Founding Women of CSU: Miss Elizabeth Fletcher

Published March 7, 2017

From the earliest days of Clarks Summit University, women have played an instrumental role in leadership and education. At Practical Bible Training School at Bible School Park, God placed it on the hearts of Hazel Vibbard, Elizabeth Fletcher and Mabel Thomson to join three men and begin a Bible institute at the First Baptist Church in Johnson City, New York.

These women would become the first three full-time faculty members of Baptist Bible Seminary. Because Vibbard, Fletcher and Thomson followed God’s leading, more than 13,000 people have received Biblical education at the school, preparing them to serve God around the world.

Miss Fletcher

Elizabeth Fletcher, born on March 21, 1886, grew up in Granton, New York, and gained a love of nature through her father, who took her on hikes through the woods near their home. After high school, she attended New York State Teacher Training College in Walton, New York. Fletcher taught in public schools from 1904-1917.

After recognizing her desire for greater Biblical knowledge, Fletcher began her education at the Practical Bible Training School in 1917. She joined the full-time faculty of the training school after graduation and taught missions, English Bible, English literature and Christian education. Fletcher always challenged her students to consider missionary service as their lifelong pursuit. She also supervised student housing, employment, service and work assignments around the school, and she gave Bible readings and teachings in various churches in the community.

She joined the full-time faculty of Baptist Bible Seminary in 1932 with Hazel Vibbard and Mabel Thomson. The three women shared a small home in order to reduce expenses. Fletcher was known as a fervent and devoted Christian who possessed a motherly spirit, despite never having children of her own. She especially had a passion for missions, and she continued to teach a missions class at the seminary after her retirement in 1956.

By Heather Sagnor, senior in the Communications-Writing program

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