Christ Child School for Exceptional Children Records

The Christ Child School for Exceptional Children was founded by Sister Anna Marie Meyers.  Sr. Anna Marie was injured in an automobile accident as an adult and was confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of her life.  Yet she was determined that her injuries would not prevent her from serving others.

In 1939 she began tutoring "brain-damaged" children from her room in the nurse's building of St. Joseph's Hospital in downtown St. Paul.  Word of her work spread and she quickly needed more room for her school.  In 1948 the school moved into two rooms at the Christ Child Community Center on the near east side of St. Paul.  Richard C. Lilly, a board member of the school, helped to obtain a house on Summit Avenue across from the College of St. Thomas in 1950 which could be converted to a "real" school.  Initially known as the Merrick House school, it was soon officially named the Christ Child School for Exceptional Children.

By 1954 enrollment had reached 70 children, severely crowding the house.  That same year Mr. I. A. O'Shaughnessy donated two lots east of the home and by October 1955, the students were housed in a new building especially designed and constructed for their needs. With the advent of special education classes in public schools in the 1970's enrollment declined at Christ Child.  The school was closed in 1976, with the property reverting back to the Archdiocese of St. Paul.