The St. Matthew window is located along the east side of the Nave at St. Mark’s.
This window was given in memory of Jane Gertrude Ricker.
The St. Matthew’s window was designed by Cummings Studio, San Francisco and cost $1,046. Is is 28” x 92”.
The story of the St. Matthew’s window is the story of two sisters – the remarkable woman who it was given in memory of, and the remarkable sister who gave it.
Jane and Christine Ricker were the only two surviving children of Clinton and Lizzie Dickson Ricker. The Ricker family lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts where Clinton worked as an accountant. The sisters grew up in an all woman household – in addition to their mother Lizzie, their paternal grandmother, Sarah lived with them. Clinton was an only child whose father died when he was a young boy – he had always lived with his mother and he always did! The family lived together until mother and grandmother, Lizzie and Sarah, died in 1912 and 1913 respectively (US Census)
Both Jane and Christine were highly educated, life-long career women. It was unusual for the time, but there was the strong influence of the Progressive movement, the drive for Women’s suffrage, and the work of Jane Addams which inspired many women to pursue education and a life of service. For many this also meant choosing career over family. Whether by choice or by circumstance, neither sister ever married. Both chose lives of adventure and work and service to others!
Jane graduated from Radcliffe College in 1906 and became a French teacher, first at local high schools, and then eventually joining the faculty of Brookline secondary school from 1925 until 1947. Throughout her life she traveled widely, almost annually, to Europe aboard beautiful ships like the Queen Mary. Christine said she “spoke French like a native.” (The Boston Globe)
Christine graduated from Simmons College in Boston, Mass in 1917 with a degree in Institutional Administration. She was a standout on the school basketball team! She tried to go overseas to serve in Europe during WWI, but was too young to be accepted. She worked for serveral years and then tried again and this time succeeded (Stanford Oral History Project).
First, she ran the American Women’s Overseas Club in Paris, a club that catered to women serving overseas. Just before the Armistice, she moved to Coblenz, Germany to run the Hotel Monopol. Coblenz was the center of the American occupation force during World War I, and many GI’s were stationed there. In 1921, Christine applied for a passport indicating plans to travel to Great Britain, Belgium, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Serbia, Japan and China. It was while working in Germany that Christine met Helen Vincent, a YMCA worker, who became her life-long companion. In 1922, Christine and Helen returned to the United States – Christine to Cambridge and Helen to Iowa. Helen bought a Model T Ford and convinced Christine they should head west. Christine got a job working for Stanford running the Union dining hall, and the pair drove west to Palo Alto. Christine eventually ran the dining hall at the Union, as well as 40 other Stanford dining rooms (Stanford Oral History Project) Christine spoke widely on important issues for women. For example, at the Stanford Mothers’ Club in 1939 she gave a talk about “Hygiene for Women.” She taught courses such as “Women in the Home,” and “Family Life.” She worked at Stanford from 1922 until her retirement in 1958 (San Francisco Examiner)
In 1948, Jane Ricker retired from Brookline and moved to California to live with Christine and Helen in their little cottage at 615 Mayfield Lane.
Although baptized in the Methodist Church, the sisters became Episcopalians. Jane was very active in church leadership and outreach causes. She was especially passionate about the United Thank Offering, running UTO campaigns at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Boston and later in California. In 1950 she worked with a group that was trying to translate “Christian church efforts into practical aid for displaced person and migrant workers.” (The Times) She was a 1955 delegate to the “Triennial Meeting of the Women of the Episcopal Church in Honolulu,” and also a member of the Ecumenical Committee of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Episcopal Church. Jane traveled throughout the Diocese to speak about “the history and purpose of the United Thank Offering.” (Daily Independent Journal)
In 1957, Jane was in a car accident and never recovered. Six months later she passed away. Christine retired a year after Jane’s death (1958) and she and Helen celebrated with a trip to Europe. She remained active in both church and university activiites. Anne Vosti remembers meeting her at a Women’s Faculty Club meeting when she first came to Stanford as a young faculty wife around 1960. Christine lived until 1986. Both sisters are buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts (The Boston Globe).
