The Good News • April 2009

The Third History

The third history of St. John's covers the years 1934-59. It is the shortest of the histories and gives a very narrow account of the building, finances, vestry, and clergy of that period. The 1930's were a difficult time for St. John's, as they were for Youngstown and the rest of the world. We know from anecdotes and newspaper stories that parish life was strong — people lived close to the church, and social life centered on it — but there is no mention, as there was in the Blue History, of women's guilds or the Girls' Friendly Society, Scouts, and Kappa groups for young people, which were very strong, nor of the church basketball and softball leagues started during the Depression (Henry Robinson and Evelyn Thomas, a member of First Presbyterian, both recall playing basketball for St. John's teams in the Auditorium during the 30's). Gradually, finances improved — long-postponed repairs were made to the church and rectory, and in 1936 the church employees, whose salaries had been frozen for several years, received a Christmas bonus of half a month's salary. Women are barely mentioned in the book, and when they are, they are in their place:

"The cry of the women for a complete renovation of the parish house kitchen was heard for the first time in 1946..."

The book does shed interesting light on the search for a rector in those days. When Dr. Stryker announced his retirement in 1941 he appointed a small committee to help him select his replacement. It was made up entirely of Vestry members (and therefore entirely of men) — wealthy men who were prominent in Youngstown business and professional circles. John W. Ford, William Hitchcock and John E. James were the members, with William H. Cook as an alternate. With assistance from the Bishop, Dr. Beverly D. Tucker (in whose selection John Ford had also played a part) they traveled the eastern U.S. in search of a suitable candidate. More than eighteen months elapsed before the arrival of Dr. William R. Kinder, previously of St. Joseph's Church, Detroit.

"Dr. Kinder had a personality that one will not soon forget. He was a man of very definite opinions and he was not fearful of expressing them."

He was also a man of great energy. He began with an ambitious Every Member Canvass (stewardship campaign) with a goal of $26,000, and also conducted twice-yearly visits to every household in the parish. He was a member of Diocesan Council and Honorary Canon of Trinity Cathedral, and active in ecumenical work — he brought the Wick Avenue churches — First Presbyterian, First Christian, Pilgrim Collegiate and St. John's — together for mid-week evening services during Lent, and apparently bedeviled the Council of Churches, where he enjoyed the fellowship but found the viewpoints of some of the ministers tiresome. An anonymous member of the parish described him as "a personification of the Church Militant."

One project which he was not able to complete was the addition of statues in the reredos. The first time he visited St. John's he had been shocked by the empty niches behind the altar. At his prodding, the vestry consulted two firms, but "neither seemed to have an answer; moreover, the cost appalled the vestry. It is also well to observe that some members thought the statues would be a luxury, whereas we all agreed that a new roof on the church could not wait."

Dr. Kinder succumbed to illness after eight years. His term at St. John's was relatively short, but he left a lasting impression — and when the statues were installed, they were given as a memorial to him.

Liz Wrona

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