Tuesday a very sad event began taking place here in my city. It was the demolition of my elementary and high school building, the building that from 1974-2004 housed Dayton Christian Schools. I attended kindergarten through 4th grade here, then shuffled over to a different building for middle school (where I met Bobby), and then back to this glorious building for high school.
I won’t use their pictures, but if you have just a minute I hope you’ll click here to see this gallery from the Dayton Daily News of some beautiful pictures of the building as I remember it.
The building was first opened in 1927 as the Julienne Catholic Girls High School. From 1927-1973 high school girls got a Catholic education there. The Sisters who ran the school lived in the convent that was attached to the high school building. In 1974, Julienne merged with the boys’ Catholic high school, Chaminade, and Dayton Christian found a home in the “Julienne building”. The Catholic church de-consecrated it for us Protestants but it was still sacred to most of us who walked it’s halls thereafter.
The convent where the nuns lived was converted into the elementary school. So, our bathrooms had tubs in them which was a little weird but for the most part it was like any elementary – just much more beautiful. The chapel (there is a picture on that gallery I linked to, I hope you’ll look at it) in the elementary was the nuns’ chapel, and it was gorgeous. Absolutely breathtaking, and I have SUCH special memories of that room. We had chapel in there once a week, and it was where I learned to worship as a child. I learned it at church, too, of course, but also at school. We had such fun chapel services conducted by people who wanted to help kids learn about God in a fun way. So, that room is very special to me, and it’s beauty still speaks to me, even though it’s gone.
I can’t count the number of times I walked up and down this hallway…isn’t it beautiful? The building won all kinds of awards when it was designed, and was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, although that did not save it from demolition. It was just a beautiful, beautiful place. It not only had the arched windows you see here but plenty of stained glass, a lovely courtyard, and pretty marble-ish floors.
It was a gorgeous place to go to school.
But it outlived it’s usefulness, and now it’s gone.
In 2004, after Dayton Christian moved out of the building, which was basically too expensive to maintain because of it’s age, Dayton Public Schools bought it. They used it for a couple of years to house Stivers School for the Arts, a 7-12 grade school whose own old beautiful building WAS being saved from demolition and was going through huge renovations. After Stivers was done, it sat empty, and Dayton Public decided to demo it. The neighborhood association and Julienne alumni fought hard to save it, but to no avail. It’s very sad.
But it’s not why I’m upset. Because I’ll always have my memories.
What upsets me is that as I was looking through the pictures of my old school on the Dayton Daily News website, I also read every single article pertaining to the demolition that they had on their front page, like this one and the captions of the gallery linked to above, and all these articles called the building “the Julienne building” and mentioned that it was “most recently home to Stivers School for the Arts”.
Not one mention was made of the fact that from 1974-2004, Dayton Christian Schools owned and used that building. THIRTY YEARS, as if they never happened. Thousands of graduates, forgotten. It’s despicable. Despicable, despicable, despicable.
It seems to me that Dayton Daily only prints news about Dayton Christian if it is negative. And since for the thirty years DC was in that building, it was a positive thing for the building and the neighborhood, there was of course, no mention of it even though it was clearly relevant to the background of this story.
Let me tell you something, Dayton Daily News. That building was important to ME. And not because it was beautiful and historic, but because I went to school there – Dayton Christian School. For THIRTY YEARS that was the Dayton Christian building. And you act like it NEVER HAPPENED. That’s some crack journalism there. Really. Way. To. Go.
When you fail to mention DC, you make a glaring omission in the history of the building in question. Stivers only occupied the building for two years and yet they always make the cut. Why gloss over thirty years of top-notch education that was done there? It doesn’t make any sense, and actually it’s completely and totally FREAKING RIDICULOUS.
Tuesday when I griped on my Facebook status about the Dayton Daily News’ gross error in their coverage, one of my friends commented, “useless newspaper.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. And I mean that in the most Christian way possible.
I was weepy after looking at your photo galleries the other night, Dayton Daily, but now I’m just pissed. (Yes, Christians get pissed. Sometimes even righteously.) You took thirty years of good and made it into nothing. You really pulled one over on us Christ-ers, great job. Did you think we wouldn’t notice?
I am thoroughly disgusted.
You can gloss over our memories but you can’t make them go away.
What do you think, DC Alumni? I hope you’ll share a special memory of OUR building in the comments. And maybe tell DDN where to stick it. In the most Christian way possible.
____________
I ganked those photos from Flickr. Click on the images for the credit. Please don’t sue me random guy from Flickr, I’m totes broke.
So sad that the DDN failed to mention this. It was a beautiful building full of wonderful people. It has been a sad few days for me as it is torn down. So many great memories of the place and the people who invested into making us who we are.
It was such a beautiful building. I just can’t believe that the best option was to get rid of it. You’re right though- lots of good memories, and that’s the important part. Also — the Dayton Daily News stinks.
I am not defending the paper, but I do have one thought. Oftentimes, things like this are caught by great copy editors, ones who not only know all their grammar, etc., but also know the history of the community in which they work. It’s my understanding that the DDN runs a universal copydesk that works not only on the DDN but also several other papers published throughout southwest Ohio. The copy desk is asked to do more than ever. Also, this published online, and who knows what kind of quality controls exist there. I think newspapers will ultimately suffer because of cost-cutting moves that impact quality. Maybe I am wrong, but from my experience in media I often think that these kinds of oversights are often quality issues rather than biases.
I laughed out loud while reading your post, and teared up, too. I don’t have the same feelings for my high school building, but I know a lot of DC grads and you all must have had a great time there! It’s so sad that DC’s legacy was neglected. I think one of the DDN reporters should pick up this story and do a DC feature to make up for this blatant neglect.
– Windows that would slam down unexpectedly and wake everyone in class up.
– Running up 3 flights of stairs, across the 3rd floor, down 3 flights of stairs, across the basement, repeat for 20 minutes (basketball and track practice).
– Monday night basketball practices (my favorite) because we practiced after the boys varsity team, so we would sit in on the last part of their practice to watch.
– The gym floor that was JUST big enough for a basketball court, but not big enough for the first row of bleachers to have any leg room.
– Sitting on the steps next to the parking lot after school, and saying bye to all your friends.
– Sitting in the parking lot every morning with Teri House and singing songs at the top of our lungs.
– Watching Andrea West accidentally careen out of her parking spot in the morning–and barrel down the hill before getting stopped by a tree.
– Lots and lots of prayer with Mr. Burkard in the annex rooms above the cafeteria.
– The home ec room where we first listened to the new DC Talk song, “Jesus Freak”, and Mrs. Scott telling us that we had to turn it off “because it was worse than the music I listened to in the 70s”.
– The cafeteria where I made new friends when I came out of a horrible public middle school experience. In that cafeteria, I was asked on my first date, saw the racial divide when the OJ Simpson verdict was announced, and had some of the best cookies I have ever eaten (wrapped in cellophane).
– The courtyard where all my spring banquets were held, and where I ate lunch every day of my Senior year.
– The beautiful auditorium where countless amazing DC plays and musicals were created. I can never go to another high school play again–I was spoiled.
YES!! The melty chocolate chip cookies were the BEST! And I have soo many awesome memories of play/musical practice late at night in that old building. The performances themselves too are a highlight for me.
Very beautifully written Jenny. My mother is always telling me that nothing lasts forever but God’s love. I KNOW that but I did NOT want to hear that on Tuesday! I drove over on my lunch hour and watched them demolishing the elementary side. It appeared that the starting point was where the letters were that read “Dayton Christian Schools”. Great place to start, huh?!?! I am heart sick.
I drove by a couple of weeks ago with my daughter and her friend. I was pointing out….”That is the gym, there is the auditorium, those windows up above were the home ec class.” Emsley asked what home ec was! I guess they no longer teach that in schools this day and age, huh? Anyway, so many memories….Miss Scott’s classes, the smell of the auditorium and many, many study halls sitting in those old seats, Mrs. Casement’s office, basketball games in that old gym, oh and never will forget those half baked chocolate chip cookies wrapped in cellophane!
Oh tender years……..
Jenny,
I was thinking the exact same way. I was looking through the article, and could not believe my eyes when I could not find one single mention of Dayton Christian Schools. They were good years for me, even though I only went to High School there. Thanks for this blog post. Just so you know, I’m alright with you getting pissed:) It is definitely warranted.
Thanks also to Allison for sharing this on Facebook. (just so I don’t look like some creeper:)
God bless…
Matt Morrison
Thanks for your comment Matt! Creeper, you crack me up! Hope you are well!
Did you see the front page of the DDN on Wednesday after demolition started? There was a picture of Erin White (I think) and her son standing outside the fence watching the demolition…but they DID mention that she had attended school there when it was “Dayton Christian”!! Little consolation, though ;(.
Thanks for the great sentiments!
I didn’t see the hard copy. That picture (Jessica White) was online with no caption. Thanks for letting me know. That’s good at least.
A couple of things:
DDN has always been useless.
Dayton as a city, has a terrible problem with tearing down historic buildings. e.g. All the Victorians that fell for Sinclair College and US 35, and don’t get me started on RIKES! Frankly, I may just come UP there and chain myself to Memorial Hall!
And, not to be too picky, you’re a Baptist, not a Protestant.
Just sayin’
UP
I’m a Daytonian by birth, and I just wanted to virtually give you a high-five for this comment, UP. Dayton (I am referring to Dayton as a sentient being here), with its extremely rich history, seems to always have one thumb on the wrecking ball. I worked at Carillon Park all throughout high school, and it used to make me sad that so many of the iconic buildings and artifacts that the city should have owned were either (1. in Michigan at the Ford Museum or (2. Destroyed, gone, vanished, demolished.
I love this post, Jenny…
Chrissy I KNOW why the crap did Orville Wright sell his childhood home to Henry Ford? Breaks my heart! My husband complains about the demolition of Steele High School on a regular basis even though it was demolished before we were ever born. There used to be all those gorgeous Victorian houses that 75 going thru downtown obliterated. SO many old gorgeous houses in the city are now decrepit because of the daggone suburbs…I hate suburbs.
It gets me SO fired up. I am just waiting for the day that they tear down my beloved, and much performed in (Muse Machine, what what) Victoria Theatre because the Shuster Center is pulling in more dough.
Orville was an ODD little man. If I ever run into you in Dayton, let’s sit down at the Boston Stoker on Brown and I’ll tell you all sorts of weird things I learned about the Wright Family during my tenure at Carillon. Weird!
And it BOTHERS me that Deeds Barn is rotting in Moraine while the newish, replica building is sitting pretty. It.doesn’t.make.sense.
Chrissy, I am such a Dayton history nerd that I am jealous that you worked at Carillon. Yes please let’s meet up. Although the Boston Stoker on Brown closed. :/ Downtown? There’s a couple cool coffee shops on Wayne now…anyhoo, if it ever happens it will be epic nerdery! I did an independent study my senior year of college…I wrote a documentary about John Henry Patterson! YES I DID ! Dayton History Nerds UNITE!
What else in D8N is closed? Is Dayton itself closed, now? WHAT THE H&LL!?
I would like to see said documentary!! I am fascinated by the history, still…
My grandfather just passed away, and his basement is FULL of NCR and Dayton history stuff. He was a guard at NCR, and the man he inherited his house from (his best friend and neighbor) worked with Orville to develop some sort of piston or something for Orville’s early war planes. Anyway, you would just pass out at the stuff in this basement.
Working at Carillon was an irreplaceable experience. They’ve put robots and stuff in the visitor’s center and other buildings now instead of tour guides, which makes me sad! But it’s still such a cool place.
I forgot all the old NCR buildings with Shakespeare carved at the top!
UP
Wait, wait. I thought the Deeds barn was now relocated AT Carillon Park? Is that a replica? Shoot!
And I am likewise jealous and may crash your history party… whenever you girls figure out where you are having it.
UP, the school was non-denominational protestant. that’s what I was referring to. clearly I know what I am. sheeeeeeeeeesh.
I will always remember the plays and musicals at DC. Some of my best memories from High School took place on that stage! I also have fond memories of the art room in the basement of the elementary school. I believe it was the laundry room for the convent. I spent four years in that basement being taught by one of the best high school art teachers ever, Mr Chamberlin! We really were blessed to attend such an awesome school!
Maybe it’s because I’m a teacher that I remember the teacher’s best. I know the layout of the school in my mind because I remember to whom each of those classrooms belonged. I equated basements with fun since I got to have art and drafting class with Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Whiteford. I loved looking out at the huge trees outside Mr. Kurtz’s window. It felt inspiring enough to make me actually like grammar. Senora Shumacher hated all the excess noise from the courtyard that spilled into her inside room. But whatever was going on out there was a nice break from figuring out Spanish. I loved how Miss Scott made her corner of the building seem like you were going to her own personal apartment, complete with a huge kitchen. And with the salaries those teachers accepted, some of them probably needed to live there just to make ends meet. It was a great building. It was pretty. But it was made all the more beautiful because of the investment those teachers made in the hundreds of students that studied there. It’s hard to see the building gone. But to be honest, no one else would appreciate it as we do. And it would be harder still to see the building uncared for, falling into disrepair. As a side note, my grandfather and dad used to mow the lawn and care for the grounds for several years before I was ever a student there. I always felt that was such a special way of making the school seem like it belonged to us. We invested in the school. They invested in us. Based on how God has used that education in amazing ways in my life, I’d say I got the better end of the deal. God is so good!
I’m so sorry. I’m sure that was such a loss to the community and you personally.
I am green with envy that Corey Feldman reads your blog. I guess I’ll just have to settle for Miss USA, Kim Seelbrede and Kim Kardashian.
Oh well.
UP
Well I am the REAL Corey Feldman, but I’ve never been in an 80’s movie
“like”
Will the real Corey Feldman please stand up?
I’m slim but not shady
I only visited it once, but it was really beautiful. Sad to see it gone!
I haven’t looked at DDN on purpose in years because it always angers me with its politically biased “news” and misleading, emotionally-charged stories. (They post untrue junk about my employer all the time!) It’s a shame that they didn’t mention DCS, and personally, I suspect it was on purpose. DDN’s political leanings are not friendly to Christians or conservatives.
I felt the first sparks of real love fly in that very hallway 17 years ago! It was a pretty building even though one of the second floor windows nearly decapitated me.
I totally agree about the DDN too.
When the school was Julienne and Dayton Christian, it was a great stabilizing factor in the neighborhood. That school, meaning the teachers and staff that worked there, helped make my children who they are. A wonderful legacy has been left by those who built and planned that wonderful building for Christian education from 1927 into the future.
that is so LAME that they left out the beautiful history behind your school. but that is the sadness of today, too. everything Christian (especially Catholic – I’m a Catholic and everyone seems to be anti-Catholic these days 🙁 very sad) seems to be left out. If anything has to deal with God, no one needs to hear about it? Funny. I thought that is exactly what this AMAZING country was originally founded on.
your school is a beautiful one and I hope the media will realize their mistake so the memories of Dayton Christian can live on within your community as well.
This truly saddened me this week, as well. My mom sent me some pics and I wasn’t expecting the emotions that would follow. Took me a few days to respond to this as I thought and thought some more about all the great memories. I grew up in the Five Oaks neighborhood and my parents still live there…it won’t be the same driving by any more.
*North Elementary – Listening to Mrs. Reide read The Boxcar Children; chorus concerts with our blue skirts and white vests (specifically remember singing Jesus, Name Above All Names); in chapel, singing Father, I Adore You, Rejoice In The Lord Always, The Lord Is My Sheperd – I’ll Walk With Him Always; listening to Mrs. Polaski (I think was her name) read stories in chapel and singing Give Me Oil In My Lamp with her…clearly the singing was important to me! I also remember in 4th grade doing a report on Fanny Crosby and then part of my report was dressing up like her and singing Blessed Assurance in the chapel. Seems like I have a faint memory of singing a solo part of the song, “Germs, Germs, My Invisible Friend” once, too; *getting* to go to the clinic when needed…Mrs. Holsinger and Mrs. Keller were so sweet!; walking through the corridor that connected the elementary to the high school and thinking how big the older kids were when we’d walk by; getting to go to the Fine Arts fair (specifically remember the balloon hats and subs you could by…one year I think I even got to help make those subs); the prayer walks we had in the wooded area in front of the school. Probably one of my most fun memories was one that came about by having a parent that worked in the building. After school, if we were done with homework, my sister and I would make paper dolls. We spent countless hours making those and would hang them all around her walls, complete with names. I also remember occassionaly getting paid to stuff envelopes. I know DC had a mail room, but what a clever, inexpensive way to keep us kids occupied!
High School: (Allison), I had to laugh at the comment made about those stairs…I too, remember those stairs all too well. That and the runs from the high school up to Salem Ave. and back. I remember watching the boys practice also, but we’d watch from that little window across from Mr. Pyle’s room; By this time, my mom had moved to working in the high school. Was so nice to be able to drop in whenever I wanted/needed to. Also, whenever one of my friend’s would have a b-day, one of us would bake a strawberry cake with vanilla frosting and bring it to school. On those days, we’d crowd into my mom’s office and dig into the 9×13 cake still in the pan with our forks…forget the plates. This is a special memory since one of those dear friends (whom I met in those high school walls) is Home now. I French class with Madam Ruegseggor and Bible with Mr. Pittman and Mr. Pyle (where I filled out a paper I still have about the qualites I want in a future husband). Of course, Mr. Kurtz always made English a fun learning experience…I’ll never forget acting out MacBeth with him (he hid behind the podium and only had his head showing w/ me grabbing his hair). I could go on and on with all the staff and name many more names…I appreciate all their sacrifice over the years. And I’ll end with sharing that I nodded my head in agreement over those cookies! Those were, oh, soo good!
I’m adding some pictures to my FB account. Someone I know went and checked out the inside of the building during demo, and gave me their pictures. 🙂
Wow, that is SO sad that the building was demolished! It was such a beautiful and unique building. I went to high school there, and actually lived down the street (on Kenilworth) for my last year and a half. Lots of good memories, and the best quality education of my life! I actually found this post googling different combinations……I was for some reason listening to the old “Deep Breakfast” album on youtube today and it took me right back to Home Ec with Miss Scott, who played it almost every day the semester I took that class as we worked. So, I was googling Miss Scott, DC, Home Ec and this led me to your post. I’m glad I saw it…..my mother taught there as well, and will also be super sad to hear that it’s gone. Looking at the picture gallery sure brings back the memories……I can almost close my eyes and smell it.