CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
ATTITUDES, OPINIONS AND PROBLEMS
1i
OF CLEHGYMEN'S WIVES
A project submitted in partial satisfact:lon of' the
requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in
Education,
Educational Psychology, Counseling and Gu1dance
by
Rita H. Mitchell
June, 1978
The Project of Rita H. Mitchell is approved:
California State University, Northridge
ii
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank the Fuller Theological Semin­
ary, Pasadena,
California.
The reviewed literature that
pertained to this study was obtained from their library,
containing over one hundred thirty thousand books, with
the assistance of their knowledgable librarians.
Grateful thanks to my Chairperson, Dr. Arthur
Marion, and to the committee members, Dr. Betty Brady, and
Dr. Art Charlap-Hyman, for their considerable help with
this project.
Thanks is given to Mrs. Helen Tomsky, Sun Valley,
California, for providing me with a valuable pamphlet
included in this study.
Thanks also to Mrs . Nora Schor
for providing additional information.
A debt of gratitude to Judith Schulman for so pain­
stakingly typing and preparing this study for submission.
I am grateful also to the clergymen's wives who
generously participated in this study.
And thanks to my husband, Michael, for missing
tennis to help me with the statistics involved in this
study.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNmJLEDGrilENTS.
ABSTRACT
•
•
INTRODUCTION
iii
v
•
1
•
REVIEW OF RELA'l1ED LITERATURE
DETAILS OF THE STUDY
•
•
4
•
15
•
Survey Respondents . . .
15
Method Used to Distribute Questionnaire . . . . .
15
The Questionnaire Form.
17
PHESEN'rATION OF DATA
ANALYSIS OP DA'I'A
•
•
•
20
•
50
RECmllWIE NDJI.TriONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH,
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
P.PPENDIX
•
•
•
•
68
71
79
•
80
•
·A.
Query Letter. .
81
B.
Questionnaire .
83
C.
Letter of thanks to clergymen's
wives .
90
iv
ABSTRACT
ATTITUDES, OPINIONS AND PROBLEr1S
OF CLERGYMEN 1 S \.'JIVES
by
Rita
Mitchell
H.
Master of Arts
in
Educational Psychology, Counseling and Gudiance
Clergymen's wives are a comparatively unstudied
group.
In order to assist prospective counselors of
clergymen's wives, this study makes five principal hypotheses which are assumed to be special problems of clergymen's wives.
A complete review of research literature on this
subject revealed five studies reported in various journals
�lus one brochure published by the Ministers Life and
Casualty Union.
These studies were determined to be of
limited assistance to counselors.
For this study, fifty clergymert's wives received a
v
J
j
.
�
.
detailed questionnaire designed by the author to test
the five principal hypotheses.
Thirty respondents pro-
vided a good data sample illustrating special problems
of Jewish, Unitarian-Universalist, and twelve Protestant
denominations of clergymen's wives.
Approximately eight hours per week was the average
number of hours a week given for the clergymen's wives
participating in church/temple activities.
This would
seem to corroborate the first hypothesis, that clergymen' s
wives are more actively involved in their husbands jobs
than are other wives.
The second hypothesis was the clergymen's wives
are under a great deal of pressure to be ideal women.
This study indicates that the respondents surveyed felt
overwhelmingly that this was one of their special problems.
The third hypothesis stated that clergymen's wives
would be so involved in their husband's profession that
their own interests or professions would be denied or
that they would not be able to pursue a profession outside
the church or temple.
This hypothesis was not entirely
born out by the respondents of this study, since twelve
of the thirty respondents held jobs outside the home, and
three women were presently pursuing their academic careers.
The fourth hypothesis stated that given the historic positions of Judea-Christian religions, clergymen's
vi
I
1
wives would feel more inhibited or repressed about sexual
matters.
No definite conclusions could be reached on this
hypothesis based on the respondents' answers.
The fifth hypothesis was that clergymen's wives
would have emotional problems or psychosomatic ailments
that could be directly traced to their unique roles as
clergymen' s wives.
This study could not directly ascer­
tain that this hypothesis was correct.
There were significant differences in response to
questions concerning the fourth and fifth hypotheses by
liberal and conservative clergymen' s wives.
More study
on these hypotheses is included in the Recommendations
For Future Research.
In general, this study concluded that the thirty
clergymen' s wives surveyed did not appear to be so very
different from wives in general, regarding their varied
interests, hobbies, opinions, religious or sexual out­
looks, or in their aspirations for themselves.
The areas
where they do differ from wives in general are related to
the specific problems and demands that they experience
in being clergymen's wives .
vii
INTRODUCTION
Many types of groups have been the focus for re­
search:
school children of all ages and abilities, for
instance, have been scrutinized from all angles for many
different reasons .
The rural poor have been examined and
probed by the researcher's tools, the "mer1tally ill" have
never ceased to be a " handy bat ch " for the investigative
eye, and even people 1vho habitually frequent bars have
been studied.
One group of people has, by comparison,
been virtually untouched, or left alone as you will, by
the research analyst--the clergymen's wives .
Being a minister's daughter, I have long been in­
terested in the problems faced and the roles played by
clergymen' s wives.
Be£ore I began this study, my hypo­
theses about these women were:
(l)
More than most other
women, clergymen's wives are more actively involved in
their husband's " jobs " ;
( 2)
the religious nature of their
husband's duties places a great deal of pressure upon
clergymen's wives to set an ideal example of the " reli-·
gious v.roman, '·' the " good wife, " the " good mother, " the
" concerned citizen 1';
(3 )
clergymen 1 s vrives are expected
to act almost like an assistant to their husbands, thus
having to supress many of their own unique and individual
l
2
interests.
For instance, her role as the clergyman's
assistant, with congregational expectations for her to
perform in this role, would almost automatically deny
her pursuing a profession outside of the church or temple;
(4)
given the historic positions of Judea-Christian
religion,
clergymen's wives would feel more inhibited or
repressed about sexual matters;
(5 )
clergymen's wives
would have emotional problems or psychosomatic ailments
that could be directly traced to their roles.
One of the purposes of this study was to find out
if any of the above assumptions were true, by having a
selected group of clergymen's wives fill out a detailed
questionnaire.
The group selected is not a large enough
samp1e to arrive at emphatic conclusions;
however, it
could point to a trend or pattern.
One of the main reasons for conducting this survey,
is to enable counselors to use the data gathered to help
present and future clergymen's wives understand and eval­
uate their unique roles.
Another purpose of this study is go give the con­
clusions drawn on the data gathered to the clergymen's
wives participating in the study.
If a pattern emerges
from the data, these women might have a greater understand­
ing of their lives, and might appreciate that they share
similar problems, aspirations and opinions with one another.
It is assumed that any insight about oneself would be
3
helpful.
A broader purpose for this study would be to pub­
lish the information gathered so that clergymen, the
religious hierarchy and the lay religious public could
better appreciate and understand clergymens' wives' unique
and significant contribution to religious life.
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Psychological, sociological, and theological
journals were perused to discover recent studies made
about clergymen's wives.
The studies made on clergymen's wives were found
in journals at Fuller Theological Seminar'Y, Pasadena,
California (Fuller library contains over 130, 0 0 0 books ) .
Only five recent studies were available and reported in the
journals, and they are abstracted below .
Rankin, Robert Parks, Chico State College, Chico,
California .
Wife .
The Ministerial Calling and the Minister's
P��t�ral Psychology.
1960, 11, Sep .
16-18, 2 0 - 2 2 .
Robert Rankin's study o f clergymen's wives, past and pre­
sent, is sun@arized:
In frontier days, a wife and family for ministers
were frowned upon .
a
Nowadays, it is expected that
minister will have a wife and family.
secular life intrudes upon the religious .
for a minister and his family today are:
Today, the
Concerns
salary
increases, hours, job rewards, pro motions, etc.
Parsonage or residence supplied by the church can
cause friction between the minister, his wife and
the congregation.
4
5
.
'
The minister's wife is supposed to be the "ideal"
mother, thus a job outside the home is frowned
upon, generally, by other religious workers and
religious lay people.
The wife is expected to be
available for responsibilities in the church-- she
is much like an assistant minister.
The congregation may feel the minister and his
family are more concerned with material things .
The church may feel it does not have to raise
the minister's salary if his wife works.
Laymen
and pastors, however, seem to agree that no matter
how much work the wife does in and for the church,
the important thing is her attitude--she needs to
be a support for her husband, and to show caring
concern for parishioners.
Concluding question for future research:
How can
ministers and their wives feel renewed to maintain
their sense of calling?
Temple, P.C.
Pastoral Care.
Wife of the Summer Student.
26:
Journal of
193-6 Sum. ' 7 2 .
Reverend Palmer C. Temple, Chaplain, Children's
Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, interviewed,
through correspondence and in-person conversation,
the wife of a seminary student who was doing summer
I
,.
6
duty, as part of his course requirements, with
various mental patients and delinquent boys.
Reverend Temple's conclusions:
1.
Seminary students should, if at all possible,
have their families with them when they must be
away for a tour of study-duty.
2.
The wife of this suw�er seminary student, initially reacted to her husband's new duties in
terms of time:
she was not used to his being
gone for approximately eight hours a day.
3.
This wife found sharing her husband with other
people was a problem that she had to work
through .
4.
This seminary student's wife felt she needed
some preparation or handbook of new terms to
help her understand his new work, but felt it
was helpful to visit where her husband was
working to better understand .
5.
Reverend 'I'emple's conclusion:
Seminary stu-
dents should, if at all possible, have their
families with them when they must be away for
a tour of study-duty.
This would better enabl�
the husband to perform his duties, and it
would also be a way of helping his wife and
family understand and adjust to the clergyman's
!
:.
7
way of life.
V.L. Brereton .
Invisible Women;
Theological Education.
8:
Workers and Wives .
2 52-6, Sum. '7 2 .
This study concerned interviews with wives of
seminary students.
The happiest wives were those
who had interests apart from their husband's.
The
wives felt some jealousy of their husbands and
women students .
Most women did not look forward
to fitting into the traditional role of the minis­
ter's wife.
Conclusion:
Women's Caucuses would
be important for all women at a seminary--workers,
wives, and students.
Smith, H.W.
Ur�anization, Secularization and Roles of
the Professional's Wife.
13:
Review of Religious Research.
1 3 4 -9 , Wint . '7 2 .
" Through the use of Parson's pattern variables
hypotheses are derived for testing the wife's
socialization in terms of role acquisition and
formation among four sample approximations to a
professional's wife typification (urban-rural,
sacred-secular ) .
Correlational analysis is then
used as exploratory tap for sources of structural
formation of wife roles .
Self-role interaction
is interpreted to be function of social structure
limitations- -sp�cifically, patt�rn variable role
8
expectations.
In general, this interpretation is
upheld by the findings.
Urban-rural, sacred­
secular dimensions are separate, and more important,
additive indices. "
The hypothesis in this study:
and rural wives are alike;
ministers' wives
there would be differ­
ences between sacred and secular.
for this study:
Samples taken
urban and rural ministers' wives;
urban and rural dentists' wives.
Conclusion of this study:
It was evident that the
wife's personal style of life is at least in part
associated with her husband's occupational life­
style.
But sacred and secular roles were found
not identical with urban-rural roles.
Fleck, J.
Roland;
McThomas, Alan R. ;
Nielsen, Lawrence
F. , and Shumaker, Donald G.
Self-Concept Change in
Ministers and Missionaries.
Journal of Psychology and
Theology. Vol.
1 ( 3 ) , 28-3 4 , July 19 73.
This study concerned two groups of ministers,
missionaries and their wives representing various
denominations and states.
They participated in a
3 � week intensified workshop experience designed to
improve their self-understanding and counseling
skills.
9
Outcome:
Reasonably well-adjusted adults (such
as these were ) do not undergo significant person­
ality change in relatively short periods of time.
Lack of significant change especially evidenced in
lack of difference in total P- Scale� which is the
best composite indicator of self-concept.
The
overall effect of the 3 � week program, in majority
of cases� reflects changes in attitudes and under­
standings rather than personality change .
The people used in this study were pre and post-tested
Personal Orientation Inventory, � ennessee
using:
Self-Concept Scale, and the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale.
The Central Conference of American Rabbis, 790
Madison Ave. � N. Y. 100 2 1, is currently conducting a survey
of Rabbi's wives.
The results of this survey should be
available to libraries and interested persons sometime late
in 19 78.
However, data was not available at the present
time to include in this study .
An interesting brochure is put out by the Ministers
Life and Casualty Union (Ministers Life Building� Minnea­
polis, r.unn.
55416) � and was brought to my attention by Mrs .
Helen Tomsky of Sun Valley, Calif .
pamphlet is:
Onl_y Hu�an.
The title of this
Despite Appearances, Ministers' Wives* Are
The asterisk refers to:
11 This pamphlet is
addressed to the problems of women married to male pastors.
10
Not because female pastors do not exist.
But because,
as yet, there are far more ministers' wives than ministers'
husbands.
When the ratio changes, you can be sure Minis­
ters Life will study the new situation. "
The writers' of this pamphlet acknowledge Lucille
Lavender and her book about the clergy and their families,
"They Cry, Too! ", Hawthorn Books, 1976.
The titles of
topics covered in this pamphlet are as follows:
--Being married these days is not easy.
Being
married to a minister is just a little harder.
--Too often, a woman married to a minister finds
herself "married" to a congregation.
--Marriage to a pastor means walking a very fine
line.
....-Her life doesn't have to be lonely.
But it often
is.
--Have you ever asked a minister's wife, 11what do
you do for fun? "
--Today, a full half of these women work outside
the home.
--Remember, the wife of a minister is a homemaker
and mother as well.
--Finally, who are the close friends of the minis­
ter•s wife?
--Are you a layperson?
wife.
You can help your minister's
11
--Are you a minister with a wife?
--Are you a minister's wife?
You can help.
Help yourself with
your own support group.
--What does a support group do?
--Who should be part of your support group?
--How does a support group work?
--We begin with understanding.
--The mechanics of organization.
This pamphlet put out by the Ministers Life and
Casualty Union suggests a way in which clergy wives can
help themselves and each other, and that is to form a
Support Group.
A Support Group is defined in the pamphlet
as being for clergymen's wives only (no husbands ) .
"It
gathers together people for the dual purpose of helping
one another in relationship and task development through
understanding, acceptance, caring and sharing.
"In a nonthreatening, non-judging atmosphere, a
Support Group gives you a place where you can really let
down your hair.
Where you can exchange ideas, experiences,
problems and solutions .
And since your fellow ministers'
wives are, like you, highly educated, a Support Group will
be a rich treasure of intellectual stimulation.
"Together you'll work on task development through
open discussions on budgeting, books, rec�eation, and related subjects.
"You'll find that loneliness and isolation are not
12
insoluble.
A fellowship of colleagues will support you.
You'll talk, laugh, even cry, together.
And most impor­
tant you'll be able to see, be and appreciate yourself.
To celebrate your common humanness.
" • . . . . .
Make up a list of women to call in your area.
Look for a rich mix of women.
denominations.
who don't.
Different ages.
Different
Women who work outside the home.
Women with, and without children.
Women
Ultimately,
you want just 3 to 7 people (Groups of over 1 0 will split
internally into smaller units ) .
"How to contact your prospects:
You may call on
them individually, and let them read this pamphlet.
them time to consider your proposal.
Give
Or you may invite
the entire prospective group to your home at one time
where you can circulate this pamphlet and discuss it to­
gether.
"You'll need a 'facilitator' at the outset:
We
don't mean a nurse or mother-figure but a professional
consultant to get your group on its own feet.
It's im­
portant that you do not lean on this person indefinitely,
but only to guide your first faltering steps .
Your
facilitator might be found at a seminary, family service
center or local social service agency.
their credentials and references.
Be sure to ask for
You don't need a novice
messing up your beautiful group.
And you don't need their
idea of what your group will be.
You want their expertise
,.
13
in getting a group to work together.
That's all . "
" Although the samples in all of these studies were
not large enough to draw any significant conclusions, two
generalizations can be clearly extracted from them:
1.
The secular life intrudes upon the lives of
clergymen's wives, and they must find ways to
adjust to the special demands placed upon them
to be the "ideal" woman .
2.
The life that the clergyman's �ife leads is
greatly influenced by her husband's job.
These studies did not seem to gather any informa­
tion in depth about clergymen's wives, such as their
attitudes regarding sexual matters, their emotional prob­
lems, or their feelings about pursuing
a
career apart from
their husband's profession.
The literature did not discuss 0hether there were
any differences in opinions, attitudes or interests be­
tween young or older clergymen's wives .
Such a comparison
might indicate an influence of present, general, societal
views.
The studies cited did not survey the wives of
Eastern religions such as Buddhists, nor wives of Uni­
tarian-Universalist ministers or wives of Rabbis .
Also, there might be
a
significant difference
in findings, for example, between the more "liberal"
religious clergymen's wives and the less liberal or more
14
traditional religious clergymen's wives.
Such findings
or differences were not discussed in the reviewed litera�
ture.
One study involved a comparison between dentists'
wives (secular) and clergymen's wives (religious ) .
The
general conclusion of this study was that the life. of
the clergyman's wife is much more influenced by her hus­
band's job than is the life of a dentist's wife.
A
broader study could be done comparing the views of the
clergyman's wife with those of the housewife in general,
to see if there are any significant differences between
these two groups.
. DETAILS OF THE STUDY
Survey Respondents
A sampling of fifty clergymen's wives were obtained
from the telephone directories of the Glendale, La Crescen­
ta, Tujunga, Sunland, Sun Valley, Pasadena and Burbank
areas of Southern California .
I tried to get an even
number of women from each religious denomination, such as
five Southern Baptist, five Lutheran, five Methodist,
five Church of Christ, five Unitarian- Universalist, five
Presbyterian, five Congregational, and five Jewish.
Met0 od Use0 to Distribute Questionnaire
The fifty women chosen to participate in the study
were each sent a query letter (see sample of letter in
Appendix ) describing the survey and asking them if they
would be willing to participate.
The letter stated that
in order to thank them for their participation, they
would receive the results of the questionnaire by mail in
a few months .
The letter advised that I would call them
by phone a few days after they had received the letter to
see if they would like to receive the anonymous question­
naire in the mail.
Residence addresses were not found
for several women, so all letters were addressed to them,
and sent to the church or temple address with the indivi-
15
16
dual's name p rinted on the envelope.
Several days after the query letter had been mailed,
I phoned each of the fifty women on the list .
I was able
to contact thirty-five women, and they were willing to
participate in the survey.
Most of these women were very
eager to help out, and were very interested to receive
the results of the survey.
One woman said that she wished
she had had some kind of guide or handbook that would
"'
have told her what to expect before she became a minister's
wife.
Another v.roman wanted to know if she could partici-
pate in the counseling sessions at California State University, Northridge.
I told her that this was a pilot group
and that no decisions had been made yet for its continuance.
Two women wanted to make sure that the questionnaire was
anonymous and could be " done " through the mail .
Sensing
their anxiety, I replied that if they found the questionnaire offensive in any way, they did not need to answer it.
One woman, at first, said that she was too busy getting
ready for summer Bible school as she was the Director, so
she didn't know if she would have time to answer the questionnaire.
I reminded her that it would only take about
ten or fifteen minutes to fill out, so she said she would
try to participate.
One wife flatly refused to answer the questionnaire.
I
asked her why .
She said,
" }Jo reason. "
you think your husband would object? "
I pressed, "Do
She quicl<:ly said,
17
"No, I just don' t want to do it. "
I said, 11'l1hank you for
your time anyway, 11 and hung up.
After leaving my name and phone number with two
persons, three times, I gave up phoning and did not hear
from the two women
queried
at these phone numbers.
One woman who had moved out of the state, wrote to
me expressing interest in participating in the survey .
Unfortunately, the survey's results were being tabulated
at the time I received her letter, and she could not be
included in the analysis .
However, I have included the
comments in her letter which were relevant to this study.
The remaining eleven women were either away on vacation, and would not return in time to participate in
the survey, or they had moved out of the state.
After receiving positive replies from these forty
women, I mailed them the questionnaire (see Appendix for
copy of Questionnaire ) , asking for its return within three
days, with a self-addressed, stamped return envelope enclosed for their convenience in returning the questionnaira
As the deadline approached for tabulating and analyzing
the questionnaires, I had only received thirty quest ionnaires out of the forty .
Thus, the final number of respon-
dents for this study is thirty.
The Questionnaire Form
The questionnaire was designed by myself.
Pre-
18
test questionnaires were administered to two housewives,
cognizant of the religious roles of clergymen's wives.
After discussing the questionnaire and its form with these
two women, some questions were discarded because of re­
dundancy .
The wording in several questions were re�written
for clarity .
The average length of time for these two
women to complete the questionnaire was ten minutes.
Instead of a face-to-face interview, I decided to
send an anonymous questionnaire through the mail because:
(1)
the women might feel more free to answer the questions
honestly and ( 2 )
it would save time.
The questionnaire consists of fifteen questions
which I categorized as " Preliminary."
not numbered,
These questions are
(but are numbered in the Presentation and
Analysis of Data ) and include such questions as:
Present
religious denomination, Present age, How many children
do you have by your present marriage, and so forth.
Following these Preliminary Questions, there are
thirty-four numbered questions, grouped according to
similarity, with the more controversial ones listed at the
end of the questionnaire.
Additional Comments .
The thirty-fourth item asks for
There are tv;enty-nine Yes/No/Some­
times questions, and thirteen fill-in-the-blank questions.
This adds up to forty-two because some f:l.ll-in-the-blanks
were included in a Yes/No/Sometimes question.
I tried to design the questionnaire as though I
19
would be asking these questions in an interview situation,
face-to-face.
I
,.
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
Out of forty respondents sent the questionnaire,
thirty respondents returned their questionnaires in time
to have their responses tabulated and analyzed.
These
thirty respondents' answers are reported below.
The
actual number of those respondlng will be used here, instead of percentages.
Questionnaire for Clergymen's Wives
Preliminary Questions
1.
Present religious denomination.
A.
Jewish
5
B.
Uni.tarian-Universalist
3
C.
Chri.stian
22
Lutheran
3
United Brethren
3
Episcopal
3
Disciples of Christ
2
Methodist
2
Baptist
2
Evangelical Free of America
2
United Church of Christ
1
Pentacosta1
1
20
21
( Question #1 �ontinued)
2.
3.
4.
Presbyterian
1
Church of Open Bible-Full Gospel
1
No answer
1
Present age .
Average age
49
Youngest
28 years
Oldest
6 8 years
Number of respondents over forty
20
Number of respondents forty and
under
10
Age you became married to present husband.
Average age
25 . 5 years
Youngest age
1 8 years
Oldest age
33 years
Years married to present husband.
Average years
Least
25 . 6
1 year
4 6 years
5.
How many children do you have by your present marriage?
Average number
2 . 2 children
Most
4 children
None
3 respondents
Adopted
1 child, 1
respondent
22
6.
Number of children living at home with you.
Fourteen respondents have an average of two
children living at home with them.
7.
8.
Years of formal schooling.
Average length of time
1 5 years
Least
Completed high
school
Most
2 1 years
Graduated from high school
30
At least two years of college
25
Graduated from college
17
Did some graduate work
7
r��aster' s degree
2
Major in college.
Education
5
Business college/secretarial
school
4
English/English Literature
4
History
2
Religion
1
Music
1
French
1
Speech
1
Sociology
1
Zoology
1
Household Economics
1
23
9.
10.
Graduate degree .
Master's in education
1
Master's in speech
1
Are you presently attending school?
If yest, at what
level of schooling are you taking course (s)?
Presently attending school
3
Level of schooling:
11 .
Junior college, business
1
Graduate program, teacher extension
1
Graduate program, counseling
and guidance
1
What types of jobs did you hold prior to present
marriage?
(Note:
Some women held several different
jobs prior to marriage )
Secretarial and related
9
Taught school or tutored
6
Medical secretary
6
Never held a job
5
Sales clerk and related
5
Waitress
2
Bookkeeper
2
Artist
1
Escrow clerk
1
Airline reservationist and ticket
agent
1
24
(Question # ll continued)
Factory work
12 .
l
Do you hold a job outside the home at the present
time?
If yes, what type of job?
How long have you
held present job?
Saleslady
l-2 3 years
Organist, choir director
1-iO years
Teacher
2-6 years
Work in bookstore, part-time
l- 4 years
Art illustrator
1-no time
given
Aide in special education program
l-3 years
Musician
1-no time
given
Secretarial
1- 8 months
General office
1-ll months
Instructional aide for pre-school
deaf class
l-5 years
TOTAL number of women with jobs at
present:
13 .
12
Religious affiliation prior to present, if any.
Former religions were different from what they are
presently
14
Maintain same religious denomination they did prior
to present
No prior religious affiliation
13
3
25
14.
Does present church or temple provide parsonage
or
residence which requires you to pay rent?
Provides residence which requires rent
5
Does present church or temple provide parsonage rent
free?
1 5.
Rent free
7
Receive financial allowance for purchase
or rent of residence
2
How many churches or temples has your husband served
since he became a clergyman?
Average number of churches or temples.
3 . 84
Most number of churches or temples
9
Least number of churches or temples
1
26
9uestionnaire
1.
List three recreational activities that you presently
engage in.
Sports activities such as svvirruning, scuba
diving
16
flying with husband, hiking, bicycling,
jogging, bowling, and tennis
2.
Camping and/or travel
14
Concerts, theater, exhibits, movies
13
Gardening and flower arranging
3
No answer
2
None
1
What is your hobby or interests?
(Note:
Each respondent listed several )
Sewing and related interests·
14
Reading
11
Music
7
Gardening/flower arranging
6
Cooking
4
Antique collecting
2
Creative writing
2
Painting and decorating
2
Dramatics
1
Dance
1
i
I
!
,.
27
( Question #2 of Questionnaire continued )
Marriage encounter movement
3.
1
·-:-<
What is your favorite reading material?
( Note:
Each respondent listed several types) l4
Biographies, periodicals on history and
nature semi-intellectual magazines, news
magazines, hobby magazines
Novels
4.
10
Religious material
8
Newspapers
8
Womens' magazines
6
Murder mysteries, mystery and science
fiction
2
rrhe Bible
2
Cookbooks
1
Travel magazines
1
Science and related magazines
1
What types of movies and television shows do you
like the best?
List three types or three specific
movies or television shows.
Family type such as The �Taltons, Little
House on the Prairie, Walt Disney
14
Documentaries, adventure, nature, news
14
Mysteries, thrillers, horror, science
fiction, medical
7
--
28
(Question # 4 of Questionnaire continued)
5.
Musicals
7
Comedies
6
Psychological types
4
Soap operas, including " Soap "
4
Sports
3
Quiz and game shows
2
Vintage movies
2
Westerns
1
Do you dance?
cigarettes?
Drink alcoholic beverages? Smoke
Play cards? Attend movies?
Dance
13 No
17 Yes
Drink
12 No
18 Yes
Smoke cig.
2 7 No
3 Yes
Play cards
1 3 No
17 Yes
3 No
2 7 Yes
Attend movies
6.
7.
·
Do you drive?
Do you drive on the freeways?
Drive
30 Yes
Drive on Freeways
30 Yes
Are your close friends found in your present church
or temple?
If not, in what social organizations or
outside fields are close friends found?
Found in present church or temple.
1 3 No
9 Yes only
8 Yes & No
29
(Question # 7 of Questionnaire continued)
Various places friends found other than present
church or temple:
F'ound among other clergymen and their wives a,nd
in other churches or temples
Others listed include:
9
Preschool Parent Education,
civic organizations, political organizations,
neighbors, school, through husband's former occupa­
tion, former school friends, PTA, Sierra Club.
8.
\<lhat is the invention that you feel is the most im-­
portant in your life right now?
(Note:
·Some respon­
dents listed several)
Automobile
9.
17
Washer-dryer/dishwasher
6
Telephone
6
Electricity
4
No answer
3
Sewing machine
2
Birth control
1
Piano
1
Airplane
1
Have you and present husband ever taken a pleasure
vacation without your children?
How many times during
your marriage have you taken such a vacation?
Taken such a vacation
23
30
( Question # 9 of Questionnaire continued)
None taken
5
Families without children
2
Average number of times taken
vacation
4 times
Least number of times taken vacation
l time
Most number of times taken vacation
10 .
1 5 times
What would you most like to do if you were unmarried
with no children?
Travel or have travel related jobs
13
Attend college or go back to school
6
Become a nurse/work in hospital
3
Get married
.
3
Teach
2
No answer
2
Serve God in church music ministry/
be involved with out reach program
with Campus Crusade for Christ
2
Have satisfying, worthwhile, and constructive job, comfortable home
with lots of friends to come to
it freely
2
Stoclcbroker
l
Try·hang gliding
l
Paint more
1
31
11.
Was home life when you were growing up, characterized
by religious training such as Sunday school, church
or temple attendance?
3 No
12 .
27 Yes
If your present husband was not a clergyman when you
met him, did you know he intended to be a clergyman?
11 No
13 .
2 No ans·wer
17 Yes
Do you believe in the literal interpretation of the
Bible?
16 No
14 Yes
How many of your hours, approximately, each week are
14 .
·
devoted to church or temple activities?
List these
activities .
Average number of hours per week
8. 2 hours
Mast number of hot.irs per week
4 0 hours
Least number of hours per week
none
Types of activities listed:
Church or temple
-services, Sunday school (teach and attend ) , choir,
socials, dinners and bazaars, mid-week services,
visiting and making parish calls, Bible study
and prayer groups, womens' organizations, fundraising, counseling, substitute organist, committee
meetings, Bible school, altar arrangements.
15.
Does your husband spend time counseling emotion�lly
32
troubled parisboners?
Approximately bow many hours a
week ftoes be spend in counseling?
Do you think these
counseling sessions take up too much of your husband's
time?
28
Husband spends time counseling
Husband does not counsel
2
Average amount of time husband
spends counseling
Do you think these counseling
sessions take up too much
of your husband's time?
16.
100% or 30 No
Do you feel that mankind is essentially good?
evil?
17 .
6 hours per
week
or
or neither?
Good
16
F.vil
7
Neither
7
Do you feel you are more religious now than prior to
your present marriage?
11 No
18.
19 Yes
D o you feel your are a good clergyman's wife?
Yes 2 0
Sometimes 10
No none
Do you feel you are a good mother ( 2 8 of 30 are
mothers)
Yes 2 4
Sometimes 4
No none
Do you think clergymen's children have more problems
than non-clergymen's children?
If yes, state why .
I
33
Yes 11
No 18
No answer 1
Summary of reasons for clergymen's children
having more problems than non-clergymen's children:
1.
Clergymen's children are always in the
spotlight, and people expect them to be
perfect.
2.
Clergymen's children have to share their
parents more than other children.
19.
Do you feel your husband is underpaid?
14 No
20 .
6 Sometimes
10 Yes
Would you prefer that your present husband was not a
clergyman?
2 7 No
21.
3 Yes
What problems have you found since you have become a
clergyman's wife?
Have found four problems
1
Have found 3 problems
4
Have found 2 problems
7
Have found one problem
12
Have found no problems
6
Listed below are the verbatim responses from the
women who said they had found problems.
I feel this is a
very important subject, and the women deserve to be
quoted:
A.
One parishoner tries to rule the church .
Also
there is not much time to get away as a family.
,
B.
Trying to keep everyone happy despite necessary
changes.
C.
Inability of church to distinguish between
" me" and " him".
No chance to have intimate
friends (as opposed to casual ) in congregation.
Hero worshj_p (to my husband and sometimes me )
as a way of relating to us--A DRAG TRULY .
D.
Personally, none, but parishoners are sometimes
very critical of church programs without doing
anything themselves to help or with financial
support .
E.
Sense of guilt for not wanting to do all I am
capable of for the church organizations.
F.
None in particular--! feel lucky to have a
sense of humor.
This is very necessary---people
are usually very kind and good.
G.
Entering in on church activities.
feel I am an outsider.
however.
They make me
Some are very nice,
35
H.
The problems are minor.
The joys surpass them.
When we were in our lst church, finances were
rough .
We learned to trust God more .
Also
don't get too close to any certain people in
your church.
Treat them all alike with God's
love .
I.
Good example!
(Note:
refers to example given
in questionnaire about having difficulty com��.
municating with church congregation about parsonage or residence supplied by church ) .
And
it's exactly the problem that's concerned me
the most.
Most members of congregation want
you to have comfortable home, but do not have
time or interest to be involved.
Have found
it easier to by-pass committee and take care of
or enlist the repairs or decorating to be done
myself.
Not easy to do in all churches .
Have to feel your way on this, and do it in a
sensible and tasteful (way ) as funds are
available.
J.
I have found that I try to do too much.
If I
have an ability in a certain area I am tempted
to do it even though I do not have adequate
time for it.
I am just beginning to learn how
to handle this .
I also have attempted to
please everybody and feel hurt when I realize
I just cannot do it and stand by my convictions.
K.
They don't think you should have problems,
that
you are to be perfect.
Don't have much
time to be or do what you would like to do.
L.
People expect you to be perfect, especially
those who are not church members .
M.
Living in inadequate parsonages.
Husband has
too little time for family .
N.
People don't feel as comfortable with clergy
as other non-clergy families.
Occasional
embarassment by others discovering clergy in
group.
On positive side, here and overseas
we always have had an entre into society, at
all levels.
0.
Keeping myself " fed" spiritually so I can " feed"
others as the Lord intended.
P.
Maintaining privacy--women do a lot of talking
fairly intimately about husband and family .
It's hard to encourage or be supportive of them
without responding in kind or answering per­
sonal questions.
Yet I don't feel my husband's
effectiveness is aided by revealing any inti­
mate details about him or our family, but
rather the reverse .
Q.
Lack of privacy .
Everyone needs us .
not aware of our needs;
They are
constant phone calls,
37
meetings.
Being up front, direct, honest vri th
someone who is insulting and/or rude (is a
problem ) ;
maintaining high image people have
of me at all times.
R.
Expected to act in a prescribed manner.
enough free time with husband.
Not
Being away from
our families (2-3 ,0 0 0 miles) .
S.
Supposed to be nice, polite, friendly with
everyone.
T.
Difficult to please the congregation.
privacy or free time.
No
Expected to work many
hours without pay or much appreciation.
U.
Enough privacy (is a problem) .
V.
Problems mostly with parsonages.
A tendency
to become involved in too many activities.
Not enough free time.
W.
My time is not always my own, and some people
don't think I need time for my own interests.
X.
Have had very few problems, but main one has
been trying to please everybody.
Y.
Sometimes difficult to discuss controversial
issues about our society with congregational
members because they expect youto adopt the
conventional views or the views they have;
not enough free time to pursue my own interests.
2 2.
Do you feel you need more privacy in your life?
2 0 No
2 3 .-
8 Yes
1 At times
Have you ever had a major operation during your
present marriage?
If yes, what type?
16 Yes
Types of major operat:Lons:
(e. g. hysterectomy,
tubal ligation, Caesarean, mastectomy, etc. )
Have you ever had a major operation prior to present
marriage?
If yes, what type?
2 5 No
5 Yes
Types of major operations:
tonsils, adenoids,
appendix
24.
Have you ever experienced the inability to sleep where
it int erfered with your day-to-day life?
If yes,
approximate year this occurred?
2 5 No
5 Yes
Occurred during present marriages.
2 5.
Have you ever been depressed for long periods of time?
If yes, approximately how long did this depression
last, and during what year(s ) did the depression occur?
2 4 No
6 Yes
Occurred during present marriages.
Average length of time:
26.
3 years
Do you believe in sex education in the schools?
39
(Question # 2 6 from Questionnaire continued)
2 3 Yes
7 No
27 .
28.
·
;
Do you feel prostitution should be legalized? Gambling?
Prostitution?
2 5 No
5 Yes
Gambling?
2 3 No
6 Yes
Do you favor the Supreme Court's decision on abortion?
1 0 No
29.
1 No answer
3 No answer
17 '.£;';;::;
Do you believe there should be strict censhorship laws
regarding pornographic movies and pornographic litera­
ture?
Movies in general?
Pornographic moves and
30 .
literature
1 0 No
1 9 Yes
1
undecided
Movies in general
1 4 No
1 4 Yes
2
undecided
Do you believe in birth control?
1 No (Note:
she answered,
myself. "
28 Yes
31.
" No, but just not for
She has an adopted child)
1 No answer
Do you believe criminals should be given harsher pun­
ishments?
6 No
32 .
2 1 Yes
3 No answer
Do you believe consenting adults should be allowed to
engage in any type of sexual activity in private?
::
40
( Que s t i on # 3 2 o f Que s t i o nnaire c o nt inued )
11 No
33 .
1 6 Yes
3 No ans wer
D o y o u believe i n t he present Women ' s Liberat i on move�
ment ?
8 No
34.
8 Yes
Addi t i onal Comment s
( N o t e:
1 4 Sometimes
Thes e c orr�ent s are quoted
verba t i m )
A.
Hope t hi s may help s ome--Hope i t' s not t o o
wrong!
B.
My husband worked for an o il c ompany unt il 5 3
years o f age .
Then he went int o Youth Work
( C hri s t ian Endeavor ) for fi ft een years.
Three
years ago we ac cepted t he pas t orate.
C.
I c on s i der it a p rivi lege t o serve G o d along
s i de my husband.
We've learned a l o t t ogether.
It i s important t o be faith ful under him , as
he is under Go d.
Our c hildren res pe c t him
highly f or hi s s ubmi s s i on t o G o d.
It ' s the
highe s t c alling a man can have.
D.
S o me que s t i ons are a p s y chiatri c s t udy and
s hould be left t o a quali fied p s y ch iatri s t or
p s y chotherap i s t , e . g. que s t ions 2 4 and 2 5 .
E.
( N o t e:
S ome o t her problems given )
People
o ft en ask about o thers espe c i ally when t hey
kno w y ou know s omething , but y ou mus t keep
/
!
,.
41
con f i dences .
Occa siona l ly , controver s ial
s ocial i s s ue s become sticky .
hard to avo i d "favoriti s m. "
S ometimes it's
Some pari s h
members alway s s eem t o be j ea l o us o f our friend­
ships .
Making changes dip l o matically--or
help i ng the pari s h make changes
prob lem) .
(ha s been a
Maintaining fami ly engagements
agains t pres s ure o f church engagements .
We
developed a p o licy o f pri orities .
F.
I fee l that in thi s peri o d o f time , a minister's
wi fe can make .her ro le however s he wants it
to be .
Perhap s tho s e wh o are unhapp y a s
c lergymen ' s wives have taken i t t o o s erio us ly
or not f o un d it to be as their expectations
were .
I'm s ure there i s no o ccupation for a
man that is 11perfect 11--·-o urs i s s ometimes
unique in s ome way s , but I feel it ha s a
s pecial quality to it that s o many others don't
have , s o that's why I've been w i l ling to make
the bes t o f it for 2 0 years now .
I have been
concerned about the ri s i ng rate of divorce
among o ur fellow clergymen , but perhap s we're
j us t now cat ching up with the general p op u la­
tion .
Hereto fore , many may have been a fraid
to expres s their unhapp ines s , and kept the lid
on rather than make waves .
I feel we've been
}� 2
fortunate t o be in c ongregations which for the
mo s t part have a c cepted us as we are , and have
received u s warmly and made u s feel as though
we were one o f t hem .
Including us at their
The only t ime my husband and I
partie s , et c .
have had s ome di fficult t imes has been o ver
the p ar s onage problem , and as I mentioned
before I t hink I ' ve worked out a happier s olu­
t io n for t hat .
The be s t s olution would be if
s ometime in the near fut ure , all p ar s onages
were s ol d and the mini s ter p r o vided wit h ade­
quate salary or rental allowance t o do what
his family wis he s t o do for housing--be it
rent or buy .
The p r oblem of has s ling with
c o m.mi t t ees i s for t he bird s as far as I ' m c on­
cerne d .
G.
( No t e :
This final comment was n o t include d
under t h e Addit ional Comment s , but under the
ques tion o f problems enc ountered since bec oming
a c lergyman ' s wi fe)
I've found t he nices t ,
warme s t , mo s t s up p ortive group o f p eople I ' ve
ever known .
H.
( N o te:
The following remarks were received in
a let ter from a woman wh o had moved out o f t he
S tate , but who was t o o late t o part i cipate
in t he s urvey )
I am intere s ted in your u s e o f
43
"ro le . "
lot .
We are hearing i t in t he Mi d\'les t
We believe S .
a
Ca. was more concerned with
an integrated , who le pers on .
People who fill
"ro les " u s ually feel fragmented i n "play ing a
part 11 or 11 play ing a role . "
i n t he Bible .
Go d .
I AM as was used
I AM a woman .
I AM a wi fe .
I AM a child o f
I AM a mot her.
I AM a
I AM married t o a mini s ter .
grandmother.
i s all me--not a "role . "
Th i s
I A M a MF C (marriage
and f amily coun a elor) , etc .
I.
I t hink being a clergy man ' s w i fe i s a wonder ful
privilege ;
I e s pecially enj oy meet ing people ,
being i nvolve d , s haring t he feeling o f being
s omeo ne s pecial in o ther peoples ' lives .
J.
Clergy families do experience s it uat ions that
are uni que t o t he pro fe s s i o n (s ocial cont act s -­
hours f or family t o getherne s s ) .
A clergyman ' s
w i fe does have t o be di plomat ic and aware o f
her po s i t i on .
A clergyman ' s wi fe can be her
own per s on and yet enj oy t he pro fe s s io n o f
her husban d .
The following remark s are t aken from t he ques t i on­
naire o f a clergyman' s wife wh o d i d not receive her
q �e s t io nnaire i n t ime to ret urn i t in t ime for tabulating .
However , I t h i nk her comment s are valuable and s i gni ficant
enough to add t hem here as a final po s ts cript to t h i s
s tudy'.
Thi s w i fe felt that clergymen ' s children do and do
She
not have more problems than non- clergymen ' s c hildren .
s ay s , " they als o have more advantage s .
Their problems
s eem to be pres sure from the i r peer s , e s pecially in
a d oles cent year s .
Sometimes they resent intru s i on of
pari s h l i fe int o t heir home . "
Regarding problem s s he ha s found s ince bec oming a
clergyman ' s vli fe , s he s tates:
" f-�y bigge s t problem is I
get t ired before I fini s h all that I am inv olved i n .
The c ons tant t elephone call s are my greatest cro s s .
In
my early years I was inexperienced in handling typi cal
clergy wives ' problems --met s ome cri t i c i s m--probably it
was de s e rved .
I ' ve learned a great deal in 3 4 years
about fac ing an d s olving problems .
It i s up to me t o
dec i de how mu c h I c an and want t o do .
I find people
ac c ept me ac c or ding t o my own des i re s .
Here are her Addi t i onal Comment s :
" A s you mus t be
aware , yes and n o ans wers and s t at i s t i c s only approximat e
t he truth .
e xperien c e .
My husband ' s long pa s t orat e s s uggest a narrow
We have been i n ( t h i s area ) 2 3 year s .
This
s t abili t y at home has enabled him to ac cept many elected
o ffi ces in the ( regi onal ) c hur c h , nati onal c hurch , and
als o attend s ome internat i o nal meetings .
He teaches in
a s eminary as well , and I have done s ome teaching of wives
45
o f pro s pec t ive mini s ter s .
" I t hink y our que s t i o nnaire h a s left out s ome o f
t he key ques t i ons wh i c h ind i c ate whether a woman suc ceeds
or n o t a s a c lergy wi fe--and surely y ou will h ave to deal
with t he s e as y ou get int o c ounsel ing .
11 1 .
B as i c i s the w i fe ' s faith--whet her s he be­
l i eves in wh at her hus band i s do ing (no t neces s ar i ly
i dent i c a l fai t h , but cer t a inly s ympathet :L c t o h i s faith ) .
11 2 .
The wi fe ' s own s e l f-es teem .
A pers on with
s e l f- c on f i d e n ce i s able to face prob lems , admit them , and
do s ome th ing about t hem .
A per s on l a c king s e l f- c onfi dence
makes prob lems even where there aren ' t any .
"
3
.
The wi fe ' s at t i tude--or feel ing about t he r o le
i s terribly impo r t ant .
Di d s he a c cept i t vo lunt ar i ly and
knowi n gly - - o r was it t hrus t upon her - - a s when the husband
de c i des t o change vo c at i on s ?
A l s o her a t t i t ude t o the
ro le wi l l depend on her own faith and her own s e l f-es t eem.
"4.
work?
Is t he husban d a s u c ces s or a fai lure in h i s
The prob lems o f a woman married t o a fai lure o r a
mi s fi t are cons i derably greater than t h o s e o f one married
to a man wh o i s qua l i fied and ab le to ful fi l l h i s res pon­
s ibi l i t ies .
"One o f t he bigge s t problems in t he . . . . . . . . chur ch
i s that in s pi t e o f al l t he tes t s men get int o t he mini s try
who don ' t bel ong there .
They h ave fai le d t o rec ogni ze
what the demands and res pons ibi l i t ies are .
Some c an be
46
helpe d or re traine d- -but many o ught t o ge t o ut .
p
A woman
who s e li fe i s t i e d t o s uch a man has a very di f f i cult role
t o play .
" In my own c ouns eling wi th c le rgy wive s , I've found
that there i s no s u ch th ing as " the t ypi cal cas e . "
has made e ve ry i nd i vi dual marvelously di f ferent .
God
Clergy
w i ve s play the role in a thousan d di f fe re nt way s .
11 A s
I s e e cle rgy vli ve s i n t h e . . . . . . . . churc h , I
find them a c c ep t e d by c ongre gat i ons in all their vari e d
way s .
It ' s up t o the wi fe t o de clare how much she want s
t o be involve d i n the church , but s h e mus t have an e qual
t oleran c e for the c ongre gat ion .
The mo s t important s i n gle
at t i tude i s to let them know you c are about what happens
t o them- - t o be a go o d li s t e ne r- � t o be a loving pers on when
y ou me e t and gre e t them as indi vi dual s .
A go o d pra ct i c al
be ginning i s t o learn th e ir name s c orre c t ly .
" My answers no doubt t e ll y o u t hat I have a lot o f
s e l f- c onfi de n c e - -that I like be ing a mini s t e �'s wi fe an d
alway s have .
I have re ad a number o f books wri t t e n by
mini s t er ' s wive s , and have alway s s o ught t o improve or
e nlarg e my own l i fe by the e xpe ri e n c e o f others .
I don't
wan t t o appe ar , howeve r , as s elf-ri ghte ou s --or blin d t o the
pro b lems .
I have had my s hare - - I have made mi s t ake s , and
i t i s only ·now as a mature per s on that I can speak through
exper i e n c e about ge t t in g on t o p o f the s i t uat i on .
" My own life falls rathe r n e atly i nt o three part s .
I
,.
•
The fir s t twenty- f i ve year s I spent developing my s e l f ;
grew up in a home where I was l o ved and nurt ured ;
I was courted and married.
I was
I learned t o s up p ort
gi ven a go o d educat i on-- s ome trave l .
my se l f ;
I
--�.
.
,- '
- ·
-· .
The s econd 25 years
I s pent bearing and rearing five chi ldren , and I was a s
inact ive i n pari s h l i fe a s I could get avmy wi t h .
It i s
only i n t h i s 3 rd s t age that I am s o invo lved i n church
work .
Had I answered y our ques t i onnaire 1 5 years ago i t
would have gi ven y ou a d i f ferent i mpre s s i on.
Actually I
was wel l- accep ted in t he p ari s h when I was mo s t ly wi fe
an d mother- -as I am now when I t ake p o s it i on s o f leader�
s h i p-- s o I am n o t s ay ing t hat one ro le i s bet ter than
an ot her .
" E xcep t for the 1 s t year and a hal f o f our marri age
we have a lway s l ived next d o or t o the chur c h .
that way .
We l i ke i t
It s ave s us b o t h t ime and money as the church
maintains the wh o le propert y - -an d we don't have t o dri ve
every t i me we need t o go t o t he church- o ffice or p ari sh halL
The prob l e m is h ow to achieve pri vacy .
We think i t 's up
t o us t o s e t the limi t s o f our re lat i on s hip s .
For ins t anc�
i f s omeb o dy come s t o t he d o or and a s k s for my hus b and , I
may s ay , ' I'm s orry , he's t aking a nap , ' or 'I'm s orry ,
he's s ay ing h i s prayers , ' or 'I ' m s orry , he's t a lking t o
s omeb o dy e lse , '
and uni vers a l ly they are s at i s f ied t o
leave a mes s age and g o av-my .
When we feel t he need t o be
ab s o lutely a l one , we go s o mep l ace--e it her for a day o f f--
I
,.
48
o r maybe a who le vacat i on .
O f cour s e , we have our s hare o f
neuro t i c s who are a nui s cance .
All c lergy do .
With t hem
y o u have t o keep a s en s e o f balance--bei ng kind- -but limi t ­
i ng the t ime they t ake .
"Go o d luck t o y ou on y our pro j ect!
S i ncerely "
ANALY S I S OF DATA GATHERE D
Before I began this s tudy , I made s everal s t ate­
ment s or as s umptions about c lergymen ' s wives :
(1 )
More
than mos t o ther women , c lergymen ' s wives are more ac tive ly
invo lved in t heir husband ' s "j ob s " :
(2 )
The religious
nature o f their husband ' s duties places a great deal o f
pre s s ure upon c lergymen's wives t o s et an idea l example
o f t he "religious woman , " t he "go o d wi. fe , 11 t he "go o d
mother , " the "c o ncerned citizen11 :
( 3)
C lergymen's wives
are expec te d t o a c t almo s t like an as s i s t ant t o their
husbands , t hus having t o s uppre s s many o f t heir own unique
and incli vidual intere s t s .
For ins t ance , her ro le
<w
the
c lergyman ' s as s i s t ant , wit h c ongregational expectat ions
for her to perf orm in t his ro le , would almo s t aut omatica l ly
deny her pur s uing a pro fes sion out s ide o f t he church or
temple :
(4 )
Given t he his t ori c po s itions o f Jude a -­
Chri s t i an re ligions , c lergymen ' s wives wou l d feel more
inhibit e d or repres s e d about s exual mat ters :
(5 )
C lergy­
men ' s wives w o u l d have emot iona l problems or p s y c h o s omatic
ai lment s t hat could be dire c t ly t ra ced to their ro les .
Approximately eight hour s per week was the average
n ilmber o f hour s a week given for the c lergymen ' s wives
participat ing in churc h activities
50
(see Ques t ion # 1 4 ) .
51
Thi s would s eem t o indi cate t hat c lergymen's wive s , in
fa c t , ·are more a c t ively involve d i n their husband's " j obs "
t han are o ther wive s .
S tatement number two allowe d that clergymen's
wives are under a great deal o f pres s ure to be t he " i deal "
woman i n many areas o f living .
Que s t i on # 9 in t he Que s t i on-
naire p oint s o ut t hat seventy - s i x p er c ent of t he women
have t aken a p leasure vacat i o n wi t h t heir husband without
the i r ch i ldren .
Thi s c o uld i ndi c ate that these women felt
more pres s ures in thei r live s , t hus t hey needed a vacat i on
away from i t all .
Or , it c ould indi c ate that t hey are
s imp ly i n t he main s tream o f p resent day s o c iety , where
more and more c o up les are finding t he t ime t o t ake vac at i ons avmy from t heir children t o get m'iay from any number
o f pres s ures and res p on s ibilit ies for awhile .
Que s t i on
# 10 ha s s i xt y - t hree percent o f t he women � i s h ing t o trave l
or go t o c ollege as the maj orit y o f cho i ces , i f t hey were
unmarried wi th no children .
Here ag ain , th i s res p onse
c ould indi c ate that t he s e women feel more pres s ures
c onnected to their being clergymen's wive s .
Or i t again
c ould s imp ly indi cate that the s e women are not unlike many
wives who would like t o expand their hori z on s and try
s omething els e .
they were (1 )
Que s t i on # 11 asked i f t hese women felt
a go o d c lergyman's w i fe .
S ix t y - s even p er-
cent res p onded w i t h a Yes , whi c h does not really tell how
much pre s s ure t hey feel in being a g o o d c lergyman' s wi fe .
52
Part two o f th i s que s t i on asks i f these women feel they are
go o d �other s .
Seventy -ni ne percent res ponded with a Yes .
Here agai n, h o w muc h stres s or pre s s ure they feel i n being
a go o d mother , i s o n ly to be i n ferre d .
In part three o f
thi s que sti o n , th i rty - s ix per cent o f the w omen s a i d they
fe lt c lergymen's chi l dren had more problems t han non­
c lergymen's c hi ldren .
Thi s question better i l l ustrates
that be cause thei r chi l d ren are under s ome p res s ures to
be " perfect, 11 the s e th irty- s i x · per cent o f the res p ondents
wou l d feel pre s sures a l s o i n try ing to b� the i deal wi fe
o r mothe r .
But here again, thi s c an only be an a s s umption .
Ques t i o n twenty a s k s i f the women would prefer that their
pre s ent husband wa s not a c lergyman .
rep l i e d Yes .
Only ten percent
Thi s res ult might i nd i c ate that i f the
c lergymen ' s wive s do feel pre s s ures related to their
husband's j obs, they are not great enough to make them
wi s h their husban d ' s were not c lergy men .
The res po n ses to
q ue s t i on number t en about the problems they have had
s in ce bec oming a c lergyman's w i fe more nearly indi cate
that c lergymen's wive s fee l more pre s s ure to be " per fe ct "
than do wives o f non- c l e rgymen .
Question twenty -two
a s ke d thes e c lergymen's wive s i f t he y felt they needed
more privacy .
Only twenty - s i x per cent s tated Yes , whi c h
c ould imply that the pres s ures are not great en ough to
make them w i s h to " e s c ape . "
Statement # 3 l o oked at the c lergymen's wives as
53
a c t in g as an a s s is t ant c ler gyman t o their hus bands , t hus
a lmo s t aut o matic a l ly denying her p ur s ui ng a c areer out si de
t he chur ch.
In t he problems lis ted by the resp ondent s ,
t hirty-two per cent o f t h o s e prob lems inv o lved the need
f or more p rivacy and free t ime t o pur s ue their own in­
t eres t s .
These res p o n s es c ou l d indi c at e the need t o get
away from t he pre s s ures c onnected in being like an as s is ­
t ant t o their hus ban d s .
Forty p ercent o f the women
res p ondent s rep lied t hat t hey do ho l d j obs out si de of t he
home at the present t ime .
O n ly o ne o f these women had
a j ob that was relat e d t o c hurch a c t ivitie s - - organi s t
and choir dire c t or .
N o c lear - cut c o n c lusions c an be
drawn about why t he s e women h old j obs out side o f the home .
Perh ap s they need t he money .
Perhap s they ho l d these j obs
des pite their husbands' wis he s or des pite c ongregational
a t t itudes .
In any c a s e, these women with j obs present ly
out side of t he home, are apparently pur s uing interes t s or
a c areer out s i de the church .
Que s ti o n # 5 a s ked t he women
about us ua l ly n o n-religious , related interes t s .
Fift y - s ix
p er cent dance, fifty-nine per cent drink a l c oho lic bever­
ages , t en percent s moke cigaret tes, fi fty- s ix per cent p l ay
c ards, and ninet y per cent a t t en d movies .
The res p on s es
t o the s e que s tions s eem t o ref le c t general p opulat io n
attitudes 6 r int eres t s .
Ninety percent o f the women
s urveyed do not smoke cigare t t e s , and I as s umed this vra s
bec ause cigaret t e smoking i s seen t o be dan gerous t o
54
health , r ather t h an a s s uming the women fe lt it t o be a
"sin 11 an d t h us re l ated t o t heir r o les a s a s sis t ant s t o
their h us b an d s .
S t a temen t number fo ur a s s umed that c lergymen' s
wive s wo u l d fee l more inhibited o r repres se d about sexual
mat ters .
Fifty-th ree per cent o f t he re s p on dent s indi c ated
t h at wh i le they were married t o their present hus b an d they
had had a variety of maj or oper ations that wou l d f a l l
under the gener a l c at egory o f "female" ( e . g . hy s terect omy ,
t u b a l li gation s , mas te c t omy :J C ae s are ans , et c . ) .
I c annot
s t ate c at egori c a l ly that these oper ations s t � m from in­
hibiti o n s o r repres s ions about se xua l mat t er s .
Women in
genera l have t he s e operatio n s , and I have not read a
rep o r t that s t ates t he rea s o n being bec ause o f sexual
p rob lems or inhibitio n s .
H oweve r , I have rea d s p e c � la­
Sevent y - s ix per cent believed in
tions linking the two .
s ex e du c ation in t he s cho o l s .
This seems t o imp ly t hat
t he women a t lea s t feel the i r children s h o u l d be care ful ly
e du c a te d regarding s exua l mat ter s .
And c o u l d p o s s ib ly
indic ate that the s e wome n a r e mo re o p e n ab out s e xual
mat ters , themse lve s .
However , t his i s j us t a gues s .
Eighty-three per cen t fe l t t hat p r o s t it ut ion s h o u l d not be
lega lized .
This res p onse s eems to in dic ate the general
p o p ulati on' s a t tit udes ab out legalizing p r o s tit ution , and
doe s not ne ces s ari l y p oint up sexua l ly rep re s sed at titudes
among c lergymen ' s wive s .
Fift y - s ix per cent believed in
/
55
the Supreme C o urt ' s rul i ng o n abort i o n .
These women wou l d
ap pear t o b e liberal i n their t hinking about this mat t er ,
and t heir ans wers c ou l d p o int t o their fee l i ngs o f s o c ia l
c ompas s i on , rather t han t he i r l iberated views o n s exua l i t y .
A s k e d i f t here s houl d be s tri cter cen s orship o f p ornograph­
i c movies an d l i t erature , s ixty-three p er cent sai d Yes .
I was left t o as s ume t hat t he s e women reflect genera l
p op u lat i on view s abo ut p ornography , or I c ou l d a s s mne that
t hey feel t hreatene d or inhib i te d about such s exual ma­
t erial .
Ninety - seven per cent bel ieved in birt h c ontro l .
One c o u l d argue from these res p onses that t he s e women
wanted t o fee l freer to experience s exual p leas ures , t h u s
t hey are n o t i nhibi t ed s exual ly .
O r o ne c o u l d argue t hat
th i s res p o n s e does n o t indi cat e any t h ing other t han the
wi sh to l imi t t he ir fami ly s i ze .
Fi f t y - t hree per cent
answere d Yes t o t he que s t i on o f v'rhether they be lieved
c o nsen t ing adult s s houl d be a l l owed t o engage in any
type o f sexua l a c t i vi ty i n private .
Thi s wo u l d appear t o
be the mo s t t e l l i ng que s t i o n o f whether t he s e women wou l d
feel more i nh ib i t ed or repre s s e d about sexual mat ters .
Base d o n t he res p o n s e s t o t h i s part i cular que s t i on , i t
appears t ha t a large per cent age o f t he women res p onding ,
d o not feel i nhibi t i on s or repres s i o n s about sexual
mat ters .
Twenty - s ix per cent o f the women res p onded Yes
in bel ieving i n t he pre s ent Women ' s Liberat i on mo vemen t .
The res p o ns e s t o t h i s que s t i o n do n o t rea l ly indi c at e
56
They
whether the s e women fe e l re pre s s e d s e xual ly or not.
c oul d be re s ponding to the matter of " equal work- - equal
pay" that has been champi one d by the Women' s Liberati on
movement .
(Hov-rever, one c o u l d a s s ume that the s e women
mus t be fairly liberate d fro m s omething , b e c aus e a l l the
re s pondent s drive, and a l l the re s pondents drive on the
fre e way s .
But Cal i fornia l iving almo s t ne c e s s itate s
driving and driving on fre eway s ! )
I n s ummary , no c lear-­
c ut c o n c lus i on s or a s s umpti on s can be made regarding
the re s pondent s ' attitudes about s e xual matters .
A s s umpti o n five s ai d that c lergymen's wive s
wou l d have more emoti onal problems or p s y c h o s omati c ai l ­
ments that c o u l d b e dire ctly tra c e d to the ir ro le s .
Fi fty -thre e per c e nt o f the women re s ponde d that they had
had maj o r operati ons s in c e the ir marriage s that c ou l d be
catego ri z e d 11 female . "
The s e typ e s o f operations do not
n e c e s s ari l y ind i c ate that the nature o f the operat i on s
h a d an e moti ona l o r p s y chos omati c ba s e .
S i xteen perc ent
indi cate d that they ha d had problems with the i nabi l ity
to s le e p .
Thi s c ou l d po int to emoti onal prob lems, or it
could indi cate that th ey s i mply we re not e xerc i s ing the ir
b o di e s enough , thus making s le ep di ffi cult .
The re s ults
do not n e c e s s ari ly indi c ate that the ir s le e pi ng problems
were re lat e d to the ir ro l e s as c lergymen's wive s .
Twenty
per c e nt i n di cate d that the y had e xperi e n c e d depre s s i on for
vari ous peri o d s o f time .
Again , thi s c ould point to
57
e moti onal proble m s , but do e s not ne c e s sarily relate
to the i r live s as clergyme n ' s wive s .
P e ople i n the
populati on at large s uf fe r from e moti onal depre s s i ons ,
whi ch rela t e to a vari ety o f caus e s .
A
c ontinue d breakdown o f the data c o ul d generate
add iti onal s tate me nts :
1.
The re will be notab l e d i ffere nc e s i n re s pons e s
t o c ertain q ue stions betw e e n reli g i o us liberal
and reli gious c ons e rvative respondent s .
2.
The re will be n otable d i f feren ce s in re s pons e s
t o c ertain que �ti ons be twe en women re s pondents
age d forty and over and tho s e under forty
y e ar s o f age .
3.
The re will be n otable di ffere n c e s in re spon s e s
t o c e rtai n que stions betwe e n tho s e re s ponde nts
who pre s ently have a j ob o uts i de the home and
tho s e who do not .
. It was d e c i de d that the m o s t clear de finiti on o f
"libe ral " v s .
"c ons e rvative " wa s t o de fine "liberal " as
th o s e re s pondents who do not believe i n the literal interpretati on o f the Bible, and 11 c on s ervative " as th o s e
re s pondents who d o beli eve i n the l iteral interpretation
of the Bible .
Thi s de finition of "liberal " and "c onserva-
tive " fits t h e popular , publ i c ste re otype o f "liberal"
58
and " conservative" a s will be sh own in t he dat a pres e nted
below.
By t h i s defini t ion there were s ix teen liberal
res ponden t s and fourteen c on s ervative res pondent s .
The f ollowing que s t ions were s elected as reas onable
que s t i ons t o be examine d from the poi nt o f view o f " liberal" vs . " c on s ervative " res ponses :
5.
D o y ou dance?
Drink alc oh olic beverages ?
S mo ke c igaret tes ?
Dan ce
Smoke
Play cards
C on s ervat ive
Yes
Yes
Yes
1
15
No
Yes
1
No
Ye s
2
Yes
2
12
3
11
1
No
14
No
Yes
12
Yes
5
No
9
Ye s
No
7.
15
No
No
At tend
movies
A t t en d movie s ?
Libe ral
No
Drink
Play cards ?
4
15
1
13
Yes 1 2
No
2
(Preliminary que s t i on )
Years o f f ormal s c hooli ng :
Liberal
Average
15 . 1
Conservative
59
12.
(Preliminary question)
Do y o u hold a j ob outside the home at the
present time ?
Liberal
Yes
8
4
No
8
10
16
14
Total
14.
C onservative
How many hou r s , app roximately , each week are
devoted to c hur ch or temp le activities ?
Liberal
Average
16 .
Cons ervative
6. 8
9.7
Do y o u feel that mankind is es sentially
go o d ? o r Evil? o r neither ?
Liberal
Conservative
Go o d
10
6
Evil
1
6
Neither
5
2
17 .
D o y ou feel y ou are more religious now than
p rior to y our p re s ent marriage?
Liberal
C on servative
Yes
1
8
No
5
6
25 .
Have y o u ever been dep re s sed for long p eriod s
o f time?
60
( Que s t i o n # 2 5 co nt inued )
L iberal
Yes
No
26.
Cons ervat i ve
l
5
15
9
Do y ou believe i n s ex educat i o n i n t he
s ch o o l s ?
Liberal
Yes
No
27.
Conservat j_ ve
14
9
2
5
Do y ou fee l p ro s t i t ut i on should be lega l i zed?
Gamblj_ng?
Liberal
C o n s ervat i ve
Pro s t i t ut i on
5
0
11
1 �-
Yes
6
0
No
9
14
Undeci de d
l
0
Yes
No
Gambl i ng
28.
Do y ou favor t he Supreme C o urt ' s deci s i o n o n
abort i on?
Liberal
Yes
No
C on s ervat ive
15
2
0
10
61
( Que s t i on # 2 8 c o n t i nued )
N o ans wer
1
2
;;
29 .
,
.-- ·
Do y ou believe there sh ould be s tri c t cen s ors hi p law s regarding pornographi c movi e s and
pornographi c l i t erature ?
Liberal
P ornography
6
13
No
9
1
Yes
No
Unde c i de d
31.
Conservat ive
Yes
Unde c i de d
Movies in
general
Movies in general?
1
3
11
12
2
1
1
D o y ou believe criminals s h o uld be given
harsher pun i shment s ?
Liberal
Yes
9
12
No
4
2
N o Answer
32 .
Conservat i ve
3
D o y ou believe consent ing a dult s s ho uld be
allowed t o engage in any type o f s exual
a c t iv i ty in private ?
Liberal
Yes
No
C o n s ervat ive
14
2
0
11
I
i
62
( Questi o n # 3 2 c o ntinue d )
2
N o Answer
33.
1
D o y ou believe i n the presen t Women's Libera­
t i o n movement ?
L iberal
C o ns ervative
Yes
8
0
No
0
8
8
6
Sometime s
Age f orty and under was s electe d as a logi cal
breakpo i nt to reflect the respondent s ' age di f ference s .
There were ten res pondent s forty and under , and twenty
respondent s over forty .
The following questions were s elected
as
reas on­
able q ue s ti o n s to be examined from the point o f vj_ e VJ o f
age :
16 .
D o y o u feel that mankind i s e s s entia l ly go o d ?
Evil?
Neither?
Forty an d Under·
25 .
Over Fo rty
Good
Lr
12
Evil
4
3
Neither
2
5
Have y o u ever been depre s s e d for long
peri o ds o f time ?
Fo rty an d Under
Over Fo rty
63
( Que s t i on # 2 5 c o nt inued )
Fort y and Under
26 .
Over For t y
Yes
4
2
No
6
18
Do y o u bel ieve in sex edu c at i on in t he
s ch o o l s ?
Fort y and Under
27.
Over Forty
Yes
9
14
No
1
6
Do you feel pro s t it ut i on s hou ld. be l e g al i ze d ?
Gamb ling ?
Forty and Under
Over Forty
P ro s t it ut i on
Yes
2
3
No
8
17
2
4
8
15
G amb l ing
Yes
1
No
1
N o Answer
28.
Do y o u favor t he Supreme C ourt's dec i s i on
on abor t i on ?
Forty and Un der
Over Forty
Yes
5
12
No
5
5
( Que s t i o n # 2 8 c ont i nued )
Forty and Under
Over Forty
3
No Answer
29 .
Do y ou believe there s h ould be s tri c t cens or­
ship laws regarding pornographi c movies and
p ornograp hi c literature ?
Il�ovies in general?
Forty and Under
Over Forty
P o rnography
Yes
7
12
No
3
7
1
Undeci ded
Gambling
Yes
6
8
No
4
10
2
Unde c i ded
31 .
D o y ou believe crimi nals s h ould be given
harsher puni s hment s ?
Forty and Under Ove r Forty
Yes
7
14
No
2
4
1
2
N o Answer
32 .
D o y ou believe con sent ing adult s s h ould be
allowed t o engage i n any type o f s exual
a ct iv i t y in pri vate?
65
( Ques tion # 3 2 c ontinued)
Forty and Under
Yes
4
12
No
5
6
1
2
N o Answer
33.
Over Forty
D o y o u believe in t he present Women ' s
Liberation movement ?
I
Forty and Under
Over Forty
Yes
2
6
No
2
6
6
8
S omet imes
Only t hree que s t i on s were selected from t he
q ue s t i o nnaire t o c ompare views o f res p o ndent s wit h j obs
out of the home vs . res p ondent s wit h n o j ob out of t he
home .
There were twelve resp ondent s wit h j obs , and
eighteen wit h no j ob s out s i de t he home.
19 .
D o y ou feel y our husband i s underp aid ?
Job
25 .
N o Job
Yes
5
5
No
5
9
2
4
Sometimes
I
Have y ou ever been depre s sed for long
p erio ds o f t ime?
Job
No Job
66
( Ques t i o n # 2 5 c o nt inue d)
J ob
Yes
No
2.
N o Job
2
4
10
14
Present age (preliminary q ue s t io n)
Average age o f res ponden t s
L[ 9
Average age o f re sponden t s
47 . 7
with n o j ob
Average age o f res p on den t s
w i t h j ob s
5 1. 1
Based o n t he rev iewed literat ure related t o t h i s
s t udy ,
two
ge nerali zat 1 o n s were drawn .
The fir s t
ge neral i z at i o n was :
1.
The sec ular li fe int rudes upo n t he lives o f
clergymen ' s wives, and they mus t f i nd way s t o
adj u s t t o the s pe c i al deman ds pla ced upon them
t o be the "ideal " woman .
t agree w i t h th i s general i zat i o n based o n
the
gathered
data for th i s s urvey , be cau s e these clergymen ' s vdves do
have un i que and s pe c i al problems and demand s placed upon
them that are d i ctated by their being clergymen ' s wives .
These women res ponding t o t h i s s urvey , based o n their
j obs , i nt ere s t s, hobb ies and reading ma terial , s eem to be
f i nding way s t o adj u s t t o the . s pe c ial demand s pla ced upo n
67
t hem t o be the "i deal" woman .
The s e c ond generali z at i o n drawn from t he revi e�ed
l i t erature wa s :
2.
The li fe th at t he clergyman ' s w i fe lead s i s
greatly i n fluen c e d by her hu sband' s j ob .
Based on t he number o f hour s and t he type s o f chur ch-re­
lated a c t ivi t ies , and bas ed on the problems li s t e d , i t
would s eem th at th i s general i z at ion i s appropri at e .
In c on c lus i o n t hen , the s e t h irty clergymen ' s
wives re s ponding t o t he que s t i onnaire , di d not ap pear t o
b e s o very d i fferent from wives i n general , r egardi ng
the ir vari e d i nt e re s t s , hobbies , opini ons , religi ous or
s exua l o utlooks , or a s pi rat i o n s for t h e ms e lve s .
The
areas whe re t h ey do di ffe r from wive s i n general are re­
l at e d t o the s pe c i fi c problems and demand s that t hey
experi e n ce in being clergymen's wive s .
The overall im­
pre s s i on t hat I re c e ived in re ading the respondent s '
comment s and in t abulat ing their· ans we r s t o t he que s t i ons ,
was that t h i s i s a very de d i c at e d , \•Jell - e ducated , ni c e ­
s oundi n g group o f women , who h ave a vari e t y o f respon s i ­
bilities , int e re s t s , t alent s , o pini on s , an d goal s .
The y
des erve gre at e r re c ogni t i o n , t h anks , appre c i at i on , and
perhaps j us t a l i t t le more TLC (t end e r loving c are) , for
t heir s igni fi c ant c ont ribut i ons t o religious l i f e .
I
,
.
RE C OMJYIENDATIONS FOR FUTUHE RESEARC H
I t might be po s sible t o e licit more s pecific res pons es
t o various aues tions by redesigning or rewording t hese
ques tion s .
I f more s peci fic res pons es had been obt ained ,
perhaps I could have drawn a greater number o f definite
conclus ion s .
Thes e are examples o f h ow mor·e s pecific
inf o rmation might have been obt ained , i f the ques tion was
reworded or amen de d :
Que s tion twe lve :
out s i de the home at t he pre s ent time?
and for h ow l ong?
Do y o u
Do y o u h o l d a j ob
I f yes, what t ype
A d ded t o this que s t ion coul d have been :
h o l d this j ob for economic reas ons?
thi s j ob because y ou enj oy t h e work?
Or do you ho l d
Does your hus band
approve o f y our h o l ding this j ob out si de the home?
Does
your pres ent church or temp le congregation approve of y our
h o l ding this j ob o ut side the home?
teen :
Ques tion number seven-
Are y ou more religious now than prior t o y o ur pre-
sent marriage?
include :
This ques tion might have been amended t o
If y e s , do y ou fee l that y our being a c lergyman ' s
wife i s t he reas on?
Que s t i. on number eighteen :
(part 3 )
Do y ou feel clergymen's chi l dren have more problems than
non-clergymen ' s chi l dren?
Thus , there might have been
more an s wers and reas ons given for t hi s ques tion .
twenty :
Que s t ion
Would y o u prefer that your pre s ent husband was not
68
I
!
,.
69
a c lergyman?
Adde d t o th i s que s t i on could have have been :
I f y e s , why?
Que s t i on twe nt y - t wo :
more priva cy?
D o y o u f e e l y o u ne e d
Thi s c o uld have read :
D o y ou f e e l y ou ne e d
more p e r s onal t ime o r t ime f or y ours elf?
There c ould have
b e e n more s p e c i fi c que s t i o n s dire ctly relat e d t o the re ­
s p on dent s ' at t it ude s o r pre f e re n c e s about s e x .
Howeve r ,
I as s ume d that t o ask more s p e c i fi c que s t i o n s o f a s e xual
nature , would have re s ult e d in fewer wome n re s p onding t o
the que s t i onnaire .
Que s t i o n thirty-t hre e :
in the p re s ent Wome n's Libe rat i on move ment?
t o thi s que s t i on c ould have b e e n :
Do y ou beli eve
An amendme nt
I f y e s , s tat e why .
If
n o , s t a t e why .
A large r number o f wo me n c o uld be s urve y e d .
Provi de d
the que s t l. on s were more s p e c i fi c , t h i s might e nable the
re s e ar c he r ' t o arrl.ve at more s p e c i fi c c o n clus i ons bas e d
on t h i s larger s ampling .
Furth e r re c ommendat i ons for fut ure re s e arch could in­
volve a vari e t y o f c orre lat i onal s t udi e s .
For i n s t an c e ,
a more e x t e n s ive comp ari s on c o uld be drawn · about the vl. ews ,
at t i t ude s and problems be twe e n y o ung and older clergyme n's
wive s .
More s igni fi c ant di ffe re n c e s might be found be ­
twe e n the "l iberal " religi ous clergyme n's wive s and the
l e s s libe ral or more "con s e rvat ive " religi ous clergyme n ' s
wive s .
A br· oader s t udy c ould als o be made c omparing the
vi ews o f the clergyman' s wi fe wi th tho s e of the hous e w i fe
i n gene ral .
70
Future res earch could include wives o f Eas tern re­
ligio�s clergymen , s uch as Buddhi s t s .
A more intens ive s tudy could be conducted based up on
t he use o f a que s tionnaire combined with t he face-t o-face
interview .
SUMMARY AND C ON CLUS ION S
The p urp o s e o f th i s s t udy was t o s urvey a group o f
c lergymen ' s wi ve s through t he use o f a det ai led ques t i on­
nai. re .
Through res p onses t o thi s que s t i onnaire , I wanted
(1)
to find out i f t he f o l l owing s t atement s were true :
More t han mo s t o ther women , c lergymen ' s w � �e s are more
a c t i ve l y invo lved in t heir hus b and ' s 11j ob s " ;
(2 )
r:I.1he
rel i gious nature o f their hus b an d ' s dut ies p laces a great
dea l o f pre s s ure up on c lergymen ' s wive s t o set an i de a l
e x amp le o f the "re l i gi ous woman, " t he "go o d w i fe , " the
n go o d mo t her , " t he "con cerne d c i t i zen11 ;
(3)
C lergymen ' s
w i ve s are e xp e c te d t o a c t a lmo s t l ike an a s s i s t ant t o their
hus b ands , thus having to s uppre s s many of t heir own unique
and indi vi dual i ntere s t s.
For ins t an c e , her ro le a s t he
c lergyman ' s as s i s t ant, with c ongregat i onal expe c t at i ons
for her to per f orm in thi s r o le , w o u l d almo s t aut omat i c a l ly
deny her p urs uing a pro fe s s i on out s i de o f the church or
t emp le ;
(4)
Gi ven t he h i s t ori c p o s i t i on s o f Judea­
Chri s t i an re l i gi ons , c lergymen ' s w i ve s would feel more in­
hib i te d o r rep re s sed ab out sexual mat t ers ;
(5 )
C lergy ­
men ' s w i ve s wo uld h ave emo t i onal prob lems or p s y cho s omat i c
ai lmen t s that c ou l d b e dire c t ly traced t o their r o le s .
The mo s t imp ort ant findings in t h i s s tudy rel ate t o
71
72
t he res p onding c lergymen ' s wives ' s pe c i fi c p roblems wh i ch
re late t o t hei r being c lergymen ' s wives .
Thei r s p e c i a l
p r ob lems a re s urnmari zed bel o w:
l.
There i s not much t ime t o get away or be t o ge­
t her as a fami ly .
2.
Church members and non-member s o ften e xp e c t the
c le rgyman ' s wi fe t o be "perfe c t , " and s et good
examp les i n a ll area s of l i fe .
3.
It i s di f f i c u l t t o find int imate friends within
the congregat i o n .
4.
D i ffi c u l t i e s are found in t ry ing t o p leas e
every one i n t he c ori gregat ion .
5.
D i f f i c ul t ie s are f ound i n t ry ing t o e f fe c t
neces s ary changes w i t h i n t he l i fe o f t he church
o r temple .
6.
C le rgy men ' s children are o ften expected t o be
" pe r fe c t . "
7.
It i s di f f i cult t o find t ime f o r per s onal p ri ­
v a c y o r interes t s .
8.
There are s ome prob lems in li ving i n a p ar­
s onage or res i dence s upp l ied by t he chur ch or
temple .
9.
C lergymen do not receive a s l arge a s al ary as
they s h o u l d .
Spe c i fi c findings on al l t he que s t i ons in t h i s
s tu dy c an b e f o und on p ages 5 0 through 6 7 o f t h i s rep ort .
73
The t op ics for di s cus s i on i n t he p amphlet put out
b y the Min i s ters L i fe and Casualty Uni on di scus sed in the
Review o f the L i terature Sect i o n , p er t a in direct ly t o the
f indings and conclus i ons I gat hered i n th i s s urvey o f
c lergymen's livi ves , and s up p ort the conclu s i ons t h at were
f ound :
S urvey
P amphlet
There i s no t much t ime t o get
(A mini s ter ' s ) devo t i on
away o r b e t o gether a s a
to the church can ea s i ly
fami ly .
cheat h i s fami ly .
Church members and non­
Every nuance o f thi s
members o ften expect t he
woman's behav i or re­
clergyma n ' s wi fe t o b e
f lect s on her p as tor
! ! p e rfe c t "
hus b an d.
and s et go o d
The s t an dards
examp les i n a l l areas of
s e t for her o ften are
l i fe .
i mp o s s ib le for any mor­
t al t o att ain.
I t i s di fficult t o find
When t he climate i s fa­
i nt imat e friends w i t h in
vorab le , these women en­
t he congregat i o n .
j oy many deep , meaningful
friends h i p s .
However ,
the c l imate i s no t a lway s
f avor a b le .
Again , i t ' s
becaus e we expect her t o
74
Survey
Pamphlet
b e "s o p er fect . "
O r s he
thinks we expect perfect i on .
Di fficultie s a re found in
S he must be attractive ,
try ing to please every one
b ut not too attractive.
in the congregati o n .
Nicely �res sed and co i ffed , b ut not to o n icely
dre s sed ( i deally s he sews
a l l her own clothes ) .
She mus t be friendly on
all occas i o n s , b ut never
aggres s i ve .
Educated and
inte l l igent , b ut never s o
i ntelligent a s to threaten any one.
And certain-
ly s he s hould alway s take
a b ack s eat when any imp o rtant deci s i ons are
made.
D i f f iculties are f ound in
T o o o ften , a woman mar-
try ing to e f fect nece s s ary
ried to a mini ster finds
changes with in the l :i. fe o f
her s e l f n marr ied to a
j
r·
75
Survey
t he church or temple .
Pamphlet
a c ongregat i on . "
Whe n
t hi s happens s h e i s n o t
i�
.
.- .
regarded as a per s on in
her own right .
The con-
gregat i on s imply as s umes
s he i s merely an extens i on o f t heir pas t or.
C lergyme�s children are o ft en
Clergy children are dot e d
e xpec ted t o be "pe r fe c t . 11
on by loving c ongregat ions .
But only while
t hey are very y o ung .
As
t he c h i l dren grow older ,
every o ne s eems t o see
t hem as no i s ier , more
rec kles s , more every thing
t han other children .
Thi s i s s imply unfair .
And the clergy c h ildren
know i t .
We set impo s -
s ible s t andards for the
children j us t a s we do
for t he pa s t or and h i s
wi fe .
i'
-·
76
Surve y
It
i s dif ficult t o find time f o r
p e r s onal p rivacy o r int e r e s t s.
Pamphl e t
The woman married t o (a)
minis t er may s e l dom , if
e ve r , find t ime for a
movie , o r a m e a l at a
re s t aurant .
Th e re are s ome p ro b lems in
Thous ands o f wome n
living in a p a r s onage o r
mar rie d t o minis t e r s ar e
re s i d e nce s upp lie d by the
t rying t o make a h ome in
chur ch or temp le.
a ch urch- owne d man s e o r
p ar sonage . . . . living i n a
man s e c an be like rai s ­
ing children in a mus eum .
The mot he r i s con s t antly
t e n s e l e s t the c hi l dren
inn o c e n t ly damage t he
wal l p aper o r s ome s uch
t hing. . . . Not owning t h e i r
own h o me m e an s the c l e rgy
f amily i. s n o t bui l di ng
e quit y - - o r re c e iving an
imp o r t ant br e ak in taxe s .
C l e rgyme n d o n o t r e c eive
(About half o f) t he s e
as l arge a s alary a s they
women work , fir s t o f a l l ,
7 '7
S urvey
Pamphlet
shoulc
t o augment t he fami ly
. •
i n come.
To help s end
the chi l dren to c o l lege .
O r t o meet s o me expense
c urrent inc ome vmn ' t
c over .
c>
Peop le readi ng resear ch repor t s or re search s tu dies ,
s h o u l d a lway s keep in mind that t he presentat i on o f t he
dat a , analy s i s o f the data , and the c on c lus i on s d rawn are
n o t alway s free from b ias o r error s .
Fir s t o f a l l , t he
per s o n des igning a q ue s t i onnaire inc lude s only t h o s e
ques t i on s that h e feel s are important .
Que s t i on s might be
left out that s omeone else would c on s i der equally or more
i mportant , o r que s t i ons m:tgh t be wor de d in s u ch a way as t o
gather only certain informat ion .
Thu s , there i s a b ias
right from the beginning in j us t t he que s t ions t hat appear
on the s urvey f o rm or ques t i onnai re .
H owever , I b e l i eve the greates t area fo r mi s interpretat i o n and s ub j e c t ive as s umpt i ons l ies in analy z ing the
data gathered and in arriving at any c on c lus ions based on
t he data.
:f\1any as s umpt i o n s are made when the resear ch
analy s t t ries t o interpret o r arr i ve at c on c lu s i on s .
He
b ri ngs wi t h him pre c on ceive d i dea s , prej udi ces , int ui t i on ,
and j us t pur� gues swork .
There f o re , any c onc lus i on s o r
78
a s s umpt i ons that I have drawn on t he data gat hered for
th i s s tudy mus t refer t o my own frame o f referen ce-- t o
what i s s een a s "true " by me .
Readers o f thi s s t udy f.:> hould
feel free t o interpret the res ult s from t heir own frame s
o f reference .
The t hirty clergymen ' s wives res ponding t o t he
que s t i onnaire d i d no t appear t o be s o very di f ferent from
wives in general , regarding t heir vari e d intere s t s , hobble �
opini ons , relgious o r s exual outlo o k s , o r in their apira­
t i o ns for themselve s .
The area s where t hey do d i f fer from
w ive s in general are related t o t he s pe c i fi c problem s and
demand s that t hey experience in being clergymen ' s w ives .
The overal l impres s i on tha t I received in reading the
re s p on dent s 1
c o nunent s and j_ntabulat ing t heir ans wers t o
t h e q ue s t i on s , was t hey thi s i s a very de di cat e d , well­
educat e d , ni ce group of women , who have a variety of re ­
spons ibi l i t ies , int eres t s , talen t s , opini ons , and goal s .
They des erve greater rec ogni t i on , t hank s , appre c i at i on ,
and perhap s j us t a lit t le more TLC (tender lo ving c are ) ,
f or their s igni c iant c ontri but i o n s t o religious l i fe .
79
B I B L I O GRAPHY
V.L.
Bre re t o n . 11 I nvl s 1 b l e Women :
The o l o g i c a l E d u c at i o n . 8 :
F l e ck ,
J.
Ro l a n d ;
M c Th o ma s ,
W o rk e r s a n d W 1 ve s . 11
2 5 2 - 6 S um . 1 9 7 2 .
A l an R . ;
Niesen ,
L awre n c e
F. ,
a n d S humake r , D o n a l d G . " S e l f- C o n c e p t C hange i n
M i n i s t e r s a n d Mi s s i on a ri e s . 11 J o u r n a l o f P s y c ho l o gy
a n d The o l o gx�
Vo l . 1 ( 3 ) , 2 8 - 3 4-;J"uly 1 9 t3:_<
__ _
Rank in ,
S mi t h ,
The
Rob e r t
nia.
H . W.
P ar k s ,
Chi c o
11 Urb a n i z at i o n ,
S t at e
C o l l e ge ,
C hi c o ,
S e c u l ar i z at i o n a n d Ro l e s
of
the
P r o fe s s 1
· a n a l ' s vJi f e . 11 Reyi e�s:>__f_�
_B l i g_� o u f?_Be �.§_?lr cJ� ·
1 3 4' - 9 , Wint . 1 9 7 2 .
13 :
Mi n i s t e ri a l C a l l ing and t h e Min i s t e r ' s Wi fe .
P �_y_c h o l� .
1 9 6 0 , 1 1 , S ep t . 1 6 - 1 8 , 2 0- 2 2
The Mj"ni s t e r s
55416 .
Li fe
and
P amp h l e t
Mini s t e r s '
Temp l e ,
C a l i for­
Wive s
C a s ua l t y
Uni o n .
t i t l e d , · 11 D e s p i t e
Are
P . C . ""Vlj_ fe o f t h e
P as t o r a l C are .
26
O n l y Human . 11
S umme r
: 1 9 3- 6
Pa s t o r a l
. -----
Mi n n e ap o l i s ,
Ap p e ar an c e s ,
S t u d e n t . 11
S um . 1 9 7 2
.
Journal
of
-----
Minn.
-
APPENDI X
80
81
APPENDIX A
Date
Dea r
P re s e nt l y, I a m c onne ct e d w i th the C ounsel i ng and
Gui dance p ro gram at C a l i fornia S t at e Unive r s i t y , North­
I n c onj unc t i on wi t h t hi s p rogram and w i t h t he
ri dge .
Women ' s A s s o c i at i o n at t h e Univer s i t y , I am engage d in
c ounse l i n g wi t h p ro s p e c t ive and p r e s ent � J ve s of c lergy­
men .
In o r der t o h e lp me c ouns e l wi t h t he s e wom e n ab out
any prob lems that t h e y now have or with t he r o le s t hat
they exp e ct t o fu l fi l l in b e coming the wj fe o f a c le rgy ­
man , I feel that I c an t a lk w :L t h them from my own p e r s onal
experi enc e s a s I am a mini s t e r ' s daught e r .
Howeve r , it
wou l d be even mor e bene fi c i a l to t he s e women i f I c o u l d
gathe r s o me in f o rma t i o n f r o m women w h o a lready are c l e rgy ­
me n ' s w i ve s .
The r e fore , I would app r e c i at e i t i f you
c ou l d answer s ome que s t i on s on a p r ep ar e d ques t i onnai r e ,
wh i ch I c an mai l t o y o u .
There w i l l be app r o x imat ely 3 5 ques t i o n s , mo s t ly
o f the s h o rt - answ e r o r b ri e f op i ni o n t ype .
I t t akes
app r o xi mat e ly t en minut e s t o an s w e � t he que s t i onnaire .
There wi l l be en c l o s ed w i t h the que s t i o nnaire , a s t amp e d ,
sel f- addre s s e d env e l o p e s o that y o u can r e t urn t he que s ­
t i onnai r e .
Y o ur name i s not requir e d- - a l l an swe r s w i l l
remain anonymous .
A l s o , t h e r e s u lt s o f the que s t i onna i r e
w i l l b e mai l e d t o y o u as a thank y o u f o r y our c o op e r'at i on
and help .
I wi l l b e p honing y o u in a few day s t o s ee i f you
w o u l d be w i l l ing t o help by ans w e r ing t he s e que s t i ons .
Thank y ou v e ry mu ch for c on s i dering my reque s t .
Your dut i e s and e xperi e n c e as a c l e rgyman ' s w i fe c an p lay
a very imp o r t ant r o l e j_ n h e lp ing p re s ent an d fut ure
c le rgyme n's wive s to a gre at er unde r s t anding and app re ­
c i at i o n o f thei r s i gni fi c ant c ontribut i on t o rel i g�ous
life .
S in c erely y ours,
/
82
( Query Le t t er c on t i nue d)
Mrs . R i t a H . Mi tche l l
9 8 0 8 Amani t a Avenue
Tuj unga , C a l iforn i a
91042
Phone :
P . S.
2 4 9- 4 017
I f y o u do not hear from me wi thin a few day s , i t
m e ans I have h a d diff icult y re aching y o u by phone .
I f t h i s i s s o , I would appreciat e i t if y o u wo u l d
p hone me at t h e ab o ve numb er .
'l1hank y o u .
l � .-
.
83
APPENDIX B
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR CLERGYr·'IEN 1 S WIVE S
Thi s q ue s t i o nna i r e i s de s i gn e d t o obt ai n informat i on from
pre s en t wive s o f cle rgyme n .
R e s p o n s e s t o thi s que s t i on­
nair e will enable c ouns el o r s to as s i t fut ure and pre s ent
c le rgyme n ' s wive s in e valuat ing an d unde r s tanding t h e i r
fut ure and pre s ent r ole s a s a cle rgyman ' s wi f e .
The r e are n o r i ght o r wrong ans we r s .
Kindly ans w e r t he
que s t i o n s ac c o r di ng t o what y ou beli eve , not a c c o rding t o
what y o u t h i nk y o u s h o uld be liev e .
Ple a � o c i r cle y our
cho i c e in the YES N O que s t i o ns .
All ans v: e rs wfl-f remai n
anonymo us --no name s are r e qui r e d .
Pleas e r e t urn th e que s t i o nn aire within t h r e e day s i n t h e
Thank y ou .
s el f- a d dr e s s e d , s t ampe d enve lope pr ovi de d .
P r e limi nary Que s t i o ns
P r e s en t r eligi ous denominat i o n
Pre s e n t age
-----
Age you be came marr i e d t o pr e s ent husband
---
Years marri e d t o pre s ent hus band
------�---
How many children do y o u have by y o ur pre s en t marr:L B.ge ?
Numbe r o f children living at home w i t h y ou
Years o f forma 1 s ch o oling
-----
_____
_
_
_
I f y o u at t en de d c ollege , what was y o ur maj or?
Do y ou have a graduat e degre e ?
Ye s
was y our g r a duat e degr e e obtaine d ?
A r e y o u pre s e n t ly at t e nding s c ho o l?
No
------
In what areas
-------
Yes
No
I f y e s , what
level o f s ch o ol i ng are y o u t aking c our s e (s ) ?
(E xamp le:
-
@
84
Jr .
c o llege)
Subj ec t ( s )
---
_
__
__
__
__
----------------
What t ypes o f j ob s di d y o u hold pri or t o pre s en t
mar riage?
Do
y o u hol d a j ob out s i de the home at t he pre sent t ime ?
Yes
How
I f yes , what t y p e o f j ob ?
No
long have y o u hel d pre sent j ob ? �-------
--­
Religi o u s affi l i at i on pri o r t o pres ent , i f any
Does pres ent chur c h prov i de par s onage o r res i den ce whi c h
req ui r e s y o u t o pay ren t ?
Yes
No
Do e s p re sent churc h provide par s onage r e n t free ?
Yes
How
No
many chur ches has y o ur hus b an d s erve d s i n c e he became
a clergyman?
l.
Li s t t h ree re c reat i o nal a c t ivi t ies that y o u presen t ly
engage i n :
bow ling )
2.
----
(examples :
camp i ng , at tending c o n cert s ,
____
What i s y o ur hobby o r interes t s ?
------
3.
---
What i s y o ur fav o r i t e reading mater i al ?
(examples :
85
( Ques t i o n # 3 c o n t i nued)
news papers ;
4.
bi ographies )
nove l s ;
----- --·-----
What t y pes o f movies and t elevi s i on s h o w s do y ou like
bes t ?
L i s t three t ypes
(e . g . : romant i c , h i s t ori cal ,
war) or t hree s pec i fi c movies or televi s io n s hows
-----------�---·----
5.
D o you dan c e ?
Yes
6.
Do
7.
Yes
No
y ou drive?
way s ?
No
Dri nk alcohol i c beverages ?
Smoke c i garet tes?
No
car ds ?
Yes
Yes
At t en d movies ?
Yes
No
No
P lay
Yes
No ?
Do you dri ve o n t he free-
Yes . No
Are y our c lo s e fri e nd s found in y our present chur ch?
Yes
No
If n o t , i n what s o c i al organ i zat i o n s o r
out s i de fields are c l o s e fri ends found ?
·-------------------------
8.
What i s t he invent i on t hat y ou feel i s the mo s t
i mport ant j_ n y our l i fe right n ov1 ?
9.
_________ _________
Have y ou and pre s ent hus band ever t aken a plea s ure
va c a t i o n without y our chi ldre n ?
Yes
No
How many
t ime s dur i ng y our marriage have y ou t aken such a
vacat i o n?
10 .
What would y ou mo s t like t o do i f you were unmarri ed
wit h no c h i ldren?
----·--··---------------------
-----------------
86
11 .
Was home life when you were grow ing up , c haracteri zed
by rel i gi o u s training such as S unday s cho o l , c hurc h
attendance?
12 .
Yes
No
I f y our � resent hus band w a s not a c le rgyman when you
met him , di d y ou know he intended t o be a c lergyman?
No
Yes
13 .
Do y ou believe in the literal int erp ret at io n o f the
B ible?
14 .
Yes
No
How many o f your hour s , app roximately , eac h week are
devot ed t o c hur ch a c t i vi t i e s ?
L i st these
a ct i vit ies:
---
15 .
--------·----------
Do e s y our husband s p end t im e c ouns e l i ng emot i o nally
t ro ub l e d p a r i s honers ?
Ye s
App r o ximately how
No
many :h our s a week does he s p end i n c ounse l i ng?
_____
Do y ou think these coun s e l i ng s e s s i on s t ake up t o o
much o f y our hus band's t ime?
16 .
Yes o r Neit her
Yes
Yes
Do y ou fee l y ou are more rel igi ous now t han p r i o r t o
y our p re sent marriage ?
18 .
No
Do y o u fee l that mankind i s e s s e nt i a lly go o d?
o r Evi l
17 .
Yes
Ye s
No
Do y o u feel y o u are a good c lergyman's wi fe?
Yes
No
S omet ime s
D o y ou feel y o u are a goo d mothe r ?
Ye s
No
Somet imes
Do y ou think c lergymen's c h i l dren have more p r oblems
8 '7
( Ques t i on # 1 8 cont inued)
than non-clergymen's chi l dren?
Yes
No
I f ye s ,
s t ate why .
19 .
D o y o u feel y our hus b an d i s underp a id?
Yes
No
S omet i me s
20 .
Would y o u pre fer that y our pre s ent hus b and was not
a clergyman?
21 .
Wha t
Yes
No
p r ob lems h av e y ou found s i nce you have b ecome a
c l e rgyman ' s wi fe?
(examp le :
Have f ound di fficu lty
c ommunicat i ng v'l'i t h church congregat i on ab out p ar s on­
age or res i de nce s upp lied by church)
------·-
22 .
Do
Yes
23.
y o u f e e l y o u need more p r ivacy i n your l i fe?
No
Have y o u eve r had a maj or op erat ion during y our
pre sent marri age?
Yes
No
I f yes , what t yp e ? _
Have y o u ever ha d a maj or operat i on pri or t o pre sent
marri age?
Yes
No
----------------·
If yes , what t y p e ?
---
88
24 .
Have y ou ever experien ced t he inability t o s leep where
i t int e r fered with y our day - t o -day life?
I f yes, approximate year this o c curred?
25 .
Yes
No
___
Have y ou ever been depre s s ed f o r l o ng perio d s o f time?
Yes
If yes, approximately how l ong did this
No
depre s s i o n last, and during what year ( s ) did the
depre s s io n occur?
26 .
D o y ou believe in sex e duc ation in t he s ch o o l s ?
Yes
27 .
No
Do y ou fee l pro s titut i o n s ho u l d be legalized?
Yes
No
Yes
G amb ling?
28 .
No
D o y o u favo r t he S upreme C ourt ' s de cision o n abo rt io n?
Yes
2 9.
__
____
No
D o y o u b e lieve there s h ould be s t ri c t cen s or s hip l aw s
regarding pornographic movie s and pornographic
l it er at ure?
Yes
Movies i n general?
No
30 .
Do y o u be lieve i n bi rth c ont r o l?
31 .
D o y o u be lieve c ri min a l s s h o ul d be given harsher
pw1 i s hment s ?
32 .
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
D o y o u be lieve c on sent i ng a dult s should be a l lowed t o
engage i n any type o f sexual a c t ivit y i n private?
Yes
33.
No
D o y ou be lieve i n t h e pre s en t Women ' s Liberation
movemen t ?
Yes,
No
S omet ime s
/
,.
34 .
A dd i t i o na l c omment s :
(may be c ont inued o n t he back
p
s heet )
Thank y o u very much f or y our c o operat i on.
The result s o f
thi s que s t i onnaire wi l l be ma i le d t o y ou i n a few months.
!
i
/.
•
90
APPENDIX C
Dat e
"I�
Dear C l e rgyme n ' s Wive s ,
E n c l o s e d i s y ou r c op y o f t h e s urvey o f C lergymen ' s
Wi ve s in whi c h y o u s o gra c i o us ly p a rt i c ip at e d .
S in c e
t h e q ue s t i onnai r e s w e r e ano nymous � I h a v e mai l e d the r e ­
s u l t s t o a l l o f y o u th a t I t alke d w i t h w h o agre e d t o p ar­
t i c i p at e , e ve n th o ugh s ome of you did not r e t urn the
q ue s t i o nnai r e , or d i d not r e tu rn i t i n t ime to have y o ur
an swe r s i n c l ud e d i n the r e s ult s .
In t ab l ul a t ing the r e s ult s o f th <;; que s t i onnai re ,
I gath e re d a gre a t e r app re c i at io n f o r y o u a l l .
Y o ur
t al ent s and c on t r i b u t i ons t owards the re li gi o u s l i fe o f
o ur count ry i s n o t unap p re c i at e d , e ven i f y o u don ' t o f t en
he ar , " t hank y o u . 11
One o f y o u s t at e d t hat the q ue s t ionnaire t o o k
l onge r t o fi l l o ut t h an t e n mi nut e s .
I f y o u f o und t hat
y o u t o o k lon g e r t h an t e n or fi ft e e n minut e s to c omp l e t e
the que s t i onnai r e , t h e n I do ap o lo gi z e .
H6we ve r , y o ur
th o ugh ful r e s p on s e s in d i c at e d t h at y o u w e r e c on c erne d
e nough t o t ak e a d di t i onal t ime .
Thank y o u a gai n f o r y o ur c ons i de rab l e h e lp by
p ar t i ci pat ing i n t h i s s urvey .
The informa t i o n gat hered
c ould be h e l p fu l t o o th e r c l e rgymen ' s wive s , and a s
ripp l e s in a p o n d , the he lp c o ul d b e far-re achi ng .
I wi sh y o u a l l the b e s t i n y our future endeavors .
What a fine gro up o f women y o u mus t b e .
S in c e r e ly y ours , .
Mrs . Ri t a H . Mi t c he l l
9 8 0 8 Amani t a Avenue
Tuj unga , C a l i forn i a
9 1 0 LI 2
Enc l o s ur e
••