Bishop Noll’s Centennial History Committee works to tell stories of past 100 years
To prepare for the Centennial celebration, President Paul Mullaney ’77 put together a committee of Bishop Noll historians past and present to create a definitive history of the past 100 years. The history will be presented in various forms throughout the celebration, including a history book written and put together by the committee and a documentary currently in production. Both are to be released in the summer of 2021.
The committee, which began its work in early 2019, includes Terry McMahon Putz ’66, Tom Golden ’70, Mary Ann Necastro Golden, Wallene Swentko ’63, Rev. Dominic Bertino and former history teacher John Trafny. The committee is rounded out by current Bishop Noll employees Jen Florek, communications specialist for the Advancement Department, and Mullaney.
The entire committee meets once a month to share research.
History committee member Terry McMahon Putz has enjoyed learning about Catholic Central/Bishop Noll’s early years and reuniting with past co-workers.
After graduating from Noll in 1966, Putz returned as an English teacher during the 1971-72 school year and taught until 1977-78 school year. After starting her family, she returned in the 1980s and then again in 2001 when BNI called and asked if she would take over the JourNoll. She retired from Noll in 2007. She has a passion for genealogy and taught Mullaney in journalism, so she seemed a perfect fit for a committee that would research the BNI Family and tell its story. Putz has been the primary writer of the early decades of history and is now in the process of editing with her classmate, Mary Niemiec Bednarek, a professional editor.
“I am finding such interesting stories about the beginning years of Catholic Central High School that I had not been aware of before and meeting interesting alumni and hearing their stories: students going to school during the second year in The Barracks (shed), students building a huge lagoon in front of the school so they could have ice skating parties in the winter, and the orphans who lived at CCHS,” she said.
Putz is excited for present students to learn about the heritage of BNI and all obstacles that teachers and students overcame for BNI to become the school it is today.
“I hope they find it inspiring to be a part of BNI's history and that they continue to strive to make themselves and BNI great,” she said.
Thomas Golden ’70 and Mary Ann (Necastro) Golden also serve on the History Committee preparing the book for Noll’s 100th anniversary in 2021. Both are former English teachers at Noll (Tom for 10 1/2 years and Mary Ann for 12 years).
They were yearbook advisers, then co-chaired the English Department for three years. They also taught at Marian Catholic High School.
They joined the History Committee at the invitation of Putz and meet to research yearbooks and files to assist with writing and editing the school’s history.
“The more interesting facts we’ve learned include the ups and downs of the early years, the link to Notre Dame, and the personalities involved in the early decades of Catholic Central/BNI, especially area businessmen and people of the Calumet Region who became instrumental in the school’s success,” Tom Golden said. “It has been very interesting to see the school evolve over the years of its life.”
The Rev. Dominic Bertino has also joined the History Committee. Father Bertino taught theology at Bishop Noll and has been a past school board member. He is currently a Bishop Noll Foundation board member.
Bertino authored "In the Presence of Angels: A History of the Diocese of Gary" published in 2006 and is considered an expert on Diocesan history. Bertino retired from an active parish ministry and has been helping the committee with writing and editing the Centennial history book.
The History Committee needs your help
As Bishop Noll prepares for its Centennial celebration, the History Committee would like to request any of the following items:
Any mementos from 1921 to 1940
Cosmos (any years)
Hi-Lites (any years)
Pennants (Catholic Central or Bishop Noll)
Commencement/graduation programs from 1926, 1930, 1933, 1934
Pictures of class rings from 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s
Prom programs (1925-1933)
Names and ages of Catholic Central alums who died in World War II, the Korean Conflict or in Vietnam.
The committee is able to scan the items and return to owners if requested or will happily accept any items for its Archive Room. Volunteers are also needed! Interested in joining the History Committee or contributing your story? Email jflorek@bishopnoll.org.