St. Joseph School History
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St. Joseph Parish and
School have been closely tied to the history and development of Cottleville.
Cottleville, founded in 1839 by Alonzo Cottle, was located on Boone's Lick
Trail. In covered wagon days, it was a small but thriving community. The first
attempt, in the Civil War era, to establish a parish in Cottleville ended in
failure. In 1873, people again |
organized and built a
combination church and rectory. For awhile it flourished, but after some time
it declined until it became a mission of Dardenne, and for two years ceased to
exist altogether. With the coming of Father Hundhauson, the parish was revived.
Succeeding pastors were able to erect a brick church in 1914 and a new rectory
in 1926. Yet, the Cottleville Parish did not grow. The report for 1931
disclosed that 38 families comprised the congregation, only 3 more than in
1864.
Upon his appointment as a pastor in 1932, the Rev. William Pezold
noted a sentiment among the parishioners in favor of a school. Understanding
that the future of his parish depended upon a school, Fr. Pezold converted the
combination church and rectory, built in 1873 into a school and convent. In
September of 1932, classes were begun under the direction of the Precious Blood
Sisters of O'Fallon with 38 pupils in attendance.
Through the
encouragement and financial support of the Catholic Rural Life Conference of
St. Louis, the erection of a "brick school" building took place in 1938. In the
late 1950s as the Catholic population increased, the Archdiocese gave its
permission to erect a new church, with the cornerstone being laid on October
19, 1961. Once again, the population of the parish grew, and the parishioners
felt the need for an addition to the school. In November of 1970, building was
begun on what is now called the west wing. In 1989, construction was completed
on the school addition and Griesedieck Center. In 1991, the school offices and
a faculty meeting room were completed. All this construction was accomplished
without the need of a capitol development campaign because of the generosity of
the parishioners. And the parish continued growing. Construction of a south
wing with 15 classrooms, new cafeteria complex, and latchkey area was completed
in 2003. Additionally, a large library was created out of the former cafeteria
area, and plans for more renovations will provide more room for student
services, encore classes, a small auditorium, and a faculty room.
As it
began in 1938 with the erection of the "brick school", St. Joseph School
continues today, providing a quality Catholic education for all who enroll. St.
Joseph School has been nationally recognized as a "school of excellence" by the
U.S. Department of Education and the practice of continuous improvement has
enabled its students' standardized tests to place it in the top 10 percent of
all schools nationally. St. Joseph Parish and its school exist because of so
many people who have given of their time, talent, and financial support since
those early days of struggle. From a parish consisting of 35 families in 1864
to a parish of over 4800 families, St. Joseph Parish continues to serve the
people of this community.
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