celebraTion The UNDER THE SEA Trinity Leader Summer 2003 News for the Trinity Family WELCOME CLASS OF 2003! Trinity High School Nationally Recognized School of Excellence Louisville, Kentucky On Saturday, March 29, Trinity held its annual celebraTion dinner and auction. Here’s a look at the fun! (And there’s more on the inside back cover!) Suzanne (left) and Steve ’81 Higdon with Jeanne Winkler Sharon and Bill ’77 Spath David Power ’89 and Pat Murphy Bill H’03 and Angie H’03 Edelen OUR FIRST1 50 YEARS President’s Notebook By Dr. Robert (Rob) J. Mullen ’77 s years go, 1953 was a great location. Archbishop Floersh asked Monsignor Steinhauser to one for Louisville! begin the school in the abandoned Holy Trinity church and grade There are a number of school building. He promised that within a few years a new A indispensable Louisville in- school would be built just east of the campus on 20 acres that stitutions that are celebrating stretched from Shelbyville Road to the railroad tracks. We think 50-year anniversaries, such as GE’s Appli- the Archbishop was referring to the site that became the St. ance Park and the Crusade for Children. Matthews Sears department store. You can add Trinity to the list. Obviously, the move never materialized, and Trinity was left As I reach my mid-40s, the younger age 50 seems to be. As we to build a school on a meager nine acres. begin the yearlong celebration of the founding of Trinity 50 years I also recently learned that whenever Monsignor Steinhauser ago, I am enjoying all that we are learning about our beginning. wanted to build a building or improve the campus, he first had to While I consider us a young school, we get approval from pastors of the neigh- still have a remarkable story to tell. “Early decisions about boring parishes. I am sure this was an Lynn Olympia directs our school’s arduous process. archives and has conducted more than the school have had a I am not complaining about the reali- 100 interviews with those who are tremendous impact on ties of how this place was built. This familiar with Trinity. She is assisting campus, even with its limitations, is Dr. John Kleber ’59, Bob Pfaadt ’59 how we behave today.” what made sense at the time for a and Father George Kilcourse ’65 in church that was experiencing rapid writing our history book. If we do not growing pains. In fact, I believe our encounter any delays, it will be pub- humble beginnings have made us more lished in May 2004. Information from resourceful than if we had been given many of her interviews will find its way more elaborate surroundings. into our book. Examining some of the earliest correspondence about the She also has been providing me a routine supply of information school sheds more light on our beginning and the framework about our past. Coupled with what I learn by attending our class upon which the school was built. reunions, I have gained an invaluable sense of who we are. My The announcement of a new school came in two sentences in appreciation for where we came from and how we have evolved a letter to parish priests, dated April 8, 1953: “As you know, our is becoming frequent fodder for talks and presentations I give to Catholic high schools anticipate an increased enrollment in various groups. I believe it is critical that we understand our roots September. May we ask you, therefore, to announce to your and the journey we have taken. Early decisions about the school pupils that a placement test for incoming freshmen will be have had a tremendous impact on how we behave today. held...at the former Holy Trinity grade school.” Our founder, For example, we spend a lot of time improving our campus. It Monsignor Alfred Steinhauser, signed the letter. is fair to say what we have been trying to do is not the ideal way These two sentences speak volumes if you examine them more to build a high school campus. We are just dealing with the real- closely. First and foremost, the letter stated that a placement test ities of our beginnings. would be administered. Note that the letter did not call it an Trinity was founded at a time of rapid expansion of churches “entrance exam.” From the first day, Trinity has welcomed all and schools in the Archdiocese. The postwar years were a boom those who have expressed an interest in enrolling. We have never time, and the church felt the impact. A look east of Newburg artificially set a minimum score that had to be achieved on the Road and south of the Watterson Expressway will attest to the placement test in order to enroll. This flows from our founding growth of Catholic schools and parishes from 1950 forward. The as an Archdiocesan high school. We were begun as a school that list of East End parishes built in the 1950s includes St. Barnabas would serve the entire Archdiocese without restrictions on geog- (1953), St. Gabriel (1953), St. Leonard (1953), St. Pius X (1956), raphy, creed, race and, most importantly, the intellectual St. Albert the Great (1959) and Mother of Good Counsel (1959). strengths or weaknesses of the applicant. As a Catholic school — An important decision was made early on by the Archdiocese with both the large and small “C” — I wouldn’t have it any other about Trinity. The ramifications of this decision are still being way! We are better for opening our doors to all who seek our felt today. In researching our history, we have unearthed docu- advantages. I take great pride in the fact that some of our most ments revealing that Trinity was never intended to stay in this continued on next page 1953 2 2003 President’s Notebook continued from page 1 loyal, generous and staunchest supporters — alumni and their The Class of 2003 graduated on May 25 and joined the grow- parents — are ones who were welcomed with open arms. ing ranks of Trinity alumni. They experienced many changes at Housing the new school in the abandoned school and church Trinity during their four years. The sound of construction equip- building left by Holy Trinity Parish caused the first teachers and ment was a constant presence from the day they entered. The parents to be very resourceful. They had to make do. Early year- R.W. Marshall Sports Center opened in October of their fresh- books are filled with pictures of the first teachers painting, fixing man year. The new Shamrock Hall opened as they started their and repairing. The original grade school building, what we now call sophomore year. The east extension of Floersh Hall opened in Old Trinity Hall, has been modernized with a new heating and cool- the spring of that year. They returned as juniors to find the third- ing system, computer data drops, telephones in each classroom, the floor connection between Floersh and Sheehan halls, a renovated W. Peter Flaig Library Media Center, three computer labs, new ceil- Chapel and Steinhauser Gymnasium, a new heating and air con- ings and lights, handicap accessibility, etc. I still enjoy visiting ditioning system, and remodeled classrooms throughout the those classrooms and seeing the original blackboards remaining at campus. We broke ground on Duerr Hall during their senior year. their grade school height. Our meager beginnings forced us to be Along the way, we also added ice hockey, lacrosse, powerlifting resourceful. We have learned to be excellent stewards. and bowling teams. Two new computer labs and a remodeling of A short paragraph written May 13, 1953 by “Steiny” to the the existing three labs were completed. Three new members Kentucky Board of Education included this sentence: “I would were added to the counseling staff. Campus Ministry added more like very much to discuss with you in the near future certain mat- retreats and worship experiences. The House System was inau- ters pertaining to a new high school we hope to open in gurated. More than 30 new teachers were added to our staff — September.” Besides his very gracious tone, I suspect the short most with master’s degrees and many years of teaching experi- nature of the letter reflects the hurried pace he was on in order to ence elsewhere. Property was acquired, including a wonderful start a brand new school. Within a few weeks, he traveled to gift of a 100-acre wetlands. Frankfort and set in motion the steps necessary for Trinity students Still though, I think we maintained the aims expressed by to be granted a diploma that would satisfy state requirements. Monsignor Steinhauser at the first parent meeting held August In today’s public relations-driven world it is comical to read a 18, 1953. To that first gathering of parents he made three short letter Steiny wrote on July 29 that year to the Catholic promises. newspaper, The Record. In what appears to be an almost plead- First, he promised that all working at the school “Would not ing tone, he writes, “I would be grateful for a fairly prominent only do an ordinary high school job, but the best of which we are announcement so that the Catholics of Louisville may all be capable.” Second, he promised that Trinity would “Regard the aware of the new school’s existence.” No press releases, no job as a joint project between home and school.” Third, he media blitzes, no extravagant ceremonies. promised that “Good, Christian, American training will loom as The next day he wrote a letter to a Xaverian Brother, “Mark.” important as scholastic work.” Steiny noted that...“the day after mailing the letter to you, I learned I wish Steiny were still alive.