St. Vincent's builds a new school

Last week in this blog, we recalled the demolition of the St. Vincent's Parochial School, located south of Old St. Vincent's Catholic Church at the corner of Spanish and William streets.

The school was built in 1877 as a boys school. St. Vincent's Young Ladies Academy at Spanish and Good Hope streets educated both local girls and girls sent here from distance, boarding them. But after the latter school shuttered its doors in 1923, the boys school became co-ed.

By 1948, St. Vincent's Parochial School had been in operation at the same location for 71 years. Enrollment had grown to 105 pupils. That year, parishioners thought it might be time for an expansion.

An article published on Jan. 31, 1948, in The Southeast Missourian explained the building campaign to the public.

TWO-STORY ADDITION TO PAROCHIAL SCHOOL PLANNED FOR ST. VINCENT'S

Although actual construction is being delayed pending some stability in costs and availability of materials, plans have been completed for the erection of an addition to St. Vincent's Parochial School, says (the) Rev. T.J. Murphy, C.M., who directs activities of the institution.

Last year, when the design for the new addition was still in the planning stage, (the) Rev. Murphy said it was hoped to keep the costs to around $20,000, but with the economic trend still leaning strongly toward rising prices there is no telling what such a building would cost now.

The proposed two-story addition, to be of red brick, will be erected on the west side of the present school building, forming a "T" with the present structure. The main entrance, of recessed type, will be trimmed in Bedford stone. Size of the addition will be 75 by 22 feet.

A completely equipped cafeteria, to be serviced from a modern kitchen, with a capacity for serving 85 to 100 meals daily will be in the basement along with a larger room for meetings of the various church and school organizations.

Parish offices will occupy one end of the first floor, the other wing to be given over to a large classroom. On the second floor will be two large modern classrooms, and when put to use they will relieve crowded conditions in the present school. A stairwell to connect the new addition to the present building will be located in the south wing corner of the "T" arrangement.

To Move Kindergarten.

When the building program is completed, the school's kindergarten now conducted at 221 Merriwether St., will be moved over to the present school building. In connection with this shift, a separate playground for the little tots will be constructed on the north side of adjoining St. Vincent's Church. The playground now for school pupils is to the south of the school building.

The front of the proposed addition will practically coincide with the Spanish Street sidewalk and will extend south nearly to the end of the school property on William Street. The arrangements of the entire school edifice will allow for future expansion, (the) Rev. Murphy noted, in that the next addition can be placed along the south side of the present school.

Showing an increase in enrollment every year over the past several years, the parochial school now has 135 pupils, including 30 youngsters attending kindergarten. This is an increase from the 102 enrolled at the beginning of 1947. When (the) Rev. Murphy came to St. Vincent's in 1938, the school enrollment then was approximately 60 pupils.

Those plans may have been derailed by Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter of St. Louis, who announced in August 1950 the purchase of 15 acres of land on Caruthers Avenue for the construction of a new Catholic high school and the establishment of a new parish at that location to serve Catholics in the northwest part of Cape Girardeau, if conditions warrant. The story noted that the parishes of St. Mary's and St. Vincent's would remain where they were to serve their geographic areas.

Following construction of Notre Dame High School in 1954, St. Vincent's parish broke ground for its present elementary school at Ritter and Forest avenues.

Published Aug. 6, 1956:

GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONIES WERE HELD Sunday afternoon near the Catholic High School for the $150,000 school for St. Vincent's Parish. Participating in the first turning of earth, from left, are Ronald Unterreiner, altar boy; the Rev. Raymond Ross, C.M., St. Vincent's College; the Rev. Joseph P. Dyra, C.M., parish priest, and Charles Unterreiner. (Southeast Missourian archive)

Published Aug. 4, 1956:

TO BREAK GROUND ON SUNDAY FOR NEW $150,000 CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Ground will be broken for a new $150,000 grade school for St. Vincent's Parish in ceremonies at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon on the site at Ritter and Forest avenues across from the new Catholic High School.

(The) Rev. Joseph P. Dyra, pastor of the parish, will bless the site in brief ground breaking ceremonies. Members of the parish will participate in the program.

The new building, to be built of masonry exterior walls of colored brick trimmed with stone, will have two stories. The ground floor will contain a cafeteria, kitchen, a meeting room, one classroom, boiler room, storage rooms and boys rest room. The second floor will house six classrooms, a principal's office and a girls rest room.

Plan Modern Kitchen.

Construction will be reinforced concrete foundations and first floor slab. It will have painted masonry partitions and glazed tile wainscot in rest rooms. Roof construction will be steel joists with light weight concrete and acoustical plaster ceilings. A modern kitchen with all modern fittings will be installed.

Heating will be by gas with stand-by oil for a hot water system. A ventilated system will be used in the cafeteria and convectors in other rooms. Plumbing will be of the latest design.

The building will be 61 feet deep and will front 116 feet on Ritter Avenue. It has been designed to conform to the architecture of existing buildings on the site. It is expected construction will be completed early in 1957. The building will be staffed by the Sisters of Loretto.

Architects are A.F. and Arthur Stauder of St. Louis, who designed the Cape Catholic High School building. N. Russell Maloney of St. Louis designed heating and plumbing mechanical work. Metz Alper of St. Louis designed structural steel and concrete. Electrical layout was designed by Wilbert F. Rath of St. Louis.

The building is the first of a proposed new parish plant for St. Vincent's.

Father Dyra said bids on the new building were opened on July 13, and that contract awards were made thereafter following study.

Contractors for the structure, and their bid amounts will be as follows: General construction, Elfrink Construction Co., Jackson, $100,400; heating and ventilating, Midland Engineering Co., Sikeston, $15,015; plumbing, Ossenkop Plumbing and Heating Co., Cape Girardeau, $9,585.31; electrical, Kelpe Electric Co., Cape Girardeau, $11,584.60. The contracts total $145,674.91.

Other Bids.

Bids received on the work from other firms were: General contract -- Vernon Higbee, Jackson, $115,400; R.C.E. Landgraf, Pocahontas, $124,007; Ben Sides, Perryville, $128,580; Burton Gerhardt Construction Co., Cape Girardeau, $128,820.

Heating and ventilating -- Okenfuss Hardware Co., Ste. Genevieve, $15,580; A.E. Birk & Son, Cape Girardeau, $18,250; E.A. Polack, Cape Girardeau, $17,809.73.

Electrical -- Smith Electric Co., Dexter, $14,400; Hill Electric Co. Cape Girardeau, $14,682.50; Brooks Electric Co., Cape Girardeau, $12,644.52; Kelpe Electric Co., Cape Girardeau, $11,584.60.

Plumbing -- Midland Engineering Co., Sikeston, $10,975; A.E. Birk & Son, Cape Girardeau, $9,895; E.A. Polack, Cape Girardeau, $9,839.78.

While a steel shortage caused some delays in the construction of the new school, it opened for classes in September 1957.

Published Sept. 3, 1957:

SCHOOL BELLS RING AGAIN. THOUSANDS OF YOUNGSTERS TROOPED TO public and parochial schools in Cape Girardeau today as the new fall term opened. here a line of pupils wave cheerfully as they march into the brand new St. Vincent's Parochial School in the city's west end. (Note the unfinished sidewalks and landscaping.) (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)