Daniel Woods

The Role of Female Seminaries on the Road to Social Justice for Women

History & Biography

“Students of American history interested in discerning connections between religion, education, and gender would be wise to read Kristen Welch and Abraham Ruelas's new book, The Role of Female Seminaries on the Road to Social Justice for Women. The research is careful, the writing clear, and the interpretation creative. Religious motivations take center stage as the very education intended to limit women's realm of influence to the home actually had the unintended effect of empowering many as teachers and social reformers. In telling this engaging story, Welch and Ruelas demonstrate that spiritual ideas often take on lives of their own, engendering expectancy and the unexpected as often as complacency and the compliant.”