St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church of Howard's Grove: 112 Years to Build a Christian Day School

Abstract

Mark Bitter’s essay traces the long and complex journey of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Howards Grove, Wisconsin, toward establishing a full-time Christian Day School—an effort that took 112 years from the congregation’s founding in 1862. Drawing from congregational minutes, anniversary booklets, and interviews, Bitter explores the social, economic, and theological factors that delayed the school’s formation. Early Christian education was limited to catechism instruction and summer school, with Sunday School only beginning in 1931. Attempts to collaborate with neighboring LCMS congregations failed, and resistance to a day school persisted for decades. The turning point came in the early 1970s, following community changes and personal hardships among key opponents. In 1974, the congregation voted to open the school, which began with 22 students and quickly grew. Bitter highlights the perseverance of school advocates and the congregation’s eventual joy in fulfilling its mission to provide Christian education. Abstract generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).