Timeline
- 1886
1886
- Felix Adler addresses an organizational meeting of the Society for Ethical Culture of St. Louis
- Initial membership: 93 - 1887
1887
- Sunday school opens
- Joined the Union of the Societies for Ethical Culture
(later renamed the American Ethical Union)
- Expenses totaled $3,235 ($81,000 in 2018 dollars)
- Membership: 196 - 1895
- Housed in the basement of the St. Louis Museum and School of Fine Arts - 1896
1896
- First social event held by the Society, previously all events were focused on education
- Name changed to the Ethical Society of St. Louis - 1898
1898
- Operating budget: $4,461 ($127,000 in 2018 dollars)
- 1902
- Membership grows to 360
- 1907
- Walter Sheldon (our first Leader) dies at age 48
- 1910
- Purchased land on Washington Boulevard for the future home of the Society.
- 1911
- Formed the first membership committee.
- 1912
1912
- Sheldon Memorial Hall opened as the Society's first permanent home. Cost, including land, was $125,000 ($3.1m in 2018 dollars)
- 1914
1914
- First woman elected to the Board
- 1915
1915
- First all-member canvass (annual pledge drive)
- Membership: 515 - 1925
1925
- Sheldon Memorial, a valued community resource, hosts more than a dozen community organizations an average of forty-five meetings each month.
- 1928
1928
- Fire damages building and organ, $6,000 in damages ($87,000 in 2018 dollars)
- 1929
1929
- Voted to sell the Sheldon
- 1930
1930
- Voted NOT to sell the Sheldon
- 1946
1946
- Appointed a committee to locate and recommend possible building sites, centrally located in the county,
- Committee reported that prices on real estate were too high and advised postponing any action until a more favorable time,
- Special fund-raising to support a 60th anniversary celebration. Target set at $20,000 to $25,000 ($253,000 to $316,000 in 2018 dollars), - 1947
1947
- Added non-discrimination clause to membership rules
- Board members suggested that Sunday School put too much emphasis on Bible stories
- Sheldon mortgage paid off
- Spent $5,673 repairing Sheldon roof ($62,000 in 2018 dollars) - 1950
1950
- Created an endowment account
- Operating budget: $25,000 ($233,000 in 2018 dollars) - 1954
- 1957
- 1958
1958
- Purchased Clayton Road property for $35,000. ($299,000 in 2018 dollars)
- 1959
- 1960
- 1961
- 1965
1965
- Dedicated new building on Clayton Road
- 1966
- 1968
- 1974
1974
- Sold Sheldon Memorial for $25,000 ($125,000 in 2018 dollars); later became the Sheldon Concert Hall
- 1983
1983
- Membership: 450
- 1990
1990
- Expanded the parking lot and put in new playground
- Operating budget: $361,000 ($682,000 in 2018 dollars) - 1997
1997
- Began full summer schedule of programs for adults
- 1999
1999
- Construction completed on new wing and elevator at a cost of $733,000 ($1,085,000 in 2018 dollars)
- 2001
- 2003
- 2005
2005
- Kate Lovelady hired as Leader
- Started online podcasts of Platform talks
- Legacy Committee and Estate Planning Funds started - 2007
2007
- Split collection Sundays started
- Hosted Youth of Ethical Societies national conference
- Adopted Senior Connections as Society-wide project - 2009
2009
- Ethical Society Mid Rivers becomes independent of the Ethical Society of St. Louis
- American Ethical Union (AEU) meets in St. Louis
- Young Ethicals group for 20- to 40-ish year-old members begins - 2011
2011
- Memory Garden dedicated
- 2012
- 2014
2014
- Began funding 4-year scholarships for girls at Ugandan Humanist Schools
- New governance structure implemented - 2015
- 2016
2016
- American Ethical Union (AEU) meets in St. Louis
- Auditorium upgraded with new lighting and audio-visual systems - 2020
2020
- Kate Lovelady retires as Ministry Team and is appointed as Leader Emeritus.
- James Croft hired as Ministry Team Leader
- Society Building closed in March due to COVID-19. Platforms and meetings are moved online.
Leaders
Sheldon to Lovelady
Meeting Houses
Memorial Hall to today