Brick & Stone

Since my post on May 2 about the site of our old schoolhouse, I have been intrigued by the prospect of obtaining one or more of the two million bricks from the old building. To that end, I indulged in some historical research and detective work over the past two months.

I discovered that the old building was demolished by Vilbig Materials Company, owned by John (Buddy) Vilbig III, a third generation Texan. The business was located on Singleton Blvd. in West Dallas, and a street there is named for the family. Mr. Vilbig’s father attended school when it was Holy Trinity College, a forerunner of the first University of Dallas, long before the Jesuits acquired it, and graduated in 1911 or 1912. As noted previously, it was torn down brick by brick, and a good many of the bricks and other materials were salvaged.

Mr. Vilbig died in 2003. I located his widow Mollye, who now lives in North Dallas in the same neighborhood as former President Bush. Mrs. Vilbig lives with her also widowed daughter Madie Vilbig-King and her grandson, Jacob King, who just graduated from Bishop Lynch. Mrs. Vilbig informed me that some of the bricks were used for a patio and an addition to their former home on Hollow Way, also in the Preston Hollow area. She does not presently have any bricks, but she has several capitals and bases from the columns that stood at the three front entrances, including the Senior Steps. She has generously donated one capital and one base to our school. I have visited with Alumni Director Kevin Mullan regarding how and where to display these items. That is pending, and I am sure input from our class members will be welcomed.

In the meantime, I have continued my search for the bricks. As luck would have it, the old Vilbig residence on Hollow Way was demolished last August. I contacted the current owner, and was informed that there was a stack of bricks left there on site, and we could have them if they were the ones. Madie went to take a look at them, as she was familiar with the bricks, and even had weighed them. Unfortunately, the ones left at the site were not ours. Madie did, however, ascertain that the demolition company may have disposed of them in a landfill. At this writing, further inquires are being made.

As for the column capital and base, Dennis Calander, a friend of mine who happens to own Metro Brick & Stone Company (a supplier of brick for the George W. Bush Presidential Center), and I picked up one capital and base. Dennis is now keeping it for us to be delivered to the school when the display location is decided. As for the brick, Dennis, who knows his business, tells me that it is what is known as Corsicana Cherry-red, and is really good brick. He knows of the demo company that razed the old Vilbig house and will assist me in following up. I hope we are able to find some. Are there any volunteers to root around in landfills, if necessary?