New St. Mary's preserves some of old school's history

St. Mary's Catholic School students and teachers applaud and cheer when Mid-Continental Restoration employees Josh Rausher (left) and Jim Gladbach (right) finished installing a special medallion above the door of the new school building on Monday morning. The medallion is one of several ornamental pieces that was salvaged from the old building and used again in the construction of the new facility. (Rayma Silvers/Tribune photo)

St. Mary's Catholic School students and teachers cheered and clapped as a medallion was placed onto the new school building.

The school's student body watched intently Monday as Mid-Continental Restoration employees Josh Rauscher and Jim Gladbach positioned an ornamental decoration into place above the door on the new school building, located at 716 S. Eddy. The medallion, which depicts the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus, was salvaged from the old school building before the structure was demolished in June 2008 because of age and termite infestation.

In addition to the medallion, school officials preserved two Alpha and Omega stones which were also affixed above the new building's door, according to St. Mary's Catholic School Principal Krista Gorman. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church Parish Construction Project Coordinator George Montgomery said some of the brick and stones used on the building were first used on the original school built in 1864, which also housed a hospital and the church.

In 1923, when the first building was replaced, the church recycled the bricks and stones by using them in the construction of a new school. Now that the 1923 building is gone, the building that stands in its place carries with it the heritage of the Catholic church's progress through the years, according to parish member Jim Halsey.

"The old school building had a historical design," Halsey said. "We designed the entrance (of the new building) in a way to simulate the old structure. The medallion and the stone that says St. Mary's were all a part of the old building. It all looks similar to what the old building looked like."

Halsey, who used to be the president of Mid-Continental Restoration before he retired, has been helping to oversee the construction of the new school building. He said the new building was created to resemble the former school because many members of the parish are sentimental about the church's buildings. Preserving the school's historical features is so important to school officials that even the bottom of the new structure has been lined with cement blocks, giving it a look similar to that of the old school, according to Gorman.

"There is a lot of sentimental value for the parishioners as well as myself," Halsey said. "I didn't go to school here, but I had two sons and two daughters who went to school here."

Although a definite project completion date has yet to be determined, both Gorman and Montgomery said they expect to be able to begin conducting classes in the new building sometime in the near future.