First Women Secretaries of the
ULCA Board
 The United Lutheran Church in America,
organized in 1918, assigned religious work with students to its Board of
Education. Dr. Mary Markley became the first woman secretary of any ULCA
board, the first position of its type in any American church, when she
became secretary for women students in September, 1919. Miss Mildred
Winston joined the staff in September, 1928.
Markley and Winston became instrumental
in the support of student service, carrying out work that had been begun
by women who volunteered to visit schools “to develop the religious life
of college students and to train college women for Christian service.”
The Women’s Missionary Society of the ULCA contributed a total of $238,
219 to the work of the Board from 1920-1959. Until 1946, when this work
was transferred to the National Lutheran Council, they contributed the
salary of a woman secretary. After that, the money was used for
scholarships given to young women preparing for missionary work.
Pictured here is the Board of Education
staff of the United Lutheran Church in America. The members are (from
left) Dr. C. P. Harry, Miss Mildred Winston, Dr. Gould Wickey and Dr.
Mary Markley. The picture was taken on June 25, 1946, upon the occasion
of the retirement of Drs. Harry and Markley from the board. |
