Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church Immanuel Deaconess Motherhouse and Training School

See also AUG 42 Administrative History.

Until 1891 training for women entering the Immanuel Deaconess Association (IDA) took place in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses and at motherhouses in Sweden, but that year the IDA received its first candidate for training. On January 13, 1891, Tina Peterson, Elgin, Illinois, began deaconess studies at the Evangelical Immanuel Association for Works of Mercy. At the beginning, students were accepted throughout the year. Until classes began, students worked in the hospital. The training school's principles followed those established by the Kaiserwerth Institution in Germany. In 1894, training standards were upgraded after Sister Anna Hammer from the Ersta Deaconess Institute, Stockholm, joined the staff. Early on, requirements for those wishing to become deaconesses included being between the ages of 18 and 35, free of any obligations to marry, and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. There were also requirements that addressed an applicant's temperament, health, dedication, and character.

The young woman first enrolled for one year as a deaconess pupil. She performed practical work wherever she was needed. She was required to provide her own clothing and spending money during the first six months she was enrolled in school. Her room and board was free. After her first year, if she performed satisfactorily she was promoted to probationer. As a probationer she began to wear the deaconess garb. She continued her practical work, but began study and training. When she successfully completed this portion of the training, which could take anywhere between 3-5 years, the probationer was eligible for consecration. By 1938 the deaconess candidate was enrolled in a two-year course in the diaconate and at the conclusion of that she had the option of continuing her studies in a three-year course in nurses training.

In 1943 the IDI commissioned a report to study the decline in enrollment and the overall number of deaconesses. One aspect the report addressed was the training of deaconesses. The report's conclusions found that a deaconess should be well trained and equal to secular workers in her field. To supplement nurses training which was already offered, study at colleges or college-level courses in specialized fields of psychology, and sociology should be offered. The report cited the need for the diaconate to make a special appeal to women with a college education with an emphasis on showing what leadership opportunities were available in the various deaconess fields. The report recommended that the training school should make training for parish work available since that was an increasing need in many Augustana congregations. It also suggested internships or apprenticeships in congregations be made available.

Following the report given by the IDI at the 1954 Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church convention, delegates passed a resolution that the Executive Council initiate a study of the diaconate in terms of the present day needs and conditions. The Executive Council created a five-person committee that conducted a three-year study. The committee presented its findings at the 1958 Augustana convention. Among those findings, several addressed deaconess training.

Deaconess education was not uniform and varied from 2 to 8 years. The committee noted that the school had courses in parish work, but nowhere did the IDI constitution contain a provision that stated that deaconess would be trained for parish work. The constitution and the order of service for consecration stated that a deaconess would be trained to work in the area of Christian social welfare. The committee also discovered that the training of deaconesses was not of college caliber unless it was required to meet some specialty's standard. The committee reported that it was not convinced that the standards of the training school were high enough. This was an area of concern in the 1943 study also.

In 1960 the IDI board of trustees and the diaconate and its administration revised the constitution for the diaconate and developed a new Plan of Organization. Among specific qualifications for an applicant, she had to be between the ages of 20 and 45, a member of the Lutheran church, capable of training for an occupation through which she would contribute to the life and work of the church, and she had to receive approved accreditation for her occupation.

The plan outlined how to achieve membership in the diaconate and what the application needed to include. The applicant had to state her plan for her receiving her education at her own expense. She agreed to come to the IDI for orientation and additional deaconess training as required. She agreed to serve the church in a congregation, institution, agency, or the administrative offices of the church. If her application was approved, a candidate would spend eight weeks in residence at IDI for her orientation course. Her room, board, and tuition during this time was to be paid by her. After orientation the candidate would be invested. After a period of time that included either work in a church assignment or further education, the candidate would return to the IDI for additional training. After completing additional training, the candidate would be eligible for consecration. Once consecrated the deaconess had the option to use the title Sister and to wear the garb. If a consecrated deaconess married she could remain a member of the diaconate as long as she was available for full-time service.

From the description of Subject Files 1898-1963 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 62873166