64 / 150
and the community at large.”
5
In 1949,
Bishop Ivan Lee Holt; Dr. B.L. Schubel;
Mrs. Walter J. Lee, president of the
board of Kingdom House; and the Social
Planning Council agreed on a plan of
study whereby the Methodist church and
Kingdom House would select a person
and the Social Planning Council would
select a person to work independently
and study the administrative practices
of the agency. The church selected Dr.
Murray Leiffer, Director of Research
for the Garrett Bible Institute, Chicago,
Illinois. The Social Planning Council
selected Mr. Edward Pape, Director of
John Munhall Neighborhood House,
Munhall, Pennsylvania. Among their
many recommendations, both men
agreed that the Board of Directors
should be completely reorganized.
The Executive Committee of the
Group Work and Recreation Division of
the Social Planning Council reviewed
Pape and Leiffer’s recommendations and
approved them in principle. Kingdom
House was subsequently encouraged to
employ a new executive director and
proceed in carrying through the other
recommendations, which they did.
6
Mrs. Mildred Lee, President of the
Women’s Board of Kingdom House,
reported in June, 1951:
...1 – Mr. Edward Hudson, former
director of Dennison House, Boston, Mass.,
was employed as executive director of
Kingdom House January, 1950, but took
up his duties at Kingdom House April 20,
1950. Prior to his coming a summary of the
Leiffer-Pape reports was sent to Mr. Hudson
and the full reports were put at his disposal
later. Mrs. Lee’s report indicates ‘it was
agreed that the reorganization of the board
of directors was the immediate and urgent
need, following which a solution might be
found to the other recommendations.’
...2 – The Fire Marshal ordered the
former Boys’ building closed because of
inadequate safety measures. In January
1950, it was agreed by the Mission Board to
renovate the Boys’ building and to install a
sprinkler system in both buildings. However,
in March 1950 a fire occurred which
practically gutted the inside of the Boys’
building. With the help of insurance from
the fire and money from the Mission Board,
this building was rebuilt and was available
for use in December, 1950. By rebuilding
the Boys’ building the question of whether
the agency should move to another location
was temporarily resolved because the City
Plan Commission and the St. Louis Housing
Authority felt that the area would remain
about the same for the next five years.
7
Within Methodism, this restructuring
was newsworthy. The journal World
Outlook reported “...All through
the years the Women’s Board of the
settlement house has been responsible
[for managing Kingdom House]. But
last November the Board and Church
Extension Society, together with
other interested friends, organized a
new Board of Directors. It includes
representatives of other Methodist
organizations and the community.”
8
Edward Hudson was welcomed to
St. Louis at the Kingdom House annual
dinner with the following words:
...Ten years ago—1943[,] the budget
of Kingdom House was $13,550 – this
year[,] 1953 it is $52,569.00 – almost
four times as much – this is indicative of
the increase in numbers and activities
of K[ingdom]H[ouse]. We have long felt
the need of an Executive Director – much
of the responsibilities of administration
has fallen upon the President and her
Executive Committee –...We are confident
that K[ingdom] H[ouse] will go forward
under his leadership. At the annual meeting
of the of the Dennison House Board which
came just after Mr. Hudson had resigned—
the board voted to make him an Honorary
Director for life – the third person to be
made an Honorary Director in the 58
year history of Dennison House – a very
distinctive tribute to the service he had
rendered at Dennison House. Mr. Hudson
brings with him his wife and two lovely
children. Mrs. Hudson is a native of St.
Louis...please stand so we may welcome you
–
9
At the regular meeting of the
Women’s Board in the spring of 1953,
Hudson reported that Kingdom House
had been accepted in the National
Federation of Social Settlement
Associations. In addition, he informed
the Board that the Reverend John
Wesley White from Texas was to
arrive in September to become part
time pastor of Kingdom House Church
and assist in boys’ work.
10
White too
had a background in settlement house
operation.
Despite Hudson’s credentials and
warm welcome, he was only to serve
three and a half years. In a confidential
letter of October 1953 to George Achuff,
President of Kingdom House Board of
Directors, Hudson relates difficulties
between the new minister, members
61
C
hapter
T
hree
:
‘S
uffer
the
C
hildren
…’ (1956 – 1977)
“A
pparently
,
he has
been
spending his
time
on
things other
than
those
for which was
hired
.”