| As
late as the mid-1970s, the American Society
of Church History was still an "old boy's
club." Although its members were rarely
overtly discriminatory toward female scholars,
the society was not a friendly environment
for women. Women who came to meetings often
felt very much alone. It was so difficult
to locate other women that many women came
once and never came back.
At the ASCH meeting in San Francisco in
December 1983, the society recognized the
scholarly work of Jane Dempsey Douglass
by nominating her to become the first female
president-elect of ASCH. One of her first
actions was to convene an informal meeting
of women members of the association. Only
two women responded to this call (Barbara
Brown Zikmund and Jan Shipps). However,
it was a beginning.
The three women proposed holding breakfast
meetings for women, which soon thereafter
adopted the name Women in Theology and Church
History (WITCH). These breakfasts have changed
the experience of female scholars of church
history by providing regular opportunities
for women scholars to meet other women.
WITCH breakfast gatherings are always held
on the morning of the first full day of
the meeting. This timetable is followed
for two reasons: First, it gives women a
chance to meet each other early in any meeting,
allowing time for informal follow up conversations,
collaboration and gatherings. Second, it
does not conflict with other regular events
for women hosted by the American Historical
Association.
The women’s breakfast is informal
and inexpensive. Typically it is a continental
breakfast that does not require reservations
-- this is intentional. Graduate students
are encouraged to come and pay what they
can. Regular members contribute a bit more
to cover expenses. The Association itself
partially subsidizes the event.
There is no formal program. Instead, after
everyone is served and one on one conversations
are underway, someone calls the gathering
to order. For the rest of the time we go
around the room. Each woman stands up and
introduces herself -- sharing basic information
about where she is living, what she is doing,
and her fields of scholarship. She may ask
for help on her dissertation; she may show
a recently published book; she may share
her sabbatical plans. At the same time a
clipboard is circulated and each woman signs
her name and email address. After the meeting
someone takes responsibility to email all
email addresses to everyone who attended.
Over the years this simple networking event
has been very successful. Women find each
other and do things together. They report
back on shared research projects. They develop
panels for future ASCH programs. If they
are graduate students they explain their
research and senior scholars offer tips
and encouragement. Everyone celebrates when
someone "finishes" a degree, a
book, a research project, etc.
There are no business meetings, no officers,
no membership requirements for WITCH. Sometimes
a particular breakfast gathering may have
a concern and designate someone to carry
the concern to the ASCH staff, officers
or the Council. But most of the time WITCH
simply invites women to come to breakfast
and meet other women. That's it, and that
makes a difference.
| 
