The History of Marriage Preparation

The History of Marriage Preparation
Marriage preparation began with a few college classes and with clergy and community counseling prior to World War II, with courses in marriage and family preparation now provided at most colleges and in many secondary schools. The first such college course, titled “Preparation for Marriage and Family Living,” was offered at Boston University in 1924 by Ernest R. Groves. A similar course was offered at Teachers College, Columbia University, in 1929 (Stahmann & Hiebert, 1987). A subsequent text by Groves (1937) provides insight into content of early marriage preparation. Most of the book deals with health and heredity issues, particularly the
physical examination. The final brief chapter covers all the following topics: the wedding, finances, religious understanding, legal qualifications for marriage, and the value of preparation. Most of this final chapter relates to financial matters, including dual careers, budgeting, insurance, credit, saving, installment buying, and debts.

According to Stahmann and Hiebert (1997), early writers saw premarital counseling mainly as an educational and informational service. However, among many clergy there also was a counseling perspective, and they often used a psychoanalytic model that focused on personality development of the individuals. For example, J. K. Morris (1960) suggested that premarital counseling should include at least eight sessions, an initial interview with the couple together, at least three personal interviews with each partner, and a final meeting with the couple together. He posited that couples coming for premarital counseling fall into four groups: (1) emotionally mature couples, (2) the mismatched, (3) the physically sick or handicapped, and (4) the neurotic or psychotic. Clergy were encouraged to refer difficult cases such as psychoses to professional counselors.

Four decades ago Rutledge (1966) perceived a broad “awakening to the tremendous need and challenge of preparation for marriage” (1966, p. xiii) among family life educators, ministers, marriage counselors, and others. He also predicted that divorce laws would be loosened and marriage laws tightened, perhaps even requiring premarital counseling. Although Rutledge’s vision for marriage preparation has not yet reached the level he anticipated, over the past several decades a number of significant events have helped to elevate the process to increased status. In 1976, the Roman Catholic Marriage Encounter Program, which began in Spain in 1962, reached the United States. Subsequently, several Jewish and Protestant versions of the program were developed. David and Vera Mace, who began retreats for Quakers in 1972, have been credited with bringing marriage preparation and enrichment to prominence. Mace challenged marriage counselors to focus their energies on marriage preparation and enrichment instead of maintaining a remedial orientation (Stahmann & Hiebert, 1997). The Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment (ACME), which the Maces founded in 1973, continues their work today, and many other organizations and affiliations have begun over the past few decades.