Jim Kershner’s This day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The final touches were being put on a beautiful new church, the Catholic church of St. Aloysius, on the Gonzaga College campus at Boone Avenue and Astor Street.

A rich green velvet carpet had been laid down in the sanctuary. Light fixtures were being installed. The only thing missing was the Italian marble for the pulpit and communion rail, which were being held up “in quarantine.”

The Gonzaga choir and orchestra were rehearsing nightly in preparation for the solemn dedication service, scheduled for later in the week. The Rev. Edward J. O’Dea, bishop of the Seattle Diocese, was scheduled to preach the sermon.

Yet the excitement was tempered by sadness. The old St. Aloysius church held its final mass the day before, and some of the parishioners “shed tears as they left.”

The old church held “many sacred memories,” not easily effaced for many longtime worshippers. The original St. Aloysius was built in 1891. It stood on the southeast corner of Boone Avenue and Gonzaga Street. It was then moved to Boone and Astor, and in 1909 moved across the street to make way for the construction of the magnificent new building.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1973: Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, accused of accepting bribes, pleaded no contest to one count of federal income tax evasion and resigned his office.