Lakewood Lutheran School's History

This summary includes excerpts from 1965 and 1978 documents

On September 11, 1905, Rev. Fred Zucker opened the first Christian Day School in Lakewood in St. Paul’s Chapel, becoming the first teacher in the school. This was also the same year the church was organized. The chapel was described as “an attractive building with an auditorium and a second room used for the school.”

During the succeeding years, the Lord blessed the school with many dedicated, faithful teaching ministers and an increasing enrollment. Today we still recognize the names of some of those early teachers: Niermann, Blankenbuehler, Witte, Schwass, Hoffmeyer, Engelmann, Tassler, Kalb.

In the 1920s the first church chapel, which had also served as the school, was replaced. In its stead rose “a new, fireproof modern school building with two classrooms and a large room on the lower level.” This building, which faced Lakeland Avenue, was later incorporated into the existing Lakewood Lutheran School structure.

In 1945, the school was operated jointly as the St. Paul-Pilgrim Lutheran School. In the ensuing years, classes were held in a variety of locations, including Pilgrim and Gethsemane. The need for larger facilities became increasingly evident.

In 1954, the school officially became known as Lakewood Lutheran School. In 1964, the Lakewood Lutheran School Association was established with the charter members being Gethsemane Lutheran Church and St. Paul Lutheran Church.

The idea of a new centralized Lakewood Lutheran School resulted in more than a decade of prayers, planning, generosity, and hard work. Pastor George Pohlod of Gethsemane and Pastor Rupert Uffelman of St. Paul helped lead the successful building effort.

In January of 1977, the dream of a new school became reality as groundbreaking ceremonies were held in frigid temperatures and six inches of snow. On January 22, 1978, a new school building—jointly owned and operated by Saint Paul and Gethsemane Lutheran Churches—was dedicated.

Saint Paul and Gethsemane Lutheran Churches continued operating the school jointly until 2004, when Gethsemane became the sole supporting member of the Lakewood Lutheran School Association. Gethsemane still retains this role, and now moves to Gethsemane after a year of collaboration which included Messiah Lutheran Church and School, the Cleveland Lutheran High School Association, Lutheran High School West, the Ohio District LCMS, and the Ohio District Lutheran Church Extension Fund.

This fall, classes will be held at Gethsemane Lutheran Church (14560 Madison Ave.) Classrooms are being renovated for the upcoming school year.