Do you recognize the green tile floor above? If you do, you must be an older alumnus. If not, I would figure you must be a younger alumnus.
From 1953 to 1992, we had hard flooring in all campus buildings. The picture above was in the old high school principal’s office with a storage room. By chance, I spotted this original floor in 2024. Also, I saw the old floor still visible in the kitchen’s storage room in the Social Hall.
Around 1992, ninety-nine percent of the old hard floor was covered with carpets. Superintendent Ken Randall (1989-1998) made an administrative decision to install thin carpets throughout the campus for one big reason: People with “hard” shoes make noises as they walk, which bothers those who wear hearing aids.
The color of the hard floor was green with scattered black trims, as seen in the above picture. There were two exceptions. The floor color in the Brill Administration Building was black with scattered white trims.
The other was a dual color scheme of green and white in the lobby room of the Social Hall. See the picture above, taken from the yearbook. The guy standing on the left is Dr. Brill. The next guy is probably David Mc Garry. The lady on the left is Mrs. Ruth Brill. The next lady is probably Miss Helen Toner, one of the first seven teachers in February 1953.
The above picture is another proof of the hard floor in the library. I think the books arranged on the long tables were for the annual book fair.
I made a surprise discovery at Notre Dame High School, a mile from CSDR on Arlington Ave. I teach ASL part-time at the school. By chance, I saw the old hard floor in the small janitorial room with the same color choice as CSDR’s. The ND school opened in 1956, only three years after CSDR’s opening. I noticed several building materials were the same at both schools. Very interesting.
This type of floor was selected for the new school. Today, people are aware that asbestos is a dangerous material that could be harmful if inhaled. In the 1950s, we were less aware of its inherent dangers. If tiles are not broken, they pose no threat to the lungs.
This is an old advertisement from the 1940s for a new type of floor that looks shiny and clean. Vinyl tile became a popular choice for schools, offices, and homes. It was affordable, and if maintained regularly with wax, the flooring could last 100 years.
The vinyl tiles were hardy and could withstand heavy foot traffic, drink spills, and other liquid substances.
The old-timers remember walking on shiny and hard floors everywhere. Janitors applied wax on the floor once a week to show its luster.
While I understand Dr. Randall’s reasoning for installing carpet campuswide to reduce step noises, I miss the hard flooring.
Kevin Struxness, ‘76
Editor, CSDR Old Times
26 January 2025
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