08/30/2026
The money was raised, the plans were made, the materials were purchased. Parishioners gave so generously that historical records show they had raised more than the anticipated cost of the project before construction even began.
On March 1, 1925, the cornerstone of the new St. Joseph School was laid, and by early August 1925, construction was complete. The school had cost approximately $12,000 to build, an enormous undertaking for a parish community at that time.
Then, on August 16, 1925, parishioners gathered to formally dedicate their new school. The building stood ready, the classrooms were waiting. After more than two years of dreaming, fundraising, planning, and construction, it appeared that St. Joseph School was finally ready to begin.
But there was one major problem. There were no teachers. The religious Sisters who had planned to staff the school were unable to provide teachers because of a shortage of Sisters.
Imagine the disappointment. The parish had raised the money, they had built the school, they had dedicated the building. Yet, there could be no first day. But the people of St. Joseph did not give up. They continued searching for a religious community willing to send teachers to Scott City.
They kept asking. They kept praying. They kept believing that the school they had sacrificed so much to build would someday be filled with children.
For more than a year, they waited.
Then came ๐๐๐ด๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ, ๐ญ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ. 100 years ago today, the wait finally ended.
Three School Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in Scott City:
๐ฆ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐น๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐.
๐ฆ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ผ๐๐ฎ.
๐ฆ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐๐น๐ผ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ.
After more than three years since that first parish meeting, and more than a year after the school building itself had been completed, everything was finally in place. The building was ready. The teachers were here. The classrooms would not remain empty much longer.
Only seven days stood between St. Joseph Parish and the first day of school. Seven days until the dream that began with a parish vote in 1923 would finally become a reality. Seven days until 85 children would walk through the doors. Seven days until those empty classrooms would be filled with students learning, praying, growing, and beginning traditions that generations would carry forward.
On September 6, 1926, St. Joseph School would finally open.
But today, we remember ๐๐๐ด๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ, ๐ญ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ.. the day three Sisters arrived in Scott City and brought with them the final piece of a dream this parish had refused to give up on. And when the journey became harder than they expected, they kept believing.
๐๐๐ด๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ, ๐ญ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ.
The Sisters had arrived.
The waiting was almost over.
And St. Joseph School's story was about to begin.
