The Story of St. Marcus Lutheran School

The Story of St. Marcus Lutheran School


The story of our school is a story of God’s grace. He saw and blessed the work of the early leaders, who dreamed big and risked much to establish a Christian environment for their children. Parish education has always been the centerpiece of St. Marcus’ ministries.

The part of Milwaukee just south of North Avenue was far different in the 1870’s from its appearance today. What we now think of as the “central city” back then was the far North Side, hence the name of “North” Ave. The City was founded in 1846 with five wards. The first expansion, adding a sixth ward, was our neighborhood. What today is called Brewers Hill was known originally as Sherman’s Addition, named for Francis Sherman, leader of a group of Chicago land speculators who first platted the area in 1837. When our school began, at least half of the land north of North Ave. was open country, not yet laid out into regular streets and lots. Palmer St. was called “Short St.” because it was only six blocks long. There was no bridge over the Milwaukee River at the south end, and the street stopped abruptly at North Ave.

Commerce St. back then was actually not a street but a canal, and the land between the canal and the Milwaukee River formed an island. When a bridge was built from Short St. onto the island and from there to the east bank of the river, the street was renamed “Island Ave.” The City in 1929 changed the street’s name yet again to “Palmer St.” after Henry L. Palmer, president of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. and state senator. The first east-west street to the south of North Ave. was “Beaubian St.”, named for Mark Beaubian, another Chicago land speculator. It was renamed Garfield Ave. in 1883, two years after President James Garfield was assassinated.

Humble Beginnings 1873-1883

St. Marcus’ story actually begins with St. John’s Lutheran Church on 8th & Vliet St. Located on 4th & Highland Ave. (called Prairie Ave.) back then, St. John’s was one of the first Lutheran churches in the city; it had been founded in 1848. Waves of German immigrants had come to Milwaukee and many were Lutheran. In 1875 St. John’s had 306 baptisms, 81 confirmations, 96 funerals, and 60 weddings. Their parish school was so crowded that they opened a branch school in 1873 in a rectangular frame structure on Beaubian & Short Sts. Mr. J.B. Denninger was the lone teacher in this “one-room schoolhouse.”

After two years thirteen school families resolved to form a congregation and buy the lot and building from St. John's. They chose the name “St. Marcus” at their founding meeting on June 13, 1875. St. John’s agreed to sell them the lot and building for $1,000, provided that they then join the Wisconsin Synod. Even for those times that price seems well below market value. St. Marcus agreed to the condition and was admitted to the synod in 1876. They secured a pastor in September of 1875, Rev. Joseph Westenberger, but since they could afford only one worker, Teacher Denninger accepted a call to St. Mark’s in Watertown and left. Pastor Westenberger taught school in addition to his pastoral duties for two years.

The lower level of the building was the schoolroom, and it was used also for Sunday worship until the second floor was remodeled into a chapel. The congregation finally obtained a teacher in 1877, Mr. F. Risch. But he stayed only 18 months, followed by candidate Theodore Voss and other students, Michael Walz, and S. J. Richter, none of whom stayed very long. A Mr. Bauer opened a second classroom; after one year he left and was replaced by Carl Daus.

Immense Growth, 1883-1913

In spite of all this turnover, the school was growing, and so was the congregation. They resolved to build a church. The school building was moved off its foundation to the rear of the lot, and a frame church building was constructed in 1881. In 1883 the school finally obtained some faculty stability as Mr. Rudolph Fritzke became the new principal; he stayed for 17 years. He was a fine musician and served the church as organist. Since the organ did not have an electric blower, his boys would come and pump for him while he played or practiced.

The congregation resolved to expand the school. In 1883 a second 50’x150’ lot was purchased for $2,350. The original school building was moved again, to the back of the second lot. On the front of the lot another simple rectangular frame schoolhouse was built. Mr. Fred Nimmer accepted a call to open a third classroom and he, too, stayed until 1900. In 1884 a parsonage for the pastor, George Reinsch, was constructed at the back of the first lot.

Turnover continued in the second room—Mr. Daus was succeeded by the pastor’s son, Paul Reinsch, then by Mr. G. Hartmann, and then by Philip Lucas. Miss Ueckert from Grace Lutheran School on Broadway came to open a fourth classroom. Enrollment by 1890 had swelled to 303—evidently they turned no one away and saw no problem in having 75 children in one classroom. In the archives we have a photograph of an unsmiling Miss Ueckert with her 72 students. The two buildings were overwhelmed, and the congregation in May of 1894 resolved to prepare to build a decent schoolhouse.

They bought a third lot for $5,500; the two houses on it were sold for $925 and moved. The original schoolhouse was sold and moved to 2717 N. Pierce St. as a back cottage. It is still standing. The rear school building was sold and moved to 21st & North, where it was converted into a hardware store. It is no longer standing. The cornerstone for the new building was laid in July of 1894 and the finished building was dedicated on November 4, 1894. With some changes the building served St. Marcus students for well over a century.

The new school building measured 80’x80’. It had six classrooms and a second-floor auditorium. In the basement were rest rooms, the church office (later to become the first K4 room), a large storage area, and a gymnastics and exercise space (later to become the fellowship hall). Some time between 1918 and 1925 an exterior east entrance was added for the lower level, and a bowling alley with four lanes was constructed. The total cost of the new building: $13,132. The second floor auditorium was used also for fellowship meals. Food was prepared in the kitchen on the first floor and then hauled upstairs in a dumbwaiter.

Architect: Henry Messmer Masonry work: Gustave Jeske, Sr.
Carpentry: William and August Butzke Painting: William Wegner
Plumbing: William Gauger Tin work: William Hamann
Furnaces: John F. Helm

The bell in the school tower was donated by Rev. August Pieper (1891-1902), Gustave Jeske, Sr., and August Butzke, the carpenter contractor. Enrollment grew again, to over 400 in 1894 (with still only four teachers!); during these years St. Marcus was the synod’s largest school. In 1900 Principal Fritzke resigned because of “nervous exhaustion”. He went into the coal business, and later was elected to a term in the state Assembly. Mr. William Amling became principal until 1907. Other faculty during this time: Herman Rau, 2 years, Herman Gruel, 9 years, Carl Sorg, one year, Henry Wagner, 17 years, Edward Gleichmann, 6 years, Richard Dorn, 14 years, and William Manthey, 6 years.

When Rev. Pieper was called to the seminary, located at that time in Wauwatosa, Rev. Ernst F. Dornfeld of Kenosha accepted St. Marcus’ call. Because of the financial panic of 1893 and the depression that followed, the building debt for several years had actually gone up. One of Pastor Dornfeld’s chief accomplishments was to help the congregation eliminate its building debt. Sad to say, he died following emergency surgery in January of 1911. The congregation called his son, Rev. Ernst Ph. Dornfeld, of Mishicot, Wis., and he was installed in March.

Children of the Immigrants 1913-1955

The slowing down of German immigration, coupled with the planting of other Lutheran churches and schools on Milwaukee’s North Side, cooled off St. Marcus’ enormous growth. World War I stopped the immigration completely. Since Germany was one of America’s enemies in that war, everything German in the U.S. became suspect. The transition to the English language was going to come anyway, but the war hastened it considerably. The first English Sunday School and first English worship services began in 1914. By the mid-1920’s all subjects were taught in English in the school. Enrollment during the war years shrank to an average of 170.

One of Rev. Ernst Ph. Dornfeld’s first tasks was to help organize the construction of the new church. Worship services for a year were held in the school auditorium while the 1881 frame church was demolished and the present English Gothic red brick church was being built.

Pastor Dornfeld provided calm and stable leadership for 44 years and was a strong supporter of the school. The school faculty enjoyed long tenures as well, among them: Herman Martin served 8 years, Hugo Wachholz 10, William Kirschke 37, Christian Heine 21, Ruth Hahm 9, Walter Denninger 19, and Walter Vater, 16. The legendary “Gamm girls” served 83 years between them! Dorothea started a kindergarten in 1911; Leonore took it over in 1918 and Dorothea moved to grades 1-2. Mr. Heine, in addition to being school principal, was a fine organist and choir director.

Rev. Dornfeld helped to build the school’s enrollment back up to 200+. Because of his missionary’s heart he persuaded the congregation to accept children in the school who were not members of the congregation. Charging tuition of members was discontinued.

Challenge 1955-1980

The tail end of Pastor Dornfeld’s ministry was marked by a very significant event—enrollment of the first African American student. In Arkansas in 1954 the legal watershed case of Brown vs. the Board of Education made history by asserting that all citizens had the right to an equal education. In 1953 St. Marcus had its own watershed case. The church council minutes for September 9, 1953, read, “A delicate subject, in regards to a colored family seeking admittance to our school, is to be presented to the congregation without recommendation.” The minutes from that congregational meeting read, “Since the Todd family is of the Lutheran faith, it was moved, seconded, and carried that they be admitted to our school. It was further resolved that the application for admission of any other colored children must be acted upon by the congregation in meeting assembled, and that each case be a separate action.”

Of course, that procedure was not followed for white children. Thankfully, two years later the congregation resolved to make no distinction in enrollment. Leon Todd that year became St. Marcus’ first black graduate. He went on to Wisconsin Lutheran High School and Northwestern College and even attended the Seminary for a bit before moving on to a different career. He later served on the Milwaukee School Board.

The new immigration to hit Milwaukee changed the city as profoundly as had the waves of Germans in the 1880s. African Americans by the tens of thousands, most from poor agricultural regions of the South, poured into the city in search of better-paying factory jobs. In the early 1950’s WELS Lutherans were reluctant to welcome these new immigrants into their congregations, but they did have a concern for their souls. So mission work was done to gather a black church already in 1953, and after two years of organizing and Bible studies, St. Philip’s Lutheran Church was born nearby, on N. 4th St.

After Rev. Dornfeld retired in 1955, St. Marcus called St. Philip’s founding pastor, Rev. Paul Knickelbein. He was certainly the right man to make sure that St. Marcus would not lose its nerve and give up on racial integration. He passionately believed that St. Marcus should stay where it was located and not relocate to the suburbs, as other churches were doing. That stubbornness may have cost St. Marcus some members, but it firmly shaped St. Marcus’ new identity as a multi-racial congregation. While other pastors fretted about the “Negro problem”, Rev. Knickelbein saw only a “Negro opportunity.”

St. Marcus in the late 1950’s had a fine faculty: Walter Vater was now principal, Robert Eberhardt taught grades 5-6, Dorothy Wolf grades 3-4, Ruth Schaller grades 1-2, and Rose Wisenbaugh kindergarten. In 1959 the bowling alleys were closed. They had provided many years of fun and fellowship for the members, and it is said that the profits generated by the concession stand paid the coal bill each year.

After 70 years of pretty hard wear, the grand old school building was looking dilapidated. The congregation resolved to give the school building a major overhaul. In 1963 at a cost of $64,000 the congregation contracted with Charles Maier & Son for the following improvements:

the vacant northwest classroom was converted into two offices, nurse’s room, and copy room;
vinyl tile was laid over the worn wood floors and stair treads;
ceilings were lowered and all lighting replaced;
aluminum windows replaced rotting wood sash;
new desks for all rooms;
new doors throughout the building

Not long afterwards the exterior brick was sandblasted. This did indeed remove all the soot from the bricks, but the sandblasting tore up the face of the brick surface and made it even more porous.

During the decade of the 1950’s the church had lost half of its membership. By 1959 things really began to unravel for St. Marcus. All the teachers took calls to other places: Dorothy Wolf left in 1959, Rose Wisenbaugh in 1960, and Walter Vater, Ruth Schaller, and Bob Eberhardt in 1961. Through most of the 1960’s the school could not keep teachers for more than a year or two, suffered constant financial stress, and encountered some tension as it learned to be biracial. In 1967 Pastor Knickelbein accepted a call to Cleveland, Wis.

Race riots hit Milwaukee that summer during the vacancy. Nearby King Drive was the epicenter of the rioting, and the vacant parsonage on North Ave. was entered twice by arsonists. As people resources and capital fled the inner city, poverty increased and the neighborhood fell apart. Many houses were either condemned or torched. Businesses closed or relocated. Decent jobs got harder to find. The fires had damaged the parsonage so badly that the congregation resolved to sell the house. School enrollment shrank some more, down to 94. The building debt payments were a steady drain. Church attendance and morale were dropping.

But the Lord sent help. Marie Sprengeler came in 1966 and anchored the kindergarten program for 14 years. Fred and Ada Hagedorn came and stabilized school leadership. In the fall of 1967 St. Marcus called Pastor Richard Seeger, a missionary from Hong Kong with a missionary’s heart and a great big voice. These new leaders came and threw themselves into St. Marcus’ ministries and stopped the bleeding. Under Pastor Seeger’s energetic direction the building debt was paid off, integration continued, and both church and school regained a lot of confidence.

As Mr. Hagedorn’s Parkinson’s Disease got worse, he retired in 1974, staying active by working in the school office. Replacing him as principal was Dan Gartner, who with his wife Judy played a huge role in stabilizing the school during their 20-year ministry here. During the 1970’s the 50’ lot just north of the school was bought, paved, and fenced—the first off-street parking. Another vacant lot was bought from the City across the alley to the west. The kitchen and fellowship hall were extensively remodeled.
New Life 1980-2001

In 1979 Pastor Seeger followed his heart and accepted a call to a world mission field once again, this time to the Caribbean island of Antigua. Marie Sprengeler and Bonnie Lange also took other calls. Robert and Ruth Huebner were assigned to St. Marcus School and Pastor Mark Jeske to the church through the Assignment Committee. Judy Thrams was assigned in 1983 and stayed 14 years. Bob Huebner served for 12.

After bottoming out at 56 in 1981, the school enrollment began to rise again. Enrollment for the fall of 1999 reached 107. Mrs. Virginia Engel started the 4-yr. kindergarten class in 1985. After being an all-black school for most of the 1970’s, white families again began to enroll their children. Computers became a standard feature in each classroom.

In the 1990’s St. Marcus was blessed with Brad Schaper, an outstanding teacher and athletic director, and with Paul and Karen Jacobs, whose hard work and cheerfulness made them a joy to work with. Sue Keese came in 1990, Kay Hartman in 1993, Carol Jeske in 1997, and Principal Thomas Guenterberg and Lynnette Stahmann in 1998.

The 1990’s saw some major leaps forward for St. Marcus School. The congregation acquired five more lots to the north and now owned all the land facing Palmer St. The lots were paved and fenced, providing the first ever major off-street parking and play space. To the west, five more lots facing 1st St., were acquired and fenced it. The surface was graded and seeded and became a fine grass play field. Two lots across 1st St. provide some options for future growth. The City vacated the south128’ of the alley, which could then be integrated into our campus. The 1884 frame parsonage behind the church was given away and was moved to Palmer & Brown St. Its lot was filled, paved, and fenced.

In 1994 the school underwent a major renovation, including all new windows, tuckpointing, new classroom and office carpeting, new floor tile, and a renovated gym floor to bring back the maple floor that was underneath the old tile. In August of 1998 the congregation resolved to try out the new “School Choice” program which uses state money to provide vouchers to low-income parents.

Acceleration 2001-present

(this section is under construction—we hope to have it online soon)

Amid all these unusual stories, the “usual” is quietly going on. Children are being discipled for time and for eternity through God’s wonderful word. They are growing closer to their Savior in faith and better equipped to serve him with their lives. They are being inspired to worship him and learn from him. They are being trained to become valuable members of our community and also evangelists for God’s spiritual community.