Many years Catholic Education has been the prime concern of the parents of St. John’s in Meire Grove and it still is today.

St. John’s Parish began in 1855 when the Schafer brothers came from Germany and in 1858 when the Meyer's came from Germany. The first Mass was celebrated in the Schaefer cabin in 1858. Five years later Father Bruno celebrated Mass in the Meyer home. The log church was then built just north of the present church in 1864. After seven years another church was built just north of the cemetery. A larger church was built in 1858 and lasted until fire destroyed it in 1923. The next year the present church was built on the same site. All of this proves the importance and determination that the early families felt for a community of Catholic educated people.

Catholic Education began in a deserted log church where Mr. William Heine taught 20 children. Because the number of students was too big for the school, a new school with 2 rooms was built in 1874, right across the street from the present church, and this building remained until 1954. One of the early teachers was Incas Gertken. The following were some of the members of the early class: Henry Meyer, Hilda Meyer, Mrs. Leo Caspers, Alma Meyer, Dora Marthaler, Carrie (Meyer) Inderriedent, Ella Meyer, Mrs. John Imdieke, and Mrs. Mike Weller.

In 1915 the present school in Meire Grove was built at the cost of $13,000.00. It was built while Father Marin Schmitt was Pastor. Although it was operated as a district school, the administration was under the direction of the Sisters of St. Benedict from St. Joseph Minnesota. In 1951, at the request of Reverend Joseph Krueter, the parish decided to make it a parochial school. The enrollment at the time was 74 students. In 1965 the third floor auditorium was taken down and the school was remodeled. Steady improvements in the school building have continued. In the fall of 1967 the 7th and 8th graders began to attend the Melrose Junior High and in the fall of 1969 St. John’s, Meire Grove and St. Andrew’s, Greenwald consolidated, with St. Andrew’s having Grades 1, 2, and 3, and St. John’s having grades 4, 5, and 6. The school board members at this time were Mrs., Kathy Illies, Mr. Dick Imdieke, Mrs. Cyril Meyer, Mrs. Ann Nietfeld, Mr. Dennis Schneider, and Mrs. Gloris Schneider.

After 1969 the histories came together. The Sisters of St. Benedict, along with lay teachers, taught at St. John’s – St. Andrew’s School until 1978 when the sisters felt they would no longer be able to staff the school. With steadfast belief in parochial education on the part of the school board, and with the help of Father Rieder, the BVM Sisters whose mother house was in Dubuque, Iowa came to be the Religious Community staffing the school along with some lay teachers. At this time St. Andrew’s had 37 families with 54 children and St. John’s with 23 families and 35 children attending. The current enrollment of the school is 40 families with 58 children attending. These children are receiving a quality education that our communities are proud of.