Die Kleine Schule

German for “The Little School.” Built in 1898, served as a day school where the children of the Concordia Lutheran parish were taught “reading, riting, and rithmetic” as well as religion. Today it serves as local tour site

Concordia Lutheran Church of Frohna, Missouri built the Little School in 1898. It was a day school where the children of the parish were taught “reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic” as well as religion. For the most part, children in the primary grades were taught in this building.

Prior to the construction of this school, a number of other buildings were used by the congregation. One of these was the log cabin dwelling on the Bergt farm which is now a part of the Saxon Lutheran Memorial located just a short distance north and east of the Little School on Saxon Memorial Drive. The Rev. Christian H. Loeber taught school in this log cabin in 1850 and 1851. This building is one of the oldest existing buildings used as a parish day school in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod.

From 1851-1854 the parsonage was used for school purposes. This home occupied the site where the “Wukasch Teacherage” was built at a later date. Records indicate that the old log church located on the present cemetery was used after 1854. The old rock church (near the old log church) became the school when the present church building was constructed in 1874. Enrollment had increased to 90 pupils. To accommodate such a large enrollment, the old log church was repaired and both buildings were now used for school purposes. It was at this time that Matthias Wukasch and Henry Welp were the teachers. It is interesting to note that both of these teachers served the congregation for 50 years. Also worthy of note is the date of 1883 when the English language was added as a subject in the curriculum.

In time the log church became too small and so the Big School (Die Grosse Schule) was erected in 1889 and was dedicated in July of 1890. About a decade later the old rock church showed signs of deterioration. The Little School was built to replace it in 1898. By now the enrollment had reached a record high of 133 pupils.

The Big School was razed in 1969 to make room for parking space. At this time the present school building was also constructed. It was dedicated on 24 August 1969. After the new modern school was built, many people felt that the Little School should be torn down since it was no longer being used. About ten families were convinced that the school should be preserved as memorial to Christian Education. These families formed the Concordia Historical Society in Frohna after which the petitioned the congregation for permission to renovate the building and assume the responsibility for its upkeep. Permission was granted and the Little School was dedicated as a museum on 7 August 1977. Since that time the society has engaged in further restoration of the building to its original décor.
The Little School is open for tours by appointment.