Unexpected award thrills behind-the-scenes worker at Bishop Chatard

Photo caption: Maintenance director Terry Cummings will be one of seven people to receive an achievement award from Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis.

By John Shaughnessy

Year after year, Terry Cummings would set up the tables, check the lights, fine-tune the public address system and make sure the floor sparkled.

Then he’d stand at the edge of the crowd, watching people applaud and congratulate the latest recipients of the achievement awards from Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis.

After the last round of photographs with the honored alumni, parents, community leaders, staff and faculty members were taken with their family and friends, Cummings would then help clean the room and get it ready for students to use the next day.

After 13 years, the 61-year-old Cummings thought he knew the routine. But the routine will change for the school’s maintenance director this year because Cummings will be one of the people that Bishop Chatard officials will honor on Oct. 25 along with the school’s choice for community leader, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein.

“I’m extremely surprised, especially considering the people I’m being honored with,” Cummings said as he sat at his desk in the boiler room. “It’s something I didn’t expect. I never had an award like this before.”

The honor is well-deserved, according to Holy Cross Brother Joseph Umile, who is in his last year as the president of Bishop Chatard.

“I knew it was going to be my last achievement awards,” Brother Joseph said. “I wanted it to represent everything from the top to the people who are the foundation, from the leadership of the archbishop right through to the people who make the school work. When St. Paul talks about the Church, he makes an analogy to the body. No part of the body is more important than another part, and if they’re not all working together, the body doesn’t work.”

When Brother Joseph decided to honor Cummings, he did it for “the thousands of little things he’s done on his own” at the school to make it better.

“More so, it’s his sense that it’s his school and it’s his responsibility to take care of it,” Brother Joseph said. “He’s been here 15 years. If we had to pay him for the amount of things he’s done, we couldn’t. To him, it’s more than a job.”

In a way, it’s a home for Cummings. At least that’s the impression that comes through when he talks about the school.

“It’s a great place to work,” he said. “The camaraderie of the staff and the students is fantastic. Anytime you ask for assistance, you get it. The kids are great. They keep you young. People don’t believe I’m 61. It’s the kids and all the steps, up and down.”

The job also has its adventures. Like the time Brother Joseph approached Cummings two weeks before the school year started and told him that he needed to build two classrooms in the cafeteria by the first day of school.

Or the time when Brother Joseph invited the media to the school for one of its capital campaigns. Brother Joseph ordered a huge banner for the event, a banner that was to be unrolled from the roof of the school for a photo opportunity for the media. Cummings was responsible for unrolling it.

“Brother Joe told me, ‘If it comes down upside down, just keep on walking,’ ” Cummings said with a laugh. “It worked out. I’m still here. He’s a good man to work for.”

Cummings’ next challenge is to look comfortable in the suit he plans to wear to the liturgy and the awards dinner. He takes some comfort in knowing the spotlight won’t be solely focused on him.

Bill and Liz Hurrle will be honored as parents, Bea and Charles “Jug” Eckert will be honored as past parents and Mike Harmon will receive the alumni award.

“Mike is the assistant athletic director and the baseball coach, and one of those people who are always willing to help,” Cummings said.

The thought of wearing a suit for the awards ceremony flashed through his mind again.

“They won’t know me in a suit,” he said. “I’ll scare the bejebbers out of them. They’ll probably ask me for an ID or a visitor’s pass.”

He took a deep breath and tried to imagine the moment when he will receive his award.

“It’s real humbling. It makes you feel good inside.” †