Chicago Training School Records

The Chicago Training School, whose full name is Chicago Training School for City, Home, and Foreign Missions, was established in 1885 under the leadership of the Methodist lay woman, Lucy Rider Meyer, and her husband, Josiah Shelley Meyer. The purpose of the school was to educate Christian lay women as leaders and social service agents in ministry by serving the needs of the city. The school produced more than 5,000 graduates, who became leaders in a variety of fields such as education, health, mission, and social service. Upon the retirement of the school?s first principal, Lucy Rider Meyer, Louise Lesemann became the second principle in 1917. The school merged with Garrett Biblical Institute (a predecessor of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary) in 1934.

While the Chicago Training School Archives has very diverse and extensive materials, only 55 items have been selected, based on the historical value and research needs, to be digitized and included in this digital collection.