NEW BREMEN – A piece of a gym floor that was in the former New Bremen Elementary School since 1929 was recovered Tuesday after being stolen earlier in the week from the school.
The gym floor was an original part of the school, which was constructed more than 90 years ago on South Walnut Street, and remained in use until this year. On Monday, school staff discovered someone had cut the NB logo out of the center of the gym floor and taken it.
The school posted about the theft on social media on Tuesday, and approximately 40 minutes later New Bremen Elementary Principal Diane Kramer received an anonymous phone call from someone who knew who had the piece of gym floor.
The school made arrangements for the floor to be returned anonymously, and it was brought back undamaged Tuesday afternoon.
Kramer was glad to recover the piece of gym floor, which will be displayed in the new elementary school that is scheduled to open in September at 901 E. Monroe St.
“It was very important for us to display in our new building to bridge the past with the future,” Kramer said.
The NB logo from the old gym floor will be placed in the entrance to the new elementary school, just above the doorway into the junior high gymnasium.
Other historic pieces from the old elementary school that will be part of the new school include old class composite pictures, a 1950s trophy case, a sundial and a time capsule from 1979 that is scheduled to be opened in 2029.
The piece of gym floor was stolen sometime between 1 p.m. Sunday, after firefighters completed training at the building, and prior to a custodian arriving at the school Monday morning.
Because the piece of gym floor was returned undamaged, no charges will be filed.
