During the pastorage of Rev. C. F. Obermeyer, the first pastor of the Lutheran Church in Farmington, the St. Paul's Lutheran School was first started in Farmington. First classes were held in a house rented from M. P. Cayce. As the enrollment grew it became necessary to conduct the classes in the church building and in 1885 a school house was erected during the pastorate of Rev. Toenjes. Within the year the enrollment outgrew this building and it was necessary to add a second building in 1886.
For the first 30 years of its existence all the teaching was done by the pastors of the church, and in 1909 the first teacher was hired--Walter Boesehecker, who served two years. In 1911 H. E. Koschmann was employed to handle the instruction of students and he remained until 1920, at which time he was replaced by W. E. Keisker, who is now the pastor of the Lutheran Church in Flat River. Rev. Keisker served as instructor of St. Paul's for one year to be followed by J. Arthur Koss and later by M. W. Mueller, who is now principal and who has served in that capacity since 1922.
Since 1915 it has been necessary to employ two teachers. Miss Marie Thomsen served as the additional teacher for the first four years, to be followed by Miss Johanna Trauernicht, who taught primary grades from 1919 to 1928. Miss Trauernicht was replaced by Mrs. Paul Brockmiller, who served until 1937, and at that time A. Meyermann was employed to teach the primary grades.
Prof. Mueller and Mr. Meyermann comprise the present teaching staff.
The school trains pupils in the first eight grades and follows the regular course of studies, followed by public schools for those grades and is fully accredited. It is entirely supported by church contributions and costs about $4,000 per year to maintain. All text books are furnished to the children free of charge and 180 days work is accomplished each year. The school has never found it necessary to curtail the term period and relieves the taxpayers of St. Francois County and Farmington of a load they would otherwise have to bear. Present enrollment of the school is placed at 71, nine of whom graduated from the school this year. It is estimated that there have been 325 pupils graduated from the eighth grade since the school's inception.
Members of the present school board are: A. Meyermann, Wm. Schaefer, Geo. Detring, Frank Kollmeyer, Rev. E. C. Pardieck, chairman, and Professor Mueller, secretary.
Professor Mueller attended Concordia Colleges at Fort Wayne, Ind., River Forest, Ill., and also St. Louis Seminary. He previously taught at Cabot, Pa.
Mr. Meyermann was trained at Concordia College at River Forest, Ill., and previously taught at St. John's Lutheran School at Evanston, Ind.
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