La Salle Institute Remains Historic Landmark

La Salle Institute, located in southern Wildwood, has been a part of the local community for 125 years.  

The facility was first built in 1872 as a Catholic “Protectorate” after a St. Louis cholera epidemic orphaned many area children. Although the orphanage was created by St. Louis lay people, Archbishop Kenrick invited the Christian brothers to take charge of it in 1876. It became St. Joseph’s Industrial School in 1884, open to all young boys. 

In 1885 the orphanage was destroyed by fire, and the La Salle Brothers bought the property from the diocese. In 1886, they built a three-story center on the stone foundation where the orphanage had been. The facility then became a center of formation for young boys studying to become Christian Brothers. The Junior Novitiate included the high sch0ool years and the year of Novitiate followed after graduation.

Over the years, more wings were added and electricity was installed in 1928.  On the site of the current , there was an extensive barn and silo complex to supply food for the facility.  The “La Salle Spring” once ran down the hillside, but when the property was sold to in 1991, the spring was channeled underground with large rocks. It now runs under the ball fields there, and continues to feed into the nearby creek on the other side of Missouri Route 109.

By 1940, fire had destroyed much of the farm buildings, and a second fire in 1988 ended the farming operations at the facility. The school’s population reached a high point in 1941, when there were 200 Novices, Junior Novices, Brothers and retired Brothers living in community at La Salle.

By 1968, the main building had deteriorated, and it was necessary to remove the second and third floors of the building, which gave it a completely new look. Ten years later, the Brothers changed the operation from a school to a retreat center, and it remains so today.

Brother Marvin Becker, now a part of the staff, came to the facility at age 14. He notes that a lot has changed in the area. He remembers going on a hike down Route 109 when it was just a rural byway. “We were walking to ,” he remembers. “Occasionally we'd shout ‘car!’  because a car would come along, and we'd have to move out of the way."

Although the facility is in Wildwood, the brothers and others connected with the facility continue to use the historic community name of Glencoe.  Then and now, it is an important part of the Meramec River village nearby.  

Seminarians and staff easily could travel to St. Louis and elsewhere, because the busy Glencoe train station was just a short walk away. Over the years, many Glencoe residents worked at La Salle, preparing food for the men.

Frances Hill Poe, a Wildwood resident, lived near La Salle in the 1930s and 1940s. "My mother, Mabel Hill, did the ironing for the seminarians. My sisters and I helped with that. I also remember one year she canned peaches for them. My brother worked at La Salle too," she said.  

Hill related a story about her misconceptions of the place. "We girls thought those boys were awfully cute, and we tried to flirt with them, but they wouldn't pay a bit of attention to us. Then my mom pointed out to me, 'well, Frances, you know they are studying to be priests, don't you?' And so that's how I learned why they ignored us girls!"   

The first post office in this area was at La Salle. For some years La Salle was a parish, and many area residents attended mass there.  Some local residents also are buried in the historic cemetery at the institute, but now the burials are restricted to La Salle Brothers.  

Many people don’t know the Brothers at La Salle had a hand in deciding the route of Highway 109 when it was built in the 1930s. This story is related in their new history book about the facility. In the 1930s, the grounds were extensive, with farm buildings, silos, animal pens, acres of farm fields and gardens.  

In addition, there were all of the recreational fields and a large swimming pool for the seminarians. This was all threatened when the Missouri officials decided to build Route 109. When the highway department decided on their planned route, the Brothers were stunned to realize the proposed path would go right through their property.  

The industrious Brothers moved into action with a two-part plan. The first plan was to pray to St. Joseph to intercede on their behalf. In return, they promised to build the saint a fine grotto as their thanks to him.  The second part of the plan involved Brother Octavian, who knew how to do land surveying. On his many hikes around the woods, he knew the property well.  He surveyed the land, and drew up a proposal for a route that would swing the road to the west, completely off the La Salle property.  

Then the Brothers used their considerable diplomatic skills by hosting a wonderful luncheon for the state officials. The plan was presented and the state officials, probably munching on the last bits of their sandwiches and cookies, had to agree that Brother Octavian's plan would indeed make a good route.  

The good Brothers kept their end of the bargain with St. Joseph, too. They built a stone grotto that still stands on the grounds today. So when you pass Old State Road and swing to the west on the curve around LaSalle Springs Middle School, look up on the hill and remember old Brother Octavian and his plan that saved La Salle.   

Editor's Notes: This article is the first of two articles that will be published about the La Salle Institute. It captures its origin and history. Return to Eureka-Wildwood Patch tomorrow for a look at the facility's present offerings. Wildwood city officials presented a proclamation to La Salle Institute representatives at Monday night's city council meeting. See photos of the presentation by . The space placed between 'La Salle' is intentional; it was dropped in more modern namings of subsequent items in the area.