Restored Pews: Before and After!

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

These pews are constructed of ¾” quartersawn oak backs and sides, with 1½” thick elm seats.  Sadly, the oak chairs have long since disappeared, and only eight of the original eighteen pews remain, and can be found on the 2nd floor of Jesuit Hall and in the 3rd floor link.  These pews are the only original furniture left from the opening of the building, the centennial of which we will celebrate in September 2012.  After a hundred years, some of the pews have fallen into disrepair.  


Over the 2011-2012 Christmas break, an alumnus paid to have the worst of them repaired.  See the photos of “before” and “after”.  They are not only quite valuable on the antique market, but they are the last remaining physical strands that tie us to the Jesuit Community House - an important chapter in the history of the Prep and the College (SJU).  


If you are interested in a tour of the chapel and the newly renovated Jesuit Hall, or if you would like to sponsor the restoration of one of the century-old pews in the name of a loved one, please get in touch with Bill Conners at wconners@sjprep.org.