‘It was a good place;’ Crews demolish historic Catholic school in Dayton

DAYTON — Emotions were high on Wednesday as people watched crews demolish a historic Catholic school in East Dayton.

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As reported Wednesday on News Center 7 at 6:00, the school originally opened in 1915, but closed this spring.

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati said it would have cost too much to repair the building, according to a previous News Center 7 report.

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“Do you feel like you are losing a part of you and your family?” News Center 7′s Nick Foley asked Peggy Craighead.

“Oh yes, it’s breaking my heart,” she answered. “Breaking my heart.”

More than a century of history was ripped apart and left falling to the ground on Wednesday. Generation after generation passed through the walls of St. Anthony’s School.

However, after assessing needed repairs at more than $13 million, the parish and Archdiocese of Cincinnati decided that demolition was the best option.

Many like former preschool teacher Diane Flohre believe there should have been another way.

“East end Dayton, I mean I’m very proud of where I live. It’s still okay but this was a big solid foundation here and it’s like a big part of the neighborhood is literally demo,” she told Foley.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Historic Catholic school set to close in Dayton

Craighead also worked at the school and remains a parishioner at St. Anthony’s. She said a huge portion of her family’s roots are connected to the school.

“We moved here 30 years ago and the reason we moved here was for this school and this parish. I’m currently still a member. I walk to church. My kids went to school here, it was a good place,” she said. “This is part of my family, part of my life. And it’s the kids really that’s what you miss and it is a building but it’s what the building embodied.”

The bulk of the demolition is expected to continue throughout November, according to a St. Anthony’s bulletin.

There will be a service parking lot sometime in the spring.

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