ST. LOUIS — St. Louis University High School closed out the centennial celebration of its Oakland Avenue campus with the announcement Saturday of a $16 million donation — the largest in the history of the all-boys school, the oldest high school west of the Mississippi River.

The money, given by a 1970 graduate, has been earmarked to support faculty training, research and curriculum development, among other initiatives.

John Schaefer, 73, and his wife, Pamela Zilly, began speaking with SLUH leaders last fall about how to make the most impact on the school, which was founded in 1818.

“It’s investing in teaching and academic excellence,” said Schaefer, who grew up in Jennings and now lives in New York. “What you remember about high school is the teachers.”

The idea for the Sciuto Institut

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