| 1899 |
|
- The parish is established by Father John J. O'Brien.
- Three pieces of land are purchased at the corner of
Lawrence and Castleman for the future site of a permanent church.
- The first Mass is celebrated by 45 families on
Christmas Day in a rented storefront on the southeast corner
of Russell and Vandeventer (now 39th Street).
|
| 1905 |
|
- Neighborhood growth patterns suggest the permanent
church should be at Flad and 39th Street.
- Four lots are purchased there and the architectural
firm of Barnett, Haynes & Barnett is hired.
- The cost for the church is approximately $90,000.
|
| 1906 |
|
400 families celebrate the first Mass in the basement of
the unfinished building on Christmas Day.
|
| 1907 |
|
The church is completed on Thanksgiving Day. Archbishop
John J. Glennon dedicates the church, calling it "the
pearl of the diocese."
|
| 1917 |
|
Construction of the parish school begins on the land originally
purchased by Father O'Brien at Lawrence and Castleman.
|
| 1918 |
|
The school is completed and opens with a staff of nine
Sisters of St. Joseph who commute by streetcar from
their Motherhouse in the Carondelet neighborhood.
|
| 1922 |
|
A convent is established at 3863 Cleveland. Father O'Brien
dies on March 10.
|
| 1925 |
|
A complete renovation of the interior of the church is begun.
Over the next 14 years, changes will include:
- Replacement of wood altars and plaster statues
with altars, statuary, and shrines of fine Italian marble.
- Addition of an elaborate marble canopy over the altar.
- New stained glass windows.
- Enclosure of original stained glass window in the
sanctuary to allow installation of murals depicting
the Nativity in remembrance of the first Masses on Christmas Day.
- Leveling and resurfacing of the floor.
- Digging out, lowering, and surfacing of basement floor so it can
be used as a gym and social center.
|
| 1944 |
|
Purchase of former B'nai El synagogue at Flad and Spring
for use as high school. Parish membership rises to 2600 families.
|
| 1950s |
|
- New convent built.
- Church interior redecorated.
- Church basement outfitted as a chapel to accommodate the overflow at Sunday Masses.
|
| 1960s |
|
- New school building is built with badly needed gymnasium, cafeteria, and classrooms.
- Altar is redesigned in accordance with the directives of Vatican Council II.
- Families begin moving from the city to the suburbs and for the first time, parish
membership begins to decline.
- The construction of Interstate-44 literally divides the parish in half.
|
| 1970s |
|
- Redevelopment and rehabilitation of homes in the Shaw
neighborhood along with the role of the parish as a neighborhood
anchor encourage parishioners to ignore the lure of the suburbs
and to stay and stabilize the area.
- New families are discovering Saint Margaret of Scotland and its
surrounding area as a good place to live.
- Saint Margaret of Scotland school maintains
academic excellence and adds many special programs,
such as a Montessori classroom, that entice
families to enroll their children.
- Realizing that the parish and the neighborhood rely
on each other for the overall health of each, members
of the parish clergy become active members in the
Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association and are
instrumental in founding the Saint Margaret Housing
Association.
|
| 1980s |
|
- The parish continued to play a vital role as
the preeminent anchor of the Shaw neighborhood. It
was a factor in persuading people to stay in the
city and in drawing new people to the area.
- The Highlander, a festive annual party,
was established and has served as a source of both
money and fun as it draws parishioners of all ages,
as well as former parishioners who delight in returning
to the site of so many good memories.
|
| 1990s |
|
- Early in the decade Father Kenneth Brown was
assigned to Saint Margaret. He began his stay
by proving his abilities as a gardener, then
went on to prove he had a green thumb in
more lucrative areas! At his direction, a major
fund drive was instituted that raised more than
$1 million in pledges that will be matched
by a major grant and will be used to drastically
upgrade the physical plants of the church and schools.
- Father Brown also established a program that reaches out
to home buyers in St. Louis county, offering personal
appeals and financial incentives to move into
Saint Margaret's parish.
|
| 2000s |
|
The parish undertakes renovations and updates in the church
and school. As of 2005, the parish has about 480 households,
drawn from 34 zip codes. There are 264 children in the
school (pre-school through grade 8).
|
