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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: DEE On: 3/3/2004 ID: 162
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO
I LIVE IN FLORIDA NOW. BUT I HAD A SISTER IN THE SCHOOL FIRE, HER NAME WAS CAROL ANN GAZZOLA, SHE WAS IN ROOM 211. I THINK YOU PUT JE WHEN YOU WROTE. YOU CAN TALK TO ME ON THE MESS. BOARD, MY NAME IS DOLORES. I HOPE THIS IS ALRIGHT ERIC. .


Posted by: JE On: 3/3/2004 ID: 161
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before South Side of Chicago and attended St. Clare of Montefalco school
I remember hearing the news of the fire on the radio when I was on the way to the dentist office with my Dad. It was one of those things you remember for the rest of your life and you know where you were when you heard the news. We listened to the news in shock. I still remember the editorial cartoon in the Sun Times the next day showing the nuns leading the children on a stairway to heaven. I also remember all the changes we had to make in our school after that, with firedoors, sprinklers etc., and how we had to raise funds to do it. I still cry today to think about it or when I tell someone the story. Strangely enough, I now live in Florida and have a friend here who is from the North side and who knew children who were in the fire, some of whom died.


Posted by: Brother Jeremy Dominic On: 2/28/2004 ID: 160
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Hammond, Indiana
Coming home from school on December 1, 1958, my mother told me about the fire that was happening at Our Lady of the Angels School and how forty-five students had already lost their lives. Our own Catholic school, St. Stanislaus in East Chicago, Indiana had had a fire on January 18, 1958. It occurred on a Saturday evening, and one can remember the flames from the third floor engulfing each classroom. We followed the newspaper accounts of the Our Lady of the Angels Fire for many days. Just as the OLA students and teachers would later be divided into attending classes in temporary locations, so too were we. Some time after the OLA Fire, a few of my classmates and I were on the third floor of the church building where several of the St. Stanislaus School's grades were assigned during the time of transition. Looking out the windows we thought about the boys and girls at Our Lady of the Angels and how many of them had to jump, and we wondered. I kept the December 2, 1958 newspaper issue as well as the January 19, 1958 issue of another paper which reported the tragedies. As a teaching Brother I have many times reflected on what happened at OLA School. A fitting memorial ought to be reclaiming and then returning the name Our Lady of the Angels School to the building now on the site, perhaps as an alternative independent Catholic school.


Posted by: Rosemary Cibelli On: 2/28/2004 ID: 159
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes Yes 10 4 Miss Tristano
I remember that day so vividly. I can still see myself walking down Augusta Blvd that morning with my new coat on that I got from making my confirmation just a few weeks before.
About 2:40 pm one of the boys in our room told Miss Tristano there was smoke coming in from the window at the top of the door. Miss Tristano told our class to wait in our seats while she went down the stairs to ring the fire bell. Miss Tristano closed the door behind her and ran down and rang the bell. She then came back up and saw to it that our class escaped alive. This was a very courageous act on her part, she easily could have just left the building when she got to the bottom of the stairs.
I don't believe Miss Tristano was ever recognized for her courage, I'm sure she is responsible for saving hundreds of lives by ringing that bell when she did. Time was certainly of the essence. I have waited many years to thank her for saving my life and hundreds of others.
So Miss Tristano, God Bless You and thank you for your courage. Because of you I am alive and a very proud grandmother of 5. I'm sure God has a very special place for you.


Posted by: DOLORES LABUDA On: 2/18/2004 ID: 158
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO
(Entry removed - please confine messages and discussions to the Message Board)


Posted by: MICHALENE MANCINI POGGI On: 2/18/2004 ID: 157
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes No MISS ROSSI
(Entry removed - please confine messages and discussions to the Message Board)


Posted by: mm On: 2/10/2004 ID: 156
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Chicago
I just want to add some information that Bill (Entry 155) might find clarifying. The Adrian Dominican Sisters whom you had at St. Mary, Royal Oak, Michigan, did indeed run many, many Chicago parish schools and one of those schools was named Queen of Angels, which was also on the North Side (Sunnyside Street). (By the way, there was yet another Northside parish school called St. Mary of the Angels.) On Decmber 1, 1958, the confusion caused by these three similar names for Northside Catholic schools was tremendous. It was a very reasonable misunderstanding to think that the Adrian Dominicans were involved at OLA. Wherever the Adrian Dominicans taught they were really loved by their students. My memories come from St. Ambrose in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and earlier from Saint Rita on the southside of Chicago.


Posted by: Bill On: 2/9/2004 ID: 155
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Royal Oak, Michigan
I was in the second grade at St. Mary in Royal Oak Michigan. For some reason I thought our nuns were teaching at OLA (Adrian Dominicans) during the time of the fire. They made it sound like they were there. I learned different when I found your site. I had the wonderful opportunity of E-mailing Charlene before her death. What a fantastic person!!!!! I remember being told the students had to stay in there desks and pray tell the firemen came. Your site has answers to my questions about the fire ,nuns, and students. I always wonder thoughout my life how it started and what happend. I hope to get a hold of the two books about the fire. I would like to hear from the former students if possible. GOD BLESS YOU ALL Bill


Posted by: DOLORES LABUDA On: 2/8/2004 ID: 154
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before I LIVED ON THE SOUTH SIDE. BUT MY MOM & SISTER LIVED ON THE NORTH
I AM WRITING THIS TO MICHALENE (MANCINI) POGGI. I WAS READING YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. AND DIANA GAZZOLA IS MY COUSIN I WAS SURPRIZED TO READ HER NAME. YOU SEE MY SISTER DIED IN THE FIRE HER NAME WAS CAROL ANN GAZZOLA, SHE WAS IN ROOM 211. IT WAS SUCH A SAD DAY FOR ALL OF US. I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU HOW SORRY I AM THAT YOUR HUSBAND DIED, AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE. GOD WORKS IN STRANGE WAYS, HE SAVED YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND FROM THE FIRE, BECAUSE HE HAD PLANS FOR THE TWO OF YOU. I AM SURE YOU HAD MANY YEARS OF HAPPINESS TOGETHER. MAY GOD BE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ALWAYS. GOD BLESS YOU, DOLORES LABUDA


Posted by: MICHALENE (MANCINI) POGGI On: 2/8/2004 ID: 153
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes No 12 6 ? MISS ROSSI
I REMEMBER THE SCHOOL WAS OLD AND THE STAIRWAY WAS VERY NARROW BY THE SIDE I WAS IN. I ALSO REMEMBER THE CLOKE ROOM ALL FULL OF COATS AND HATS AND BOOTS. I REMEMBER WE WERE HAVING HISTORY AND A STUDENT IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM SAYING HE SMELLED SMOKE. MISS ROSSI OPENED THE DOOR AND THE HALL WAS FULL OF SMOKE AND SHE SAID FOR ALL OF US TO GET UP AND SLOWLY WALK INTO THE HALL AND WALK DOWN THE STEPS. I HEARD KIDS CALLING FOR THEIR MOMS AND DAD'S AND SOME WERE SAYING THE ACT OF CONTRITUTI0N. I REMEMBER SOMEONE SAYING TO OPEN THE WINDOW ABOVE THE STAIRS BUT IT WOULDN'T OPEN. SO A BOY AT THE TIME TOOK HIS SHOE OFF AND SMASHED THE WINDOW.I DIDN'T KNOW IT BUT 11 YEARS LATER THAT BOY WOULD BE MY HUSBAND.I REMEMBER THAT DIANE GAZZOLA'S BRACE CAME OFF AND FATHER OGNEBENE AND SISTER MARY AUDREE ANN WOULD CARRY HER DOWN THE STAIRS. I REMEMBER WHEN I GOT TO THE FIRST FLOOR HOW CLEAR IT WAS AND THEIR WAS NO SMOKE THERE.I WAS GETTING READY TO GO ACROSS THE STREET TO THE NUN'S CONVENT AND A FIRE ENGENE CAME DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. I REMEMBER ALL THE KIDS JUST STANDING THERE, AND THEN WE ALL WENT TO THE CHURCH.I GOT MARRIED 11 YEARS LATER IN THE CHURCH TO BILL POGGI.HE WAS A PILOT IN THE AIR FORCE THEN HE RETIRED AND WAS A PILOT FOR FEDERAL EXPRESS WE HAVE A SON WHO IS 31 AND A DAUGHTER WHO IS 28, BILL HAD A VERY GOOD LIFE.HE WAS A OUTSTANDING PILOT AND LOVED TO FLY. HE PASSED AWAY ON SEPT.9TH. HE HAD JUST TURNED 54 IN AUGUST,HE HAD A MASSIVE HEART ATTACT. WE BOTH HAD A LOT IN COMOM SINCE WE ONLY LIVED ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM EACH OTHER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU COULD SAY WE GREW UP TOGETHER SINCE BILL WAS 16 AND I WAS 17 WHEN WE STARTED DATING. WE GOT MARRIED ON NOVEMBER 22,1969.