St. Anthony Grade School Demolition - June 1st, 2009 - Day 1
Demolition starts on the East end of the old building. This was the newest addition that occurred in the 1950's.
This is the North-East corner of the old grade school on the corner of Virginia Ave & 2nd Street.
The North wall is torn down.
The black portion on the top of the building is the flat rubber roof.
The roof caves in.
The East wall is removed.
The South-East corner is knocked down.
A large portion of the South-East corner falls off the building. The new grade school is within 12 feet of the old.
A couple hours in, the steel beam used to knock down the walls twists under pressure.
Crawling up the pile, the top floor is completely gone.
The East addition almost completely gone. The classroom chalk boards can still be seen mounted on the walls.
Father Leo Enlow has an interview with WICS TV from Springfield. It will air on Tuesday, June 2nd on the 5 & 6 o'clock news.
Bud Althoff is also interviewed as a past graduate of St. Anthony Grade School.
Several graduates of the last class to finish at the old St. Anthony Grade School are interviewed by WICS.
Starting the demolition of the 1941 addition.
Two classrooms exposed of the 1941 addition.
Another wall comes down. This was an exterior wall prior to the 1950's addtion.
Almost half of the 1941 addition has been removed. The new St. Anthony Grade School emerges from behind the old.
End of Day 1 - Assessing the progress.
End of Day 1 - These were Mrs. O'Brien's and Mrs. Burton's homerooms this year.
End of Day 1 - Another shot. The hole to the bottom left is the kitchen area.
End of Day 1 - The enormous heap of metal that has been pulled out of the building along with all the brick.