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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: Nick Adamson On: 11/8/2002 ID: 10
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
I first heard about this tragedy a few years ago from a person that I work with. He lost a cousin in the OLA School Fire. Neither of us were aware that this website existed. I found it just 3 days ago. The site has been searched by my eyes from top to bottom and side to side. My eyes filled with tears several times while looking at the pictures. This site will haunt me forever. The image of little John being carried out by the firefighter is burned into my mind. This is a story that needs to be told. A movie would be a great way to let these "little angels" know that they have not been forgotten. I know I will not forget them.

Nick Adamson

Madison, Wisconsin


Posted by: Nancy O On: 11/7/2002 ID: 9
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Quincy, IL
My mom was raised in a Chicago suburb but moved to Central Illinois when she married my dad. We received the Chicago Tribune newspaper by mail every day to help her keep in touch. I was in the fourth grade but I read the Trib every day, at least the comics and the back page that was all photos.

I also attended a Catholic school. I remember to this day the photos on the back page of the Tribune, especially First Communion headshots of girls who had died. My own photo looked just like those. This is probably the first news event that I remember. It made such an incredible impression on me - these were children just like me and their nuns were from the same religious order as my teacher - and they died.

I don't remember any fire drills in my school before the OLA fire but I sure remember them afterwards. I don't know whether they occurred before and I didn't notice or whether they were increased after OLA.

Two years after the fire we moved to a different city and were enrolled in a Catholic school there. The thing I remember most about this school? Every classroom was on the first floor and had its own door to the outside so no children would ever need to evacuate through a smoky hallway.

My prayers for the students, faculty, family and parish of OLA continue.


Posted by: podesta On: 11/6/2002 ID: 8
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
In 1977, I met someone (born in 1960) who was told of three cousins (I don't know their names) who died in the OLA fire in '58. I was shocked by the connection to the sisters' stories in my grade school here in California about the importance of being MILITARY during fire drills because of "things that had happened in other schools only a few years ago." I'm a high school teacher now in Orange County, CA who feels that we are horribly negligent of fire regulations in our schools, both public and private.

Just this morning, after visiting OLA's website, I told my street-wise high school seniors of your story. You could have heard a pin drop in my room. Some "out-loud" thinking that I shared with them, I will now share with you.

OLA's shocking statistic page states that the fire burned for almost half an hour before anyone was aware that their building was on fire. Above and beyond the crime that there were not fire alarm pull-stations in that building, didn't anyone question why there was a stronger-than-usual smoke smell coming down the hallway? The reason I ask this is that I've taught my students to question the "everything's just fine" crap that adults falsely assure kids with. Were you (as all of us were until the reforms of Vatican II) assured that if anything were wrong, someone would let all of you know?

Another question I have is why no one covered their face and moved down the hall to the two stairways that were at the other end of the building. Did Sister shut down her thinking at the sight of the smoke/flames and the class blindly obey??? I ask this because I remember a day when EVERYONE blindly obeyed someone else; I remember a day when we thought we could avoid a nuclear attack buy doing a "duck and cover" under a wooden desk! These thoughts make me feel your anger and lack of resolution about a bunch of "what-ifs."

Did no one in the "new building" that had a couple fire alarm pull switches even think to pull one of those things? I ask this because I pulled one of ours two years ago at the smell of a SUFFOCATING gas smell to which no one responded! Even after the alarm sounded, people stood around wondering if it was a false alarm, etc. (The gas smell made EVERYONE'S eyes water.)

Your work is not finished; airport security is not the only place we are lacking attention. We still lack attention in the most common places. We are a society that fails to take things seriously. John Jajkosky (did I spell that correctly?) and so many others of you must continue to change priorities even today! You have made me take things seriously to protect my students. Thank you for your stories. Please continue to make that fire mean something by making the USA aware that, despite all our technology, we must be prepared and we must speak out against authority when something isn't (or doesn't seem) right. I firmly believe that if children had been taught to do that, there may have far fewer (or even no) fatalities in that fire in '58.

Please let me know if I am completely off-base or if I got some observations right. I continue to be moved by your stories and am still trying to understand WHY this whole thing happened.

Lou Podesta

Orange, California (also an obedient Catholic school graduate)


Posted by: Harold Miller On: 11/4/2002 ID: 7
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
My connection with the fire at Our Lady of the Angels is one that had been in the back of my mind for years. In 1977 when I had started the seventh grade the catholic grammar school I had attended was in the process of upgrading the building. What had happened we had a fire drill and the door to our classroom had locked ( it had the old type dead blot lock which if you had pushed up the button the bolt would be held in place)the lock had gotten stuck and we had panicked and after the drill our teacher of course started to lecture us about the dangers of schools fires but the one thing that had stuck in my mind is he had told us to go ask one of the Sisters who was at a school fire in Chicago and there was nothing that she could do except hear the childeren scream.To this day I still can not remember the Sister's name Then it was not until in 1997 when I had wathched the History Channel's program Wrath of God: Hellfire and then I had finally found out the fire what my teacher was talking about then I had gotten the book : To Sleep With the Angels and I had purchased recently Great Chicago Fires to further my interest. In conclusion I just want to say that I agree with Michael Guzaldo that it is time that this should be told on the big screen so that the world does not forget and I have never been in a fire but to imangine what those of you went through words can not describe that or it aftermath. I just hope and pray that this is one part of history does not repeat itself.


Posted by: Emily (Ruszczyk) Winterhalter On: 10/29/2002 ID: 6
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes Yes 12 7 208 Sister Mary St. Canice
It was almost time to go home. Sister Mary St. Canice was in the midst of giving us a lot of homework in preparation for a big test. Then, a curious thing began to happen -- the doors began to rattle. Some of us joked about ghosts. But, then I smelled smoke -- then streams of black smoke began to snake through the spaces around the front door of the classroom, and then, so suddenly it seemed, to snake through the back door of the classroom. Two doors faced into the corridor. Sister pleaded for us to stay calm, that perhaps the furnace had backed up. (I remember so well that comment of hers.) One of the boys jumped up and tried to open the back door into the corridor, but the black and furious smoke was too heavy. He slammed the door shut, trying to choke in some air. He ran to the window.

At this point, we realized that something dreadful was happening, but we did not know what to do -- where to go. I recall thinking that I had just been in church the other day, I had received communion, and I was ready to meet God.

Then we saw the flames licking over the tops of the doors and towards the ceiling -- then flames under the doors -- and the dense black choking smoke. Sister yelled to get to the windows.

We were on the top floor. There were, I think, windows along the outside wall of our room. I remember seeing my friend Irene trying to climb onto the radiator to reach the window, but the radiator was so hot that it began to burn through her tights. Her legs were in flames. She could not step back into the room, so she flung herself out the window. (She did ultimately survive, but not without serious injuries).

Other kids and I struggled to get to the windows. I felt almost crushed by the weight of some other kids piled up on top of me. But, as the flames and heat increased, most of them ran to the back windows. I thought I was going to die; but, like I said, I felt ready. That's when Sister Mary St. Canice came up behind me and told me to sit on the window ledge. She helped me struggle out onto the ledge, and as I finally got my legs outside, she gave me a solid push and out into the air I flew. I landed on an overhang covering over the stairs which led into the basement of the building before I bounced on the ground. I could not breath, but I was miraculously alive. Some men, perhaps people from the neighborhood, picked me up and carried me into the candy store which was next door to the school. You see, at this point, the firemen had not yet arrived. I don't remember much after that, just that I lay on the floor until finally being removed by ambulance to the hospital. But, I do vividly remember that as I was being taken away, snow began to fall ... as if God's and the angels' icy tears were being shed.

However fortunate, I was not seriously injured and received only minor burns. My hair had burned away a few inches and I received serious contusions. But, no bones were broken. The only thing that broke was my heart. I learned later that Sister never made it, along with twelve of my classmates. My very good friend Christine Vitacco never made it. But, I always knew she would earn her angel wings. If not for Sister Mary St. Canice, I would not have survived that fire. I pray to her sometimes -- I know she is in heaven as are all the other little angels that were made that day.

* * *

For some odd reason, the memory of that day has been haunting me this past week and I searched web sites until I found this one today. I feel I need to tell my story. I need to cry with other survivors. I need to share these feelings which have been stuffed for so many years.

If there are survivors out there who would like to connect, my website at home is wints1911@aol.com.

To Mike Guzaldo, please write me. I understand.


Posted by: sandy lee On: 10/24/2002 ID: 5
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before latrobe and north ave chicago,il
AS A CHILD I WENT TO ST. PETER CANISIUS CATHOLIC SCHOOL, LOCATED ON

NORTH AVENUE AND LAWLER IN CHICAGO. I WAS IN THE SECOND GRADE THE DAY OF THE FIRE,AND I REMEMBER THE SOUND AS IF IT WERE YESTERDAY OF ALL THE

FIRE ENGINES AND AMBULANCES. IT WAS VERY SCAREY TO ME. SOON AFTER THAT

DAY SOME OF THE SURVIVORS STUDENTS CAME TO OUR SCHOOL FOR THE REMAINDER

OF THE YEAR.


Posted by: ANTHONY On: 10/9/2002 ID: 4
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before MELROSE PARK, ILLINOIS
MY BROTHER, COUSIN AND I HAD LEFT OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS SCHOOL THE YEAR BEFORE THE FIRE. I HAD LAST ATTENDED IN ROOM 212 AS A FOURTH GRADER. AS THE END OF THE DAY APPROACHED, THE TEACHERS WOULD ASK 2 OF THE BOYS TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH AND TAKE IT DOWN THE BACK STAIRS TO DUMP IN THE ALLEY IN THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SCHOOL. WE WOULD TAKE IT DOWN THYE STAIRWAY IN WHICH THE FIRE HAD STARTED. I REMEMBER BEING IMPRESSED WITH THE "OLDER" BOYS WHO WOULD TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SNEAK A CIGARETTE WHILE ON THIS ERRAND.

WHEN WE LEARNED OF THE FIRE ON T.V. THAT DAY AFTER SCHOOL, MY FIRST THOUGHTS WERE ABOUT THOSE BOYS.

I HAVE SINCE READ MANY STORIES OF THE FIRE. IT WOULD SEEM THAT FEW OF MY CLASSMATES WERE KILLED, BASED ON THE AGES OF THOSE LOST IN THE FIRE.

I RECENTLY FOUND A CLASS PICTURE TAKEN IN ROOM 212, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE YEARS HAVE ERASED THE NAMES FROM THOSE FACES I RECOGNIZE. I HOPE THEY ARE ALL WELL.


Posted by: Michael Guzaldo On: 10/7/2002 ID: 3
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes No 12 7 201 Sister Andrainne
Before I get into my recollections of the fire, I ask the WebMaster to correct my 1st Cousin Frances Guzaldo's entry under "people involved" Frances is listed as a boy - Frances was a girl.

I also lost my 1st Cousin, Frank Piscopo, I remember both of these people very well and I guess our family never really got over the loss of our loved ones.

The day of the fire in etched in my memory, I recall the blind walk down the stairs from room 201. I sat in the last seat nearest the back door adjacent to the window and radiator. It was my job to lead part of the class out the door through the cloak room down the stairs and out. We had fire drills to practice that. The smoke was very thick and sooty, our faces were black from it. We were to go outside across the street and line up by class room in front of the convent. I remember looking at the licks of fire coming out the windows and wondering if anyone would die in this and how long we would be off school. I had find Frank and Gerald Guzaldo who lived upstairs from us on Homan Ave. Michael Piscopo (Franks younger brother) and Frances. I rounded up all of my cousins I could find (all but the ones that died) and ran to Connie's a little restaurant on Chicago and Hamlin a block away, I knew they had a phone there. I called my mother, I still remember the phone number SA2-5698, to tell her what was happening and who I had found. She showed up soon after with my aunts.

We went home to watch TV and listen to the radio for any news. My Father his Brother Cos and Brother-in-law Frank were searching the temp morgues to look for our missing family members. They finally found them.

Boy what a day.

We children were mostly kept in the dark about what the adults were doing, although we lost friends and family nothing much was ever discussed with us - to this day the fire is never discussed among the family.

The attempted schooling to finish the year on WTTW Channel 11 then various public schools we were bused to turned out to be a mess.

Today if a kid stubs their tow they bring in an army counselers we had the nuns who told us "GOD TOOK ONLY THE GOOD ONES" nice huh guess that was their idea of therapy. So we weren't good eneough to be "TAKEN" by GOD well guess this is one reason I have no religion today and haven't since that day in December 1958.

I think this story needs to be told on the big screen. I think the corruption of the Church and the Daily administration needs to be shown for what it was. I would like to know why all the money the church collected went to the Nuns convent and elaborate church decorations, and we had to be schooled in a fire trap that failed fire inspedtion after fire inspection. I want the story told about how the survivors were treated and the few dollars that were given to sibilings of the dead children. How the mayor an Irish Catholic stifeled any attempt to sue the Church.

As far as I am concerned the Catholic Church killed al those children by way of criminal neglence and greed.

My name is Mike Guzaldo and can be reached by email - guzaldo@yahoo.com


Posted by: Kenneth Lichon On: 9/26/2002 ID: 2
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before 7 blocks away
The worst for me was carrying the casket of my best friend, John David Trotta. The day of the fire shut off my emotions until this day. When I learned of the courage of the men and women who went to the windows to get my friends out, my mind was fixed on one thing: If I ever had a family, there would be no locks on the doors, no doors that I could not overcome and nothing on earth that would keep me from my children.

We have five children and 6 grandchilren and there are no inside locks on our doors, no doors that I cannot get through and nothing on this earth that prevents me from getting to my children if I need to.

The fact that I could not get to my friends and help them has made my life one of helping and sharing whatever I can with my family and friends because you never know when they will not be ...... there.

When John David's casket was lowered into the ground, a very special part of my life ended and the nightmares began ... and still come back.

I wish I had not learned of this site .....


Posted by: OLAFire Webmaster On: 9/21/2002 ID: 1
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Colorado
In 1958, I was about the same age as the children at OLA. Although I was only dimly aware of the catastrophy at the time, I remember staring for hours at a huge fire prevention poster in a local storefront window. The poster was the famous Steve Lasker photo of Chicago fireman Richard Scheidt carrying a dead little boy, 10-year-old John Jajkowski, from the ravaged school (this picture is in the photo gallery). I remember being moved by the poster: the boy was my age, the school was of very similar construction to my school - basically, a fire trap. That could have been ME in the poster! For years after that, I would often fantasize about being a fireman and rescuing my friends from my burning school. In fact years later, for a time, I became a volunteer fireman.

Over the years I have thought about that poster quite often, and wished I knew more about the circumstances behind it. Then I discovered the excellent book "To Sleep With the Angels" by Cowan and Kuenster, and at last I knew the story. When I found there were no web sites devoted strictly to the OLA fire, I decided to build this one.