Chicago (population 2.8 million) is located in northeastern Illinois in eastern Cook County. Lake Michigan, the Chicago and Des Plaines Rivers are the main waterways to and from town. Interstates 90, 94, 55, and 57 will all lead you to the "Windy City," as will numerous US and state routes, which at one time included the legendary Route 66. From what started as a small village in the early 1800's, Chicago has grown to the nation's third largest city and one of the most famous places in the world.

Englewood Luther Institute was opened in 1923 as an extension of the Chicago Luther Institute when the original school experienced overcrowding in its location on the city's west side. The school was located at 6309 Yale Avenue, which served a high school and commercial college that were fully accredited.

The first teacher was a Miss Stine with 12 students enrolled. The following year, Rev. Prof. J.C. Anderson became head of the school, enrollment jumped to 58, and continue to grow for the next two years until 1927 when Anderson returned to Luther Institute to become its director. Carl Scaer succeeded Anderson as the school looked to expand its location with a new building with up-to-date facilities.

Unfortunately, the lack of the financial support coupled by the Great Depression led to the school's closing at the end of the first semester in January 1931. All students were absorbed by Luther Institute to finish their education. It would not be until 1953 when Luther Institute would open a new school with the advent of Luther South.

Engelwood Luther Institute Quick Facts

Year opened: 1923
Year closed: 1931
School Team Nickname: unknown
School Team Colors: unknown

ACTIVITIES

Englewood Luther may not have had a lot of extracurricular activities, but we did notice there was a choir at the school as evidenced by the program of the 1930 commencement exercises (see below).

MEMORIES

(from George Haak, son of 1930 alum Emil Haak, dated 10/4/2017):

"I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have received this "Mother Lode" of information on Chicago's Luther Institute; most notably the Englewood Luther Institute. I believe it's within Ancestry.com's marketing about "making history come alive," and that's just the way that it felt while reading the historical information, and viewing the amazing photos contained within. I was thinking earlier today that my Dad passed away almost 40 years ago, and yet here I was today, viewing a photo of the school that he not only attended; but the school that he was blessed to have earned Valedictory honors; a fact that I only came upon a few years ago. I believe my initial message to you included just the cover to his graduation exercises, so I thought you might be interested in all four pages of the program.

"I must confess that I even recognized a familiar name within that 22 page anniversary program. One of the school's board members was my Dad's family Pastor; Rev. Oscar Fedder; the Lutheran Pastor that was to have officiated at my baptism many years later. As the story went though; he was unavailable or traveling on that particular Sunday, and thus someone else officiated.

"While the number of closed Chicago learning institutions continues to grow, I'm saddened that those of my own era are fast disappearing. Case in point; Luther High School South, the school from which I graduated. More recently, the announcement of sister school Luther North been closed. I'm grateful to folks like yourself and your organization that wish to preserve some of the memories of these once proud learning institutions."