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

Our Lady of the Angels School Fire

News Articles and Other Information Sources

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Nurse Remembers Holiday Tragedy
Article written by Dorothy V. Taylor, R.N., and published in the Indiana State Nurses Association District Ten Quarterly Newsletter in December, 2000.
Nurse Taylor describes her touching experience caring for Valerie Ann Thoma at St. Anne's Hospital in the weeks prior to her death on March 10, 1959.

Worst U.S. School Fires
The OLA fire is not the worst school fire in U.S. history in terms of loss of life -- two other school disasters actually claimed more lives.

Our Lady of the Angels - A Historical Perspective On School Fires
A summary and analysis of the Our Lady of the Angels school fire on "With The Command" website, By Thomas M. Cunningham, US Naval Academy Fire Department

Chicago Sun Times
Brief article on the fire, published 1999.

Our Lady of the Angels fire
Chicago Public Library - Deaths, Disturbances, Disasters and Disorders in Chicago Selected Bibliography.

Catholic Digest Book Club Selection
Brief condensed excerpt from "To Sleep With The Angels" by Cowan and Keunster

On The Mark
Brief description of the "Our Lady of the Angels" school fire.

From Burning Issues, Sept/Oct 1997
Learning from school fires, statistics on school injuries in USA due to fires, 1990-1994

AFSA Annual Essay Scholarship Contest 3rd Place Winner
The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) holds an Annual Essay Scholarship Contest. Here is a winning essay (3rd place) by Mave Anne McKinney, Norman North High School, Norman, OK

Patrick Butler - Pat's People
56-year-old Jaconetti said he wanted to be a police officer or firefighter since the day he and two friends helped some survivors of the 1958 Our Lady of the Angels School fire

Saved by a brawny angel
From Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A man strives to say 'thanks' to fireman Charles Kamin.

Dispel Myth of Prayer
Is it a myth that the Sisters at Our Lady of the Angels instructed the children to sit at their desks and pray?

Behind the Angels
Making music has always been a labor of love for jazz flautist Michael Mason, survivor of Our Lady of the Angels fire

Survivor Joyce Kleinaitis
Joyce Kleinaitis survived the OLA fire and is today conducting a study on the effects the fire has had on life safety issues nationwide.

About the Author: John Kuenster
A brief bio of John Kuenster.

About the Author: David Cowan
From Lake Claremont Press, a brief bio of David Cowan.

Great Chicago Fires Excerpts
From Lake Claremont Press, a short history of Our Lady of the Angels fire, written by David Cowan.