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Our Lady of the Angels (OLA) School Fire, December 1, 1958
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Personal Experiences with Our Lady of the Angels School Fire

If you have a personal experience, recollection or opinion about the December 1, 1958 Our Lady of the Angels school fire, whether you were present at the fire or not, you can relate it here. Any story or information is welcome as long as it relates to Our Lady of the Angels school fire.
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Posted by: Len On: 2/5/2003 ID: 36
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Monticello & Ohio St.
I was 4 yrs old when the OLA fire occured. I would have attended Our Lady of the Angels the following year, however, the new building was still under construction. I attended Ryerson Public School instead. Later I attended religion classes at OLA every Wednesday. We'd walk from Ryerson to OLA in groups along with students from Cameron Public School.

I can still remember the helicopters flying over my house and the constant sounds of fire truck sirens. My parents owned a neighborhood grocery store at that time. My Father began receiving requests by our neighbors to drive them to the school where their children attended. My parents decided to close the store and help out all they can. I remember standing on a corner on Avers as I watch the firefighters fight the smoke and blaze. People all around me were crying and screaming and I remember the look in my parents eyes and the tears they both shed the day my father took in the grim task of driving some of the families to the Illinois Armory at North & Kedzie. After all he was not only a grocer but a neighbor and friend. He sent boxes of food to many of the families in the area.

My father and mother are still alive today. 83 and 76 yrs old respectively. When I told them about this web site, both of then just hesitated for a moment. It has been almost 45 years and they still remember that day and the weeks and months soon after. I brought back a dark memory in their lives when I told them about this web site. Although we did not lose a family member in this tragedy my parents still feel as though they have.

We wish to thank you for this website. The Our Lady of the Angels fire should never be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers to the victim's and their families.

We lost some good neighbors and friends and gained so many Angels. God Bless them all.


Posted by: Jim D. On: 2/4/2003 ID: 35
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before 90th and Cornell Ave, Chicago
I attended grade school in Chicago in the 1960s. We were always told about the OLA tragedy, especially when it came to fire drills. My school (Earhart, 93rd Street near Stoney Island Avenue) was built in 58' or perhaps 59' and was well-equipped for fire safety.

I have always felt a strong connection to this event, almost like I was there. I am fascinated by the 1950s in general (as I was not really around to enjoy much of it) but haunted by the fire.

I feel that a film of this event (with the exception of the WTTW documentary) should not be made (one shudders at the thought of Hollywood doing this story).

I echo the many people who have written their stories here by saying that many lives were saved as fire safety standards were improved after the OLA fire. I owe a large debt to the children who perished. They may well have saved my life.

I visit the Queen of Heaven memorial every now and then. It makes me sad to think of all the things these kids have missed: the good: The Beatles, the space race, the 60s, personal computers, videos, The 85' Bears, CDs, cell phones. The bad: Watergate, Vietnam, November 22nd 1963, September 11th 2001, cell phones.

To the survivors, God Bless you. Thank you for sharing your memories.

I will continue to remember, always, the little angels who now look after us all.

Would like to hear from anyone interested in sharing their thoughts.

Jim D.

jbd1957@aol.com


Posted by: Rosalie On: 2/2/2003 ID: 34
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes No 10 5 206 Ms.Tristano
I remember sitting with my hands folded on top of my books waiting for the bell to ring. I also remember my teacher going in the hall....then the room.....then the hall......she went to the next classroom and spoke to that teacher. We were then asked to walk, not run down the stairs and stand across the street in front of the convent. It was cold. We then were walked to the church......it seemed like the whole school was in the church....I saw my older cousin with two streams of black smoke running from her nose to her lips....my Mom came to get my sister(who was in second grade) and myself and took us home.....We lived about three blocks from the school in a high third floor apartment.My My Grandfather was a hero to us.....He was one of the men on the ladders helping the firemen carry children down to the street. I remember all the calls that night to our house from relatives checking to see if my sister and I were OK. I also remember, like it was yesterday, my uncle, the father of the cousin with smoke down her nose, calling my Dad because his younger daughter was not found....My Dad went to the hospitals and finally to the morgue with his brother and they the found Peggy. Peggy and I were in the same room from K to 4th grade....In fifth grade we were split up....story is that Peggy was afraid to jump.......others did...........they found her ,and other childern, sitting on the floor behind the nun's desk..She had her arms around them..


Posted by: Patricia On: 2/1/2003 ID: 33
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before 818 N. Central Park Ave.
I was in kindergarten in the Hamlin Avenue building. I don't have any recollection of the events at all; as far as I understand I was a morning kindergartener. I was at home when it all happened. My good friend later was Linda Moravec, whose brother James died in the fire. I've tried very hard to find what happened to Linda, having lost contact with her, and if anyone knows I would love to find out. Today the neighborhood is a mess, the school closed and the church closed (though the school is being rented by a charter school). My mother thinks that after that happened no one wanted to stay too close. I went to the new school and graduated from there. I was in class with Michael Wisz, who also lost a brother. Would like to hear from anyone who wants to write. Thanks.


Posted by: Michele On: 1/28/2003 ID: 32
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
I was born way after the fire,but my mom and aunt went to OLA on Wensday's for religious classes and lost so many friends,me and my sister attended the school,I went from 77-86.I remember every Dec 1st or after if it wasn't a school day going outside to pray and they never said why,I knew and my sister knew.That site is sacred and being there was unnerving for me,you could almost feel something,it was very sad.I don't want to say it was something paranormal,but it was definitely a very strong feeling,that's the only way I can put it.I do get kind of angry when people ask why they didn't do this or that to get out,we weren't there,we don't know what it was like and hopefully none of us will have to find out.I think it is so sad how the neighborhood changed so much after the fire as my mom told me.When I went there it was terrible.Like I said even though I was not even born yet when it happened it has left an imprint on my life and definitly my mom's and aunt's life.


Posted by: Kim (stmary1954@aol.com) On: 1/10/2003 ID: 31
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Meckling, South Dakota
Well I will never forget this tragic story - I was only 5 when it happened, but will never forget the horror I saw on TV on the coverage of the fire. I can still see mothers crying and looking for their children. Everytime I hear about Chicago, this fire comes to mind. This is probably one of the saddest stories I remember as a kid. And for those of you who survived and for those who didn't, my prayers go to each and every one of you and for the ones you lost.


Posted by: rAcHeL!! On: 1/10/2003 ID: 30
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
hey!! omg i just want to say that i am so sorry for all of you all that had to experience losing loved ones! cuz i know how it feels and i hate to even imagine some one else losing a loved one like i did! i just found out about this a few days ago because our teacher told us about it because we had a fire drill and no one was paying attention. everyone was laughing and joking around and having a good time!! but who knows what would have happened if there was a real fire! i have a very interesting story to tell you! ok well you see. this didn't happen to me but it happened to my cousin that i am very close to! now it's not really like the story that happened at the our lady of angels school. but it was still about losing a really good friend. ok well they were driving at like 4 in the morning. and they were leaving a party and she was in the passenger's side and he was driving way too fast. then he went to make a sharp turn and they hit a telephone pole and starting spinning out of control. she didn't have her seatbelt on. and if she did she might have died because of the presure that was on her stomach! but her friend was like attached to the steering wheel and he couldnt move. she saw him take his last breath of air before he died!! you know how scary that wuld be! and then she went knocking on several doors. but no1 answered so she walked several blocks to the police station and got them. but she did all of this wen she had broken a bone in between her chest and she had broken her arm and shoulder. this was really scary because her friend who died, his house was about three houses down from where he died. the party they were at was about 2 streets over. the hospital was about 5 blocks over. and the police station was a few blocks over! this was all very scary for everyone. the police was not going to announce what had happened to the public till about 12 hrs later. so she had to call his parents and tell them and all of their friends. this was very scary and i don't want anyone to ever have to go thru something like that!! well anyway, i am very sorry for all of this that has happened!! and when i saw some of the pictures i started crying. learning about this has made me think of how lucky i am! and i hope every one else realizes how lucky they are, too!


Posted by: Gerry caddy579@aol.com On: 1/7/2003 ID: 29
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Chicago
I found this site yesterday, I was chatting on an internet forum about school in the 50s and remembered the fire and went looking for information on the internet.

I was 8 at the time of the fire, and lived in a very similiar working class neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, 111th and Kedzie, and attended St. Christina, a parish and school very similiar to OLA. I remember the horror of learning of the fire, of seeing the pictures, especially because the victims were roughly the same age as me and also because it was a Catholic school in Chicago.

St. Christina had a school at Central Park and 111th that looked shockingly similiar to OLA, I attended there 4th, 5th and 6th grades, 1959-1961. I think it has since been torn down.

I vividly remember the picture of the fireman on Life magazine, and the pictures of all of the white coffins. I also remember renewed fire drills and safety impovements at St. Christina's after the fire.

This site has really haunted me the past 2 days, the neighborhood is so similiar to 111th and Kedzie, and the pictures of the kids from OLA could very well be us at St. Christina at the same time. The parents look just like my folks and the residents of our neighborhood.

To all of the survivors-may God bless and keep you, and may your memories comfort you.


Posted by: Bob Denstedt Saint Louis, Missouri On: 1/2/2003 ID: 28
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before New Orleans, Louisiana
Ever since I was in my early teens, I had ongoing dreams about a very particular neighborhood with specific streets, stores, and buildings, and a large parochial school with adjoining church. I have had a particular child as my "tour guide," for lack of a better description, show me around to the different places she frequented daily, it seemed. I have never dreamed of the actual fire itself, but this child has allowed me access to her world in OLA parish and school prior to the tragedy. I have also been "introduced," again for lack of a better word, to one of the BVM sisters who taught in the school. I have come to know about her well through this child.

These dreams have been with me now for over thirty five years. I am a 47 year old male who is married with one child, and professionally employed with a international company. Although I was born and raised Roman Catholic, and attended Catholic schools exclusively, there is no apparent connection with my life and that of the world surrounding OLA in the late 1950's.

Approxiamately ten years ago, on a first visit to Chicago, I was dring into the downtown via I-55 and began to intuitively recognize landmarks related to the dreams. Up until tht time I had not connected the dreams to OLA. A close personal friend and native of Joliet that was with me and my family that day noticed my change in behavior, and sked if anything was wrong. I asked her if she would, in effect, be able to get me back to the highway if I turned off to look for something. Before she could say yes, I turned of and began driving in the direction of OLA church, BVM convent, etc. At that point, I realized that the deams I had been having had involved real places and were not just a figment of my imagination.

Since then I had continued to have these dreams, on and off, and because my life is so busy have never really had time or energy to investigate the meaning of all this. I just thought I would share my story with all of you. By the way, your web-site is excellent!


Posted by: Chris Turek On: 12/31/2002 ID: 27
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
I'm only 27, but having been raised on the south side of chicago and also having attended a Catholic grade school (St. Nick's), I essentially grew up in the shadow of the OLA fire. We were constantly reminded of it when the importance of our own fire drills were stressed. I became completely fascinated by the fire and looked for all the details i could gather, which were unfortunately very few at the time. A friends uncle had worked the fire for the CFD but didn't have many details to offer -- perhaps because he chose not to, or maybe because he was one of the last resonding engines. I found my interest finally satisfied with the Cowan and Kuenster text coupled with also being able to hunt down a copy of the McBride book. This year on December 1st I attended the annual memorial mass and spent some time walking around and snapping a few photos.

The church is a little run down and is now an evangelical church, but on every December 1st it is still the site of a Catholic mass. There were about 25 people at the mass and the mood was very somber and prayerful. The readings were done by OLA graduates from the early sixties and the mid seventies, if memory serves me correctly. Candles, each one affixed with a name of victim, were lit during the mass and placed in the alcove in the upper left of the church as seen in the photo. After the mass people were invited to take a candle home if they wished. We waited for the relatives and fire victims to take whatever candles they wished, and then we took a few home for ourselves (I took Joseph Maffiola and a few others). While taking the candles we overheard some conversations and entered into a few through which we met some people that were students at the time and others that were too young to be in school, but had parents that remember the time well. One man commented that his father identified a boy because a neighbor was unable to find the strength to. It was a sad day, but a very comforting one as well. It was my first time visiting the site and I found it very interesting and worthwhile in trying to further put together the story in my head.

I’m endlessly fascinated and moved by the events of that day.