“Once Upon A Time…. “ This year, as our school turns 100 years old, we will recount an occasional story from our past. Today, we share a page from Father Allouez Catholic School history that reminds us of the very generous shoulders (and floors) we stand on! We will title it, “IF THIS FLOOR COULD TALK.”
Father Allouez Catholic School’s history stretches back 100 years, with its beginnings at St. Matthew Parish in 1925. The founding parishioners felt a great commitment to build their community in every fashion, including the bricks and mortar of a proper church and parish school. The original cream-colored brick combination church and school (built in 1924/25) was just east of the Parish Center, where St. Matthew Campus staff now park (black and white photo exterior shot). As the 1950s arrived, patient parishioners were thrilled that their steadfast resourcefulness and commitment were finally coming to fruition with the new red brick church and school. If you weren’t aware, the ‘new’ church was the space where our current gym and stage are (see black and white interior photo with caption from 1960’s). The church was completed, and move-in was the week before Christmas, 1952. Even then, the vision was that eventually, when there were adequate funds, this space would become the school’s gymnasium and stage, and a new permanent church would be built on the property. Many years passed, but loyal parishioners continued to believe that one day the plan would become reality. Finally, in the new millennium, after 50 years – and 80 years since the parish’s founding – St. Matthew’s current Church and Gathering Space were dedicated in May 2003, with great celebration and a spirit of profound gratitude!
At the same time, something else was taking place: major updates to the school, building upgrades, and the installation of an elevator! One of the most exciting aspects of the project was the conversion of the former church space into the gym and stage, as always envisioned. Our students would now have a proper place for physical education and fine arts, AND they would finally have a ‘home court’ in athletics! This is when the unexpected occurred. As the layers of flooring in the church – linoleum, carpet, and adhesives – were removed, a beautiful maple wood gym floor was revealed: quite a surprise for the 21st-century planners and parishioners. Indeed, the contractors remarked that the quality and thickness of the wood were of a much better grade than what they might have installed. Until then, no one involved was aware that back in the 1950s, the good parishioners had made certain that a legitimate gymnasium floor was in place for when the day came for the school to get its gym and the parish its proper church! We suspect those earlier parishioners were smiling from above when, after 50 years, that gym floor would finally get its voice: the sound of balls and whistles and sneakers and kids, teachers, coaches, and parents enjoying all the fun of P.E. and athletics! In fact, that first year in the new gym, our Class of 2004 Boys Basketball Team had a remarkable 16-0 season and won the League Championship. In the 21 years since, our gym has been home to so much enjoyment.
This brings us to the present. After two decades of use, it was time to strip and refinish the floor. It was also the perfect opportunity to update the center court with our FACS Wolf logo (St. Matthew and Resurrection Schools merged to become Father Allouez Catholic School in 2016), and to line the court in school colors. In recent weeks, the company working on the floor refinishing, commented on the great quality of the wood. 
And now that the job is completed, the beautiful gym floor — so unselfishly created in 1952 — is once again alive with the sounds of balls and whistles and sneakers and sports. Thank you, good people of 70 years ago, for making sure of it!
For 50+ years this floor was the literal foundation for thousands of masses, and important life events, and for the past 22 years, as a wonderful gymnasium and ‘house’ for performances.
“If this floor could talk.” How sacred indeed.
