The Diocese of West Texas Shares Bond with St. Philip’s College
Clergy, delegates and guests had the privilege of hearing Dr. Adena Williams Loston, President of St. Philip’s College in San Antonio, during Diocesan Council 2025. Providing an overview of the rich history of St. Philip’s, Dr. Loston discussed the bond that remains between the Diocese of West Texas and the College beginning in 1898 when Bishop James Steptoe Johnston, the second bishop of West Texas, founded St. Philip’s Normal and Industrial School. Steptoe, Confederate veteran, wished to see greater equality between whites, blacks, and Mexican-Americans. The school was designed to educate and train recently emancipated slaves. Opening March 1, 1898, the school started as a weekend sewing class for six black girls, taught by Miss Alice G. Cowan, a missionary with the Episcopal Church.
