This Week in Texas Methodist History April 12

Mission Home Flooded with Adoption Requests, Closes Application Process, April 1944

While examining old newspapers for subjects of this weekly blog, one sometimes discovers accounts that contradiction conventional wisdom.  Such was the case for this week’s blog.

“Conventional wisdom” tells us that Americans delayed starting families during World War II.  With so many lives disrupted by military service marriage and family plans were put on hold.  Vital statistic records corroborate this wisdom.  The Baby Boom is an indisputable part of our demographic history.  Conventional wisdom also tells us that in the swirl of mass transport of young people around the nation during World War II, there were many casual sexual liaisons which resulted in unplanned pregnancies. 

I was therefore surprised when I read the April 1944 report of the Texas Methodist Mission Home in San Antonio.  Superintendent Dennis Macune reported that in the first quarter of 1944 the Home had been so overwhelmed with applications for adoption that it had to close the application process until May 1, 1944.    There were far more potential adoptive parents than there were babies to be adopted.  Macune reported that for the January-March quarter, fifteen women had been admitted to the Home.  Nine babies had been born, and all nine had been adopted. 

The Texas Methodist Mission Home (today’s Providence Place) is one of the most famous and inspiriting stories in Texas Methodist history.   Readers of this blog probably already know the origin story.  Madam Volino who ran one of the most famous brothels in San Antonio, heard a street preacher in September 1895.  The preaching moved her to contact a woman whom she knew attended Travis Park Methodist Church.  The woman arranged fro Rev. W. W. Pinson to visit Mrs. Volino at the brothel (prudently taking his wife with him).  That visit led Mrs. Volino to a revival at Travis Park where she gave her life to Christ and resolved to turn her brothel into a rescue home.

With the help of volunteers from Travis Park, God blessed Mrs. Volino’s efforts.  Eventually the annual conferences in Texas became involved in the Home and the institution became one of the leading homes for women with unplanned pregnancies and adoption agency.   There are literally hundreds of Texas still living who are grateful Home alumni. 

Changing social mores reduced the name demand for such institutions, but the Home adapted to changing conditions and today provides a variety of services that bring healing and hope not just to young women, but to many other persons.