The Girls' Friendly Society, (GFS), was first mentioned in the 1916 Vestry meeting minutes of the Church of the Epiphany. Membership included girls and young women from the ages of 5-21, and older women who served as mentors. Originally founded in 1846 in London, England, and sanctioned by the Episcopal Protestant Church, the Society was one of service and personal development. By 1921, the GFS had become an active service organization at the "Friendly Church on Broad Street," as St. James Church was known, with memberships exceeding 50 girls and 6 older women. Miss Loeda Rule was the Chapter's first advisor.
The GFS "worked very hard" in 1925 to raise $1000 for the construction of our church building. At the time, our parish was meeting at the Haynes House located south of our current church building and was used for may GFS socials and societal instruction. During September of that year, over $100 was raised by selling "bricks" which were hard candies. As stated by Mrs. Snapp, then Chapter Advisor: "During Lent, each girl tried to earn as much as she could by self-denials, and our offering was $21.50. Within 5 years, the GFS had fulfilled their building fund pledge.
The Society was also known to have participated in many fund raising events for not only the building fund, but community service projects. These included rummage and candy sales, a vaudeville show that was very well received, rain and sunshine bags, and bread and lampshade sales. I am not quite sure what the latter two were about, but they seemed to be very successful. Noted in one of the 1925 GFS minutes, Mrs. Hopper was the Society's champion, and sold more Ready Jells (hard candies} than anyone else in the parish!
In 1928, the Society was active in supporting Rev. Hopper's visitations to local hospitals and convalescing homes, with particular emphasis on helping convalescing nurses. The girls also attend several refrigerator and home demonstrations sponsored by the University of Tennessee Agriculture County Extension Program.
1930 brought about continued growth and a somewhat different direction. Rather than focusing exclusively on "lady-like deportment, class betterment and job etiquette" greater emphasis was placed on the development of the whole person through worship, theological study, prayers and social events. 1931 brought many challenges due to the banking industry collapse and reduced membership pledges. As reflected in the Vestry minutes of that year, "$12.50 was returned to the Society accounts due to bank failure." Last mention of the Society at St. James was ca. 1931, when its membership became part of the Young People's Service League.
