The Second Decade - The 1930’s
The Roaring Twenties ended abruptly after the stock market crashed in 1929. The darkness of the Great Depression overshadowed the 1930s, but this did not deter the resilient parishioners of The Assumption Church. This decade proved to be one of remarkable growth for the church's faithful, serving as a testament to their unwavering spirit. The children of the 1920s grew into young adults and became actively involved in the Church's development. Their journey had progressed from the streetcar days.
In 1933, the young women following the previous generation of women's example formed a sorority, Delta Kappa Theta -Δεσποινιδες Κοιμησεως της Θεοτοκου. These young women were instrumental in organizing fundraisers to help purchase items for the church. They also organized social activities to keep the youth together.
Figure 1: Sorority pin
Father Papanicolaou continued to expand the ministries at Assumption Church and grow its congregation. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, he taught upper grades at Plato School and established a diverse choir of 50 singers from all age groups.
Figure 2: 1936 Choir
The 1936 Choir features Father Papanicolaou seated in the center. This photograph is significant not only because it depicts the choir but also because it shows the wooden church's interior. It provides a clear view of the Iconostasis at the east end of the building, along with details of the ceiling and wood-planked floors.
After ten years of faith and dedication to the early church, Father Papanicolaou returned to Greece, where he died in 1937. His contribution to the early church community was significant.
The dream that began in Burns Hall during the winter of 1924 continued to thrive despite the depression and hardships of the 1930s. Membership grew, and the wooden building became outdated. The afternoon school had 400 students attending. The dream was moving itself forward. The community was set to raise funds to build a church and school. The following years were filled with fund raising and building a structure.
As time passed, the new leadership developed the vision and concept, and the Orthodox community began to form. In 1935, Peter Kyrzopoulos was elected President of the Assumption Community. In February 1935, a committee under Peter Kyrzopoulos was formed to fund the new church. A dance was planned to honor the community's founders on its tenth anniversary, and an ad book was initiated. Admission to the dance was one dollar.
Figure 3: Cover page of the Almanac/Adbook.
The cover features a sketch of the proposed church by the young architect Peter Camburas.
(Note that there is no dome in this rendition.) A full-page ad costs $30, a half-page ad $17.50, a quarter-page ad $10, an eighth-page ad $5, and a one-tenth-page ad $3. Along with the dance and ad book, a campaign was launched on March 28, 1935, to donate bricks for building the new church, each priced at 10 cents. By 1936, the parish had collected $ 24,287.73 in the new building trust fund.
1937 and 1938 were significant for the church's funding, design, and construction. Enthusiasm grew rapidly, ensuring that building the church remained a priority. Events unfolded swiftly.
On January 12, 1937, Trustees were elected.
Figure 4: Bonds sold to raise money.
Church community organizations, including the Women's Club and altar boys, sold 346 bonds for $50 and $100 donations. The Delta Kappa Theta held a fundraising dance at the Graemere Hotel to support the school and church.
Figure 5: Interior floor plan for the new church
1937- 1938 Chronology of events
May 12 - A dinner dance was held at the Aragon Ballroom, and two thousand people were in attendance.
June 24 - The building Committee Lifted and relocated the wooden structure to make way for the new structure. Portable classrooms were added to accommodate the increased student enrollment.
July 4 - An article in the Tribune announced a plan to build a $375,000 church and school facility. With the funds secured, the focus shifted to planning.
July 25 - On Sunday, the Trustees convened a special meeting to determine a course of action. The Trust Fund held $60,000, but the church building would cost $120,000. After considerable deliberation, Peter Tampoorlas offered to underwrite a $25,000 loan to complete the building. The Building Committee received approval to move forward with the construction.
August 1 - The groundbreaking ceremony for the new church took place at 3:00 pm. An Agiasmos -Blessing of the Water - was held where the future door of the new church would be. Father Matheopoulos turned the first sod and officially began construction. He shoveled 11 more times to make the total twelve in commemoration of the twelve years of the church.
August 2 - Gust Vlamis, the general contractor, began work on the building.
August 14 - Bishop Kallistos officiated the great Vespers of the Assumption in the wooden church.
August 15 - After the Divine Liturgy, the 12th annual "PICNIC" occurred at Altheheim Grove.
September 23 - The excavation is complete, and the church and community leaders planned the Cornerstone Laying Ceremony.
October 10 - After the Divine Liturgy at 2:30, the cornerstone ceremony began. It was said that it was "the largest gathering of Greeks in the history of the city,"... "Thousands have come,"
April 27, 1938 - On April 27, ten days after Easter, the Easter Eucharist Feast fundraising event was held. This event was a most elegant community occasion. Tickets were priced at $50 per couple, representing a significant sacrifice for the parishioners.
Figure 6: The Eucharist Dinner Dance at the Hotel Sherman
In the fall of 1939, the work on the church was almost complete.
Figure 7: The Church
The outer church. In the lower-left corner is what was left of the wooden church.
On Christmas Day in 1938, Father Matheopoulos celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the new church. "Blessed be the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever, unto the ages of ages." A significant part of the dream had become reality.
