in a rural program at Cass Lake, Minnesota, working with the Ojibwe Indians providing children’s programs with an emphasis on rural application.  That was a great experience.

You don’t hear much about Windham House today, after the approval by the Church of ordination for women. At that time, however, the House, along with General and Union Seminaries,  offered a safe, comfortable place to live, supervision in study and Field Work, opportunities for growth and worship, loving support and helpful guidance. We made wonderful friends, worked with eminent clergy and Teachers ( including even a Christian Psychiatrist!) and experienced a widening world of education and culture. Because of their help I went on to enjoy many years in the Diocese of New York, first at a Church in the City, then as a DRE and later as a Clergy wife in Westchester County---years that were some of the happiest of my life.

Of course, it wasn’t all study and hard work. There were a lot of fun times as well.  When General put on a production of “The Mikado” my second year, some of the Windham gals sang in the chorus. Afterward we had a cast party at the House. For entertainment we wrote a parody about seminary life using some of the tunes from the Mikado (for example, “A is happy, B is not” became J, E, P and D). It was a hoot and we thought we were pretty clever. Then three of the guys from General got up and did a song and dance routine using “Three Little Maids” that blew us away. Part of it went:

            “Three little blades who all unwary

            Come from a high-church seminary

            Three little bla-a-ades from school”

It was hilarious.  That evening was such a laughter, fun-filled delight I still smile when I think of it.