Expanded Edition

Origins and Founding (1880s–1890s)

The Ethical Society of St. Louis traces its roots to the late 19th-century Ethical Culture movement. In 1886 – only a decade after Felix Adler founded the first Society for Ethical Culture in New York – Adler himself came to St. Louis to address an organizational meeting for a new Ethical Society. That year the Ethical Society of St. Louis was formally established with an initial membership of 93 and a charter as a charitable, religious, and educational corporation. From the very beginning the Society “gathered to inspire free thought, the edification of working‑class people, and the cultivation of the inner ethical life”. In 1887 the Society opened a Sunday School for children and affiliated with the national Union of Ethical Societies (later renamed the American Ethical Union, or AEU). These early steps demonstrated the Society’s commitment to both educating the next generation and connecting with the broader Ethical Culture movement across the country.

In its first years, the St. Louis Ethical Society held meetings in rented space at the Memorial Hall of the St. Louis Museum and School of Fine Arts, located downtown at 19th and Lucas Place. The Society’s initial name was the Society for Ethical Culture of St. Louis, but in 1896 the members voted to change it to the Ethical Society of St. Louis, the name it still bears today. That same year, the Society held its first purely social event – a notable shift given that previously all gatherings had been educational in focus. By the end of the 19th century, the congregation was thriving: membership had grown to nearly 200 by 1887 and would reach about 360 by 1902. This period established the Ethical Society as a fixture in St. Louis intellectual life, a congregation devoted to ethics and free thought outside the traditional churches.

Building a Permanent Home (1900s–1920s)

In the early 1900s, the Ethical Society of St. Louis entered a phase of institutional growth and began seeking a permanent home. Walter L. Sheldon, the Society’s founding Leader, had guided the community since 1886 and was a seminal thinker in Ethical Culture – devoted to freethought, uplifting working-class citizens, and pioneering ethical education for children. Under Sheldon’s leadership, the Society’s activities expanded, including a robust Sunday Assembly (as the Sunday School was then called) for youth. Tragically, Walter Sheldon died unexpectedly in 1907 at only 48 years old. His death was a pivotal moment for the young Society. Leadership passed to his wife, Anna Garlin Spencer Sheldon, who was appointed interim Leader after Walter’s death. Anna Sheldon was a strong and resourceful leader who immediately championed the effort to construct a dedicated meeting house for the Society. She helped secure land on Washington Boulevard in the city, purchased in 1910 for the future home of the Society. With funds from an endowment left by Walter Sheldon (and matched by contributions from members), the Society erected Sheldon Memorial Hall, named in Walter’s honor. Designed by noted architect Louis Spiering (famed for his work on the 1904 World’s Fair), the new building was dedicated in 1912 as the Society’s first permanent home. Constructed at a cost of about $125,000 (a remarkable sum at the time), Sheldon Memorial Hall provided an elegant auditorium and gathering space for the Ethical Society. Its design featured excellent acoustics – so fine, in fact, that the hall would later become renowned in St. Louis as a concert venue.

The opening of Sheldon Memorial Hall in 1912 marked the beginning of a new era. That same year, Anna Sheldon married Percival Chubb, who had been working alongside her and was chosen as the Society’s next Leader. Percival Chubb’s tenure (1911–1933) would span over two decades and leave a distinctive imprint on the Society’s culture. An English-born idealist and a former associate of Adler, Chubb believed the primary purpose of a congregation was to bring people together in shared community. In that spirit, he introduced a cycle of seasonal festivals and celebrations “common to all cultures” – weaving new ceremonies and traditions into the Society’s life to enrich its communal spirit. During Chubb’s leadership, the Society reached a high point in membership and activity. By 1915 membership had climbed to over 500 members, an impressive size that reflected the Society’s influence in St. Louis’s intellectual and progressive circles. The Ethical Society also demonstrated early commitments to inclusion: in 1914 the congregation elected its first woman to the Board of Trustees, a noteworthy step for gender equality in that era.

Sheldon Memorial Hall quickly became not just a home for the Ethical Society but a valued civic resource. By the mid-1920s, the Society was regularly making its building available to the broader community. In 1925, Sheldon Memorial was hosting more than a dozen outside organizations and averaging 45 community meetings each month – from concerts to public forums – earning it a reputation as “a valued community resource” in St. Louis. This outward engagement exemplified the Society’s ethos of service and education beyond its own membership. However, maintaining the building was not without challenges. In 1928 a fire at Sheldon Memorial caused about $6,000 in damage (approximately $87,000 in today’s dollars), including harm to the pipe organ. The Society repaired the damage, but the incident, coupled with the looming economic Depression, forced leaders to weigh the costs of upkeep. In 1929 the Society’s Board even voted to sell the Sheldon building, fearing it might be a financial burden. Yet only a year later, in 1930, they reversed course and voted not to sell. The community was clearly attached to its home and mission, deciding to persevere in maintaining Sheldon Memorial Hall through the difficult years of the Great Depression.

Mid-Century Transitions (1930s–1960s)

The 1930s brought significant transitions for the Ethical Society. Leader Percival Chubb retired in 1933 after 22 years of service, and James Hutton Hynd was appointed as the new Leader (serving 1933–1950). Hynd guided the Society through the Depression and World War II years, a time when membership and finances were challenged across many congregations. He was known for synthesizing the arts and sciences in his platform addresses, offering Ethical Society members rich educational content in history, literature, philosophy, and comparative religion. Hynd’s style was influenced by earlier Ethical Culture leaders (such as Stanton Coit) in its reverent tone and creative use of ceremony. This blend of intellectual breadth and quasi-religious ceremony helped sustain the Society’s community spirit through trying times. During the 1940s the Society also became quietly active in social progress: in 1947 the Board added a non-discrimination clause to the Society’s membership rules, formally ensuring that people of all backgrounds could join. This proactive stance against discrimination – instituted well before the civil rights movements of the 1950s and 60s – reflected Ethical Culture’s core commitment to the worth of every person. That same year, leaders began shifting the children’s Sunday School curriculum away from Bible stories toward a more comparative, humanist approach. By the late 1940s the Society had paid off the mortgage on Sheldon Memorial Hall and invested in repairs such as a new roof, securing the old building for the time being. They also established their first permanent endowment fund in 1950, laying a foundation for long-term financial stability.

After Hynd’s retirement in 1950, a longtime member stepped in to fill the gap. Alexander S. Langsdorf, a retired dean of engineering at Washington University and former Board President, served as part-time interim Leader in 1950–51. Langsdorf had been deeply involved in the Society since the 1930s and was instrumental in strengthening the educational programs – he had promoted a structured Sunday School curriculum and often presided at platform meetings even as a layperson. His interim leadership bridged the transition until a new permanent Leader could be found. In 1951, the Society found that leader in James F. “Jeff” Hornback, who would go on to serve an extraordinary tenure through 1980 (with formal retirement in 1984). Under J. F. Hornback’s leadership, the Ethical Society of St. Louis entered a period of postwar growth and modernization. The demographics of St. Louis were changing – many members were moving to the suburbs – and Hornback recognized the need for the Society to eventually relocate and expand. As early as the late 1940s, the Society had been contemplating a move to a more central county location; Hornback turned that vision into reality.

During the 1950s the Society began planning for a new building in the suburbs. In 1958 they purchased a property at 9001 Clayton Road, in the suburb of Ladue, for $35,000. Hornback oversaw a capital campaign and the design of a modern meeting house to be constructed there. The new building, completed in 1964 and dedicated in 1965, was a striking example of mid-century modern architecture. Designed by renowned local architect Harris Armstrong, the structure features a dramatic upward-sweeping roofline intended to symbolize “the Society’s aim to bring out the best in the human spirit”. Its wood-paneled interior and carefully engineered auditorium created superb acoustics, including the installation of the first baroque-style tracker organ built in St. Louis – a gift donated in 1965 by member Genevieve Hail in memory of her husband. The congregation held its first platforms in the new Ethical Society building in the mid-1960s, marking the start of its suburban chapter. This move was a major milestone for the Society, reflecting both the growth of the membership and the forward-looking optimism of the time.

Even as the Society prepared to move, it remained an important cultural hub. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the Ethical Society of St. Louis hosted an array of prominent speakers at its Sunday platform lectures – underscoring its reputation as a center of ethical and intellectual discourse. Notable figures such as biologist Julian Huxley (in 1954), anthropologist Ashley Montagu (1957), cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead (1959), and architect/philosopher R. Buckminster Fuller (1960) all delivered platform addresses to the congregation. Such luminaries drew large audiences, connecting the St. Louis society to national and global conversations in science, humanism, and social issues. In 1961, the Society’s stature in the movement was further recognized when St. Louis hosted the annual assembly of the American Ethical Union – bringing Ethical Culture delegates from around the country to convene in the city.

By 1964, when the doors opened at 9001 Clayton Road, the Society had fully embraced its new home. Under Leader Jeff Hornback’s guidance, the congregation officially dedicated the modern Ladue building in 1965 and began holding weekly platform meetings there. The move did not sever ties with the old Sheldon hall immediately – for about a decade the Society continued to use Sheldon Memorial (which it still owned) for certain social outreach programs and for chamber music concerts. Eventually, however, maintaining two large facilities became impractical. In 1974 the Society decided to sell the aging Sheldon Memorial Hall for $25,000 (roughly $125,000 in today’s dollars). The buyer transformed Sheldon Memorial into the “Sheldon Concert Hall,” which remains today a beloved St. Louis cultural venue – a fitting second life for the Society’s first home, famed for its acoustics and history. With the sale, the Ethical Society of St. Louis became fully rooted in its new Clayton Road location, which would evolve and expand along with the community in the decades to come.

Expansion, Programs, and Social Impact (1970s–1990s)

The late 20th century saw the Ethical Society of St. Louis both deepen its internal programs and broaden its outreach. In the 1970s, Leader J. F. Hornback continued to emphasize ethical action and community engagement. In 1975, one of the Society’s prominent members, aerospace pioneer James S. McDonnell, established a new award in Hornback’s honor – the Ethical Humanist of the Year Award – recognizing individuals or organizations for “courageous and dedicated service” to human rights and dignity. This award (also known as the Ethics in Action Award) underscored the Society’s commitment to social values; over the years it would be bestowed on local and national leaders in civil rights, medicine, education, and the arts. As he approached retirement, Hornback ensured a smooth leadership transition by bringing in an associate leader, John Hoad, in 1980. Hoad, originally from the Unitarian ministry, formally succeeded Hornback and led the Society from 1980 until 1994. (Hornback himself retired as Leader in 1984 and was honored as Leader Emeritus until 1988.) Under John Hoad’s guidance, the Society maintained its vitality through the 1980s. He was known for popular and eloquent platform addresses and for strengthening the Society’s organizational structure. The community’s size remained robust – by 1983 membership stood around 450, making St. Louis one of the larger Ethical Societies in the nation at that time.

Throughout the 1980s and 90s, the Ethical Society expanded its facilities and programs to serve an active congregation. In 1990 the Society invested in practical improvements to its Clayton Road property, expanding the parking lot to accommodate growth and adding a new playground – a boon for families with children. By the late 1990s, the community’s needs had outgrown even the spacious 1964 building. The Society embarked on a capital campaign (spearheaded by then-Leader Judy Toth) to fund an expansion. In 1997, the congregation began offering a full summer schedule of Sunday programs for adults – moving beyond the earlier tradition of lighter summer activity – which demonstrated the membership’s commitment to year-round engagement. Around the same time, plans were laid for a building addition. Construction was completed in 1999 on a new west wing with additional meeting rooms, office space, a bright entry lobby, and an elevator for accessibility. This $733,000 project (approximately $1.08 million in 2018 dollars) was supported by generous member contributions. A particularly generous gift came from member Harold Hanke, for whom one of the new meeting rooms was dedicated. The expansion ensured the Ethical Society’s physical space could accommodate growing attendance, youth education classrooms, and community events into the 21st century.

Equally important was the flourishing of the Society’s core programs. The Sunday Platform remained the heart of community life – every week members and visitors gathered for a morning of music, reflection, and a keynote talk on ethics or social issues. In the 1970s and 80s, the Society’s platform addressed topics from humanist philosophy to current events, continuing to invite notable guest speakers alongside its own Leaders. Music also played a significant role; the Society long had a volunteer chorus and music director to lead songs or provide instrumental music during platforms, taking full advantage of the excellent acoustics and pipe organ in the auditorium. Youth education was a priority across generations. The Sunday School (earlier called the Sunday Assembly) had been running since the 1880s, but it evolved with the times. By the mid-20th century, the curriculum included comparative religion, ethical values, and service projects, giving children a broad grounding in humanistic ideals. The Society also sponsored a Boy Scouts troop in the 1920s and later offered a youth group for teens – reflecting an ongoing dedication to youth development. In 1968, the Society opened the Ethical Society Nursery School, a weekday preschool program that welcomed families from the community regardless of faith. This nursery school, founded as a program of the Society, provided a nonsectarian, play-based early childhood education and endures as a well-regarded preschool (it still operates independently today). In 1966, women of the Society formed the Tuesday Women’s Association (TWA), an outgrowth of a prior women’s auxiliary group. TWA became a vibrant group hosting lectures, book discussions, and service projects, and it remains one of the Society’s most active affiliates. Through such programs – from nursery school and Sunday school to women’s and seniors’ groups – the Ethical Society strengthened its internal bonds and extended its ethical ideals into the community.

Alongside education, social action was an increasing focus. The Society’s motto “Deed Before Creed” (emphasizing action over dogma) found expression in various initiatives. During the late 1990s and into the 2000s, the congregation engaged in organized social service projects. For example, in 2007 the Ethical Society “adopted” a project called Senior Connections, mobilizing members to befriend and support isolated seniors in the St. Louis area. That same year, the Society instituted “split collection” Sundays, wherein half of the weekly offering collection is donated to a different charity or cause chosen by the congregation – a tradition that both supports local nonprofits and educates members about community needs. These efforts built on a long legacy of outreach, from hosting public forums and civil rights discussions to partnering with service organizations. Many individual members of the Society have been influential in the region’s civic life as well. (For instance, former Missouri Lieutenant Governor Harriett Woods was an active friend of the Society and later an award recipient, and aerospace entrepreneur James S. McDonnell was a supportive member who helped establish the Society’s humanist awards.) By the end of the 20th century, the Ethical Society had firmly established itself as a leading voice of humanism in St. Louis – an institution known for ethical education, cultural programming, and progressive social values.

Leadership during this era saw a number of transitions, each bringing new energy and ideas. After John Hoad’s retirement in 1994, Rev. Fred Campbell, a Unitarian Universalist minister, served as an interim Leader for a year (1994–95). In that brief tenure, Rev. Campbell helped the congregation heal from the departure of a long-tenured leader and even planted the seeds for what became the Society’s Memory Garden decades later – he first suggested creating a memorial garden space for reflection and remembrance on the grounds (the beautiful Memory Garden would eventually be built and dedicated in 2011). In 1995 Judy Toth became the Society’s first female permanent Leader. She led until 2002, focusing on the practical growth of the Society. Judy Toth was instrumental in the successful capital campaign to expand the building, and as head of staff she managed to increase program offerings while only modestly increasing expenditures. She professionalized the Society’s operations by adding part-time staff to support the growing membership’s needs. Upon Judy Toth’s departure, Don Johnson was hired in 2002. Johnson had the unique distinction of being the only Ethical Culture Leader to have served both the New York Society (the founding congregation of the movement) and St. Louis. Though his time in St. Louis was short (2002–2005), Don Johnson brought a love of literature and poetry to his platform addresses and introduced new intellectual programming such as Great Books discussion groups. Each leader in this period left a mark – whether in strengthening finances, expanding the facility, or enriching the Society’s educational and cultural life.

One notable outreach effort in the early 2000s was the founding of a satellite congregation. In 2003, the Ethical Society of St. Louis helped establish the Ethical Society Mid Rivers, initially as a branch or “satellite” in the St. Charles County area to serve families farther west of the city. For several years, Mid Rivers operated under the auspices of the St. Louis Society, with St. Louis leaders and members providing support and platform talks. This experiment in spreading Ethical Culture eventually led to an independent community: by 2009 the Mid Rivers group had grown enough to become an independent Ethical Society in its own right. While Mid Rivers later closed in the 2010s, its establishment demonstrated St. Louis’s willingness to innovate and share Humanist congregational life with new audiences. The St. Louis Ethical Society also remained connected nationally. In 2001, it again hosted the annual AEU Assembly in St. Louis, as it had decades before. Delegates from Ethical Societies across the country gathered to exchange ideas – a recognition of the St. Louis Society’s prominence within the American Ethical Union federation. By the turn of the 21st century, the Ethical Society of St. Louis was both a historic congregation and a forward-looking one: rooted in over a century of tradition, yet continually evolving to meet the needs of its members and the challenges of modern society.

A Renewed Humanist Community (2000s–Present)

Entering the 21st century, the Ethical Society of St. Louis has embraced new opportunities and confronted new challenges, all while staying true to its Humanist values. In 2005 the Society welcomed Kate Lovelady as its next Leader. Kate Lovelady would go on to serve 15 years (2005–2020) and become one of the Society’s most beloved and influential Leaders in recent memory. Her tenure was marked by a focus on community growth, innovation in programming, and infrastructural improvement. Early in her leadership, the Society began recording and publishing podcasts of Sunday Platform addresses (starting in 2005), vastly extending the reach of its ideas beyond those who could attend in person. Under Kate’s guidance, the Society also established a Legacy Fund and Planned Giving program to encourage long-term financial support, securing the Society’s future. Lovelady oversaw major upgrades to the Society’s auditorium technology – in 2016 the aging lighting and audio-visual systems in the main hall were completely modernized, enhancing both in-person and online presentations. Perhaps Kate Lovelady’s most significant initiative was leading a campaign to expand the professional Ministry Team. She successfully argued that the growing St. Louis Society would be better served by two full-time Leaders, and in 2015 the congregation achieved that goal, becoming the only Ethical Society in the world to support two full-time clergy leaders. That year, the Society hired James Croft, a young educator with a doctorate in Human Development, as its new Outreach Director and second Leader. Croft, originally from England, brought tremendous energy and passion, especially for engaging young adults and the broader public. Together, Lovelady and Croft formed a dynamic team that helped the Society flourish in the late 2010s.

The Society also continued its tradition of connecting with the wider Ethical Culture movement and global humanism. In 2014, it marked the 50th anniversary of its Clayton Road building – half a century in Ladue – by reflecting on its legacy and renewing its space. Around that time the Society adopted a new governance structure (2014) to streamline operations and empower member committees. St. Louis again hosted the American Ethical Union Assembly in 2009 and in 2016, bringing national Ethical Culture leaders and members to the city. And in an effort to live out its values internationally, in 2014 the Society began funding four-year scholarships for girls to attend Ugandan Humanist Schools. (This was done in cooperation with the Uganda Humanist Schools Trust, reflecting the Society’s commitment to global humanist education and social justice.) Locally, new programs sprung up to serve particular demographics: in 2009 members launched the Young Ethicals group for adults in their 20s and 30s, creating a social and service outlet for younger members. In 2012, the Society founded the Ethical Navigators, an inclusive scouting-style program for kids of all genders that emphasizes outdoor activities, community service, and ethical values – a modern successor to the Boy Scout troop it had once sponsored, but now explicitly non-sectarian and welcoming to all. These developments show how the Ethical Society has continually refreshed its mission to remain relevant and responsive to contemporary needs.

In 2020, the Society faced one of its most dramatic challenges: the global COVID-19 pandemic. Just prior to the pandemic, there had been a planned leadership transition. Kate Lovelady decided to step down after a highly successful tenure; in mid-2020 she retired as Leader and was honored with the title Leader Emeritus. James Croft, who had been serving alongside her, assumed the role of sole Senior Leader in June 2020. Only weeks earlier, however, the spreading coronavirus had forced the Ethical Society – like all public institutions – to close its building doors. In March 2020 the Society’s beautiful meeting house fell quiet as in-person gatherings were suspended for safety. Leader James Croft and the staff swiftly pivoted to online programming: Sunday Platforms, classes, and even community socials moved to Zoom and YouTube live streams. Despite the unprecedented disruption, Croft’s leadership during 2020–2021 kept the community connected “while continuing to spread Humanism in the St. Louis area” in new ways. Members recall how James brought his trademark enthusiasm and charisma to virtual platforms, delivering “riveting, energetic” talks from an empty hall to a dispersed congregation online. In these pandemic years the Society truly lived up to its ideals of resilience and caring community, with members checking on one another and finding creative ways to maintain fellowship despite physical distance.

As the pandemic eased, the Society carefully reopened its building in 2021, adopting health and safety measures to welcome people back to face-to-face events. In 2022, James Croft concluded his service and returned to his home country of England. His departure left the Society in another period of transition. An Interim Ministry Team Director, Amy Miller, was appointed in 2023 to help guide the community’s renewal. Amy Miller is not an Ethical Culture Leader by background but a professional counselor and organizational consultant who has worked on facilitating healthy relationships and managing change. Her task has been to rejuvenate the Society after the isolating “COVID years,” helping rebuild membership and momentum. As of 2023–2024, the Ethical Society of St. Louis is conducting a search for its next permanent Leader to carry its mission forward into the future. The community remains active: Sunday Platform addresses continue (now in a hybrid format with both in-person and online attendance), and programs like the Tuesday Women’s Association, Ethical Navigators, and various social action teams are thriving once again.

Through all these changes, the core identity of the Ethical Society of St. Louis has endured. The Society today proudly describes itself as “a non-theistic, Humanist religious congregation” – a place where people come together to honor human dignity, cultivate ethical lives, and work for social change without reference to supernatural beliefs. It remains a member of the American Ethical Union and part of the movement founded by Felix Adler in 1876, making it one of the oldest continuously operating Ethical Society congregations. Locally, its impact over nearly 140 years is evident in the generations of St. Louisans who have been educated in its Sunday School, married in its halls, inspired by its platforms, and mobilized by its call to justice. From the days of Walter Sheldon preaching freethought in rented rooms, to the bustling community center of Sheldon Memorial Hall, to the modernist landmark on Clayton Road filled with song and reason, the Ethical Society of St. Louis has built a rich legacy. It has weathered periods of growth and decline, war and peace, social upheaval and pandemic – continually renewing itself as a “welcoming home to Humanists” dedicated to both personal ethical development and the betterment of society. As it moves through the 21st century, the Ethical Society stands as a clear, engaging, and respectful voice for humanist values in the St. Louis region, carrying forward the narrative of deed before creed that began in 1886.