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Introduction:
Before the "Vikings" were selected
as the team name for Normandy High School, in St. Louis County, before there was a
community called Normandy, Missouri, before there
was a Lucas and Hunt Road; there was a junction of Hunt Road and St.
Charles Rock Road.
In 1883 A college was constructed on 19 acres there,
and it was called Eden College and Theological Seminary.
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Read a bit about
Eden College below, an then we will explore our community, the
Metropolitan area of Wellston, Missouri. (NOTE: Wells
Station was the center of our universe in 1883)
" History
Eden Theological Seminary was established in the summer of 1850 at
Marthasville, Missouri. In 1883, the Seminary moved to Wellston,
Missouri, on the outskirts of Saint Louis, where it acquired its present
name, Eden. In 1924, another relocation brought the Seminary to its
present location in Webster Groves, Missouri.
Accreditation
Eden is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and
Schools and the Association of Theological Schools in the United States
and Canada. Eden is approved by the University Senate of the United
Methodist Church to prepare United Methodist students for ordained
ministry.
Students
One of the seven seminaries of the United Church of Christ, Eden is
ecumenically inclusive. Eden currently has more than 200 students
enrolled in both degree and non-degree programs. Eden’s student body
represents a wide range of ethnic and social backgrounds and 18
denominations including the UCC, UMC, Presbyterian Church (USA),
American Baptist, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Roman Catholic
and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church."
http://www.eden.edu/
and
http://www.eden.edu/index.php/eden-at-a-glance/
Now this story is not about School events,
but .... Since most of us have walked the walk on the grounds of
what was Eden college.... We can drop in a little bit of Trojans vs
Viking memories.
From our Wellston High School memories, there was
THE GREAT annual
end of season football game with Normandy, where because of the sheer
size difference between the two schools, they stomped us almost
every year.
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We usually had the homecoming dance and a big pep rally before the
big game with the big school.
We would decorate our cars, have a noisy pep rally, and memories to
keep forever.
Normandy, with it's colossal Gymnasium was the
host for the Christmas break basketball tournaments. When we only
needed a team of five playing and another five or so on the bench we did much better
against the big schools. |
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Bob Haefner, the night before the football game against the Vikings of
Normandy. 1947.
Yes, it is snowing. |
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Now we cover the 1883 to 1924 period
in our town as it relates to our "College across the street". |
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The corner stone of Eden College and
Theological Seminary was laid April 8,
1883, and the dedication of the new building took place October 28, 1883.
The college, surrounded by a beautiful campus, is a brick building, with
a front of 168 feet, and a tower ninety-six feet high. |
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The first floor was used for classrooms and lecture halls,
the second and third floors were dormitories, and the attic was for trunk storage.
There was a full basement with under ground passage to the steam and furnace room
located at the rear of the building. |
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The original name of Normandy School
District was District No.2, Township 46, Range 6, Eden, St Louis County,
Missouri. (That is correct,
the address was "Eden".)
1923 - Normandy School Board purchased the then 25-acre Eden Seminary to
be converted to Normandy High School. The ornate, four story, main
seminary building was shared by the two institutions during the 1923-24
school year.
1949 August 14, A fire destroyed the upper floors of the original Eden
building.
The foundation was roofed and the building was used as a maintenance and
utility building, it still offered underground access to steam heat
piping in tunnels.
1958 The seminary foundation was totally razed. The original clock from
the Eden Seminary building was preserved and restored.
The address now is 6701 St. Charles Rock Road, (Easton). The High School
still has a "campus" setting, with a quadrangle surrounded by the
various halls and buildings. |
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