Elementary Schools

St. Joseph-St. John's School

St. John's school system began in 1942 under the guidance of Monseigneur Mangan. Monseigneur Mangan purchased the George Palmer property at the southeast corner of Liberty and Broad Streets. This building housed the School Sisters of Notre Dame and held eight grades in four classrooms. By 1951, there was a severe overcrowding problem and Monseigneur Mangan began construction on a new school designed to accommodate 360 pupils. In 1973, St. John's School combined with St. Joseph the Worker School to become St. Joseph-St. John's School.

Taken from an article by June Chummiskey

Mount Olive Lutheran School

Mount Olive Lutheran School was established in 1945 as an elementary school. The school held classes for 25 students in grades one through eight in a classroom at Bethany Lutheran College. in 1947, a pre-fabricated building was erected at the corner of Marsh and McConnell Streets. This one room building served the congregation until 1970, when three new classrooms were added. In 1985, three more classrooms and a library were added by a remodeling and building project. By 1989, enrollment was up to 115 students in grades one through eight.

Taken from an article by Rev. Richard Newgard

Colleges

Bethany Lutheran College

In the fall of 1911, Bethany Ladies College opened. The present Bethany College building was not yet completed, so the first year's classes were held in the Immanuel Lutheran School and Mankato High School buildings and boarding students were housed in apartments around the area. The building was formally dedicated in 1913 and the ceremony drew a large crowd. The Norwegian Synod purchased the school in 1927 and made the institution co-educational. The new owners also added a full high school program and a junior college program. The college and high school grew in enrollment between 1930 and 1950. A gymnasium and auditorium were added in 1959, and a library and dormitory in 1967. In 1969, the high school department closed, leaving room for the rapidly growing college. The college was accredited in 1974 by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The school has a strong reputation in the athletics and Fine Arts and recently built a new Fine Arts building.

Source
The Heritage of Blue Earth County. Curtis Media Corporation, 1990

Back to the Schoolhouse

Return to Main Street