Personal experiences with Our Lady of the Angels School Fire on 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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Stories 355 to 346 Stories 335 to 326

Posted by:

mary lou

On:

11/29/2007

ID:

345

At OLA on 12/1/58?	Born before or after 12/1/58?	Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No	Before	taylor st. & hoyne ave. chicago

almost 49 years ago and i remember it like it was yesterday, it was after school and i was sitting at my kitchen table. my mother was on the phone talking to my grandfather. she was trying to talk in a quiet whisper and that only got my curiosity. i was listening intently when she could no longer contain herself. she started saying 'the kids are on fire? the kids are jumping out the windows? oh my god! oh my god! i heard it all! and there was no way she could have shielded me or my brother from the worst news of our lives. i was 7 and my brother was 11 and although we went to a different catholic school (st. charles borrmeo)every saturday in wintertime we bowled at g&l bowling alley at chicago ave. and pulaski on the motorola junior league and most all the kids were from OLA. we allready bowled there for the last 2 seasons and knew all the kids.and my father who worked for motorola knew all the parents from working with them. so now its saturday dec.6 and my dad doesnt quite know what to do so we go to the bowling alley as usual but it wasnt as usual, there was hardly no one in the bowling alley. i see it right now as i saw it 49 years ago. to sad to put into words.the kids werent there because they died in the fire. the fire were they were jumping out the windows. amen and the surviving kids (me and my brother didnt know who they were yet) were at the funerals that were starting. now so here comes my fathers friend wally who ran the junior league and he says to me well young lady i guess were going to have to move you up to captian and youll have to keep score.when i heard this i put my head down on the desk and i started to cry. wally asked me why i was crying and i told him i didnt know how to keep score. but the real reason i was crying was i knew all the kids that were missing were probably dead. all the kids i had come to know and bowled with every saturday were gone and i would never see again. how sad. 49 years later and i still cry for them. that was the end of the motorola junior league. cant ever remember bowling there after that day.then more bad news followed that spring when my brother john learned that some of his friends from bowling (from OLA)that were on his little league team at kells park (CHICAGO AVE> AND KEDZIE)died in the fire. i wasnt at the fire but i will never forget the fire.every year at this time especially i think of the children, i wonder why they had to suffer. they did nothing to deserve such a horrific end to their precious lives. we somehow want answers,but so far i havent heard any that sit right with me. too bad we have to die to get the answers were looking for as were taught per our religion. my thoughts and my prayers to the families and friends of all our angels. side note; dont you wonder if the boy who started the fire realizes the magnitude of lives he ruined? and yes it was a boy that started the fire. a nun told me so.

Posted by:

J.L.S.

On:

11/24/2007

ID:

344

At OLA on 12/1/58?	Born before or after 12/1/58?	Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No	Before	Miami, Florida

My cousin Michael Geanto was in the 4th grade and attending OLA on 12/1/1958. I was born 2 months earlier the same year. I just found out about the fire while I was looking up my cousin's(Michael's brother) business website. I was shocked to find Michael's name as a surviving student. I called my Mom to ask if she remembers this event, and she indeed did. My Mother said it was terrible and Michael was very scared and we flew back to Chicago for support. Also, My Uncle, (Michael's father), had a sibling who's child was burned, but she could not remember their name and would call her niece(Michale's sister) Diane for details. I asked why not call her own sister and brother-in-law for information(Michael's parents) and she responded "Oh no... they cannot talk about it, that it was too difficult". This is 49 years later! Very sadly my cousin Michael Geanto died in 1968 while stationed in Germany as an MP in the Military. Michael was only 19 years old. I guess our family never talked about it. I had to find out on the internet. I found his 2nd grade class picture of 1956 on this website. Does anybody reading this have any first hand accounts about Michael? What class he was in? How he escaped? Room 210 fourth grade, lost 29 student's (Angel's) on that day, so I know Michael must have lost many friends. I did not know my cousin very well as my parents moved away from Chicago before I was born. I remember happy & funny stories being told about Michael and a few encounters on family visits back to Chicago. Please share any memories of Michael you may have. Thank You. J.L.S.

Posted by:

Barbara Adams

On:

11/19/2007

ID:

343

Enrolled on 12/1/58?	Present on 12/1/58?	Injured?	Age	Grade	Classroom	Teacher
Yes	No	No	10	5	212	Sister Mary Clare Therese

I was a student at OLA from second grade through eighth grade. On December 01, 1958 I was kept home from school by my Mother because we had been confirmed the night before and my family had come in from out of town to celebrate the big day with me. We had a long evening and Mom thought I should stay home that Monday since all of the fifth grade classes the years prior to the fire had enjoyed the day after Confirmation free.
My Dad called the house about 2:30 to tell us the school was on fire. Mom and I raced to the school and could not believe the horror we saw. I watched as classmates and friends jumped from windows and died. I watched as bystanders helped parents and kids who were in shock. I watched as firemen wept against trees. I attended 90+ wakes and funerals of my friends and classmates. I visited many in the hospital who were burned beyond recognition. I saw things that I will never forget.
This is the first time I have been able to look at this website . I am thankful this site is here to allow me to lend my voice which had been silent until now, to a terrible event which affected so many people. I cannot forget the horror and the loss of young lives but I can tell you that I carry all of those Angels in my heart and in my prayers everyday of my life.
God Bless all of us and all of our Angels.

Posted by:

CARLA EUGLING

On:

11/16/2007

ID:

342

At OLA on 12/1/58?	Born before or after 12/1/58?	Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No	After	n/a

I can recall my Uncle, Father Joseph Ognibene, was very quiet whenever anyone talk about the fire. I would hear stories of what happened from my
Mom, Matilda and my Aunt Agnes. My Uncle, Father Sam would tell me bits and pieces about how my grandmother thought he died in the fire because no one knew where her was. I would always hear people speak of him as a hero.
Later in life I was sitting at the dinner table with my Uncle and I told him I saw him on Channel 7 saying the Yearly prayer at the OLA Memorial at Queen of Heaven. What happened next kind of shocked me, he actually started talking to me about what happene and his thoughts on how it started, which I will not mention. He lifted his sleeve and showed me a scar from a burn he suffered during the fire. All these years, I never knew. I will never forget that day.
I am very fond of my Uncle and I miss him, I loved him so much. He passed away several years ago from cancer and I got a chance to see some of the victims he saved at his funeral. I will never forget their stories. My Uncle Gene, and Aunt Agnes would cry whenever one of the victims intoduced themselves. God Bless You!Thank you for remembering Father Joe.
I always make it a point to drive by the Memorial at Queen of Heavens when I visit my parent's graves.Every year around Dec 1st I make it point to get out and visit the OLA graves and read each name on engraved as I pray.
God Bless everyone that was touch by this tragedy.I will never forget.

Posted by:

Kathie H

On:

11/12/2007

ID:

341

At OLA on 12/1/58?	Born before or after 12/1/58?	Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No	Before	Milwaukee

I was 8 yrs old and in third grade in a large catholic grade school in Milwaukee (St Mary of Czestochowa). I had a great-aunt who was a teaching nun in Chicago; she knew some of the teachers at OLA. She could barely speak when talking of the tragedy to my parents. Our school was similar to OLA in many ways - 50 to 60 children in a class, old highly-varnished wood, transom doorways and unreachable windows due to bookcases. There were so many desks in a class that the nuns could hardly walk between them. I remember praying for the children and families of OLA in school. And always, always the picture of Richard Scheidt carrying the lifeless little boy out of the building.We always believed we were safe with God. How could children die while they were doing what they were supposed to be doing? Sitting in school looking up at that teaching sister and at the crucifix on the wall above her head?
Death,it seemed, could be just a door away. There were no sacred talismans, and the faith and trust of so many children was badly shaken in those days following.
More than a half century later, I always think of the surviving family members when December 1st comes around. I wonder if they've ever had a happy christmas since then. Having lost a brother in an accident, I know that the tragedy is part of who you are. I remember those children and their families every year around this time. And want to thank you for this web site and the opportunity to provide some solace.

Posted by:

Rochelle

On:

11/8/2007

ID:

340

Enrolled on 12/1/58?	Present on 12/1/58?	Injured?	Age	Grade	Classroom	Teacher
Yes	Yes		10	5	Cheesebox	Sister Mary Geraldita

It was almost the end of the school day. Our classroom was a mixture of 5th and 6th graders. I remember a classmate dropping a pencil on the floor and when he bent over to pick it up saw smoke coming under the door. Sister opened the door and the room immediately filled with smoke. We were told to kneel against the back wall and pray. Of course all of us panicked and we all tried to get to the windows. I remember that the door to the fire escape was locked. I know that a student jumped out of the window to seek help. As always I had a hankie in my jumper pocket and pulled it out and found myself breathing through that. I remember my eyes burning and my terrible fear. I remember the week before we had been confirmed and called "soldiers of Christ". Even at that young age I know I did not want to die. I know now that only minutes passed before the door was opened and freedom awaited. As we raced out of the room I looked back as flames engulfed the area we had just been in. I ran through the alley to my home which was just a couple of doors away from the convent. I was looking for my younger sister. When I ran home and pounded on the door to get in the house my mother opened the door and was shocked to see me as I still had the hankie wrapped around by face which was now black from the smoke. To this day I feel that God told me to do this and saved my life. She raced out of the house looking for my sister who had been marched into the church by her teacher to pray. As only the rectory separated the church and the school the church began to fill with smoke. Mom found my sister and came home I remember standing in front of the house just looking at the disaster and seeing kids walking around in the cold with no coats on and fireman scaling the walls of the burning building trying to rescue kids trapped in their rooms. As I grew older and really understood what happened to us that day I remember those words of Bishop Hillinger "go forth as soldiers of Christ" and believe that those students who perished that day did fight for Christ. Building codes were changed, sprinklers installed and fire drills were no longer an excuse to get out of class. The passing of these soldiers very well saved many other lives.

Posted by:

Billijean Moore

On:

11/2/2007

ID:

339

At OLA on 12/1/58?	Born before or after 12/1/58?	Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No	Before	St. Louis, MO.

The fire at the school, with all the children dying and 3 nuns, affected me deeply. I am 59 years old now and remember it vividly. I was 10 years old and in 5th grade at Holy Ghost Catholic School. I couln't believe God would "let" all those children die and the NUNS! The memory of this has haunted me forever. From your website, I have been able to find peace with it and closure at last. God bless you and all the children and sisters who died. May God give them perfect peace and happiness.

Posted by:

Carol Smith

On:

10/28/2007

ID:

338

At OLA on 12/1/58?	Born before or after 12/1/58?	Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No	Before	Sterling, Illinois

I remember coming home from school, I was 9 years old, and I heard of the tragedy in Chicago which was about 150 miles away from Sterling, IL. I can still see the faces of the children that had died; and I remember reading the newspaper articles over and over again. I have always had a great fear of fires; and I'm sure it all stems from the OLA school fire. Thank you for this website. May much healing come from it! God Bless you.

Posted by:

kathie

On:

10/12/2007

ID:

337

At OLA on 12/1/58?	Born before or after 12/1/58?	Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No	Before	st. joseph, michigan

I was 11 yrs old on 12/1/58, and a student in St. Joseph, Michigan, at St. Joseph Catholic School. St. Joe is 90 miles along the Lake from Chicago. I will never forget the front page of the Tribune, the day after the fire. When we went to school, the day after the fire, I remember our Dominican nun talking of the fact that we needed to pray for the children and nuns who perished in the fire. I remember, so strongly, how sad and upset our nun was that day. Mostly, I will never forget the pictures in the Tribune. I was horrified to see firemen carrying a deceased nun down a flight of stairs, as well as horrific pictures of the children. Like most parents at that time, I recall my parents being very grieved over the loss of teachers and children, but talked in hushed tones infront of my sister and I. I wanted to ask them questions about the tragedy, but they said it was too horrible to discuss. The feeling of sadness, and fear, was so strong inside of me due to that fire. I read the book, "To sleep with the Angels", and I was overwhelmed by it. My husband went to St. John's Catholic School in Benton Harbor, and was taught by BVM's. He said he was devestated at 12 yrs old, to know that BVM's died in the fire. We both commented, that at those ages, we thought it inconceivable that nuns and children would have such a tragedy in a Catholic school. God bless and keep all who survived. My prayers will forever be with you.

Posted by:

Joe Romanoski

On:

10/8/2007

ID:

336

At OLA on 12/1/58?	Born before or after 12/1/58?	Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No	Before	5233 South Nashville Avenue Chicago Illinois

I was a student at St. Daniel the Prophet Grammar School at the time of the fire. I was eleven years old. I can remember distinctly the day as the "first of December", a new month, not too far from Christmas, and really cold. Like most parochial school kids in Chicago, we marched in and out of school--at St. Daniel's, usually to the Notre Dame fight song. The fire was on the news that night. The kids were just like us. The sisters were just the same. I think every Catholic parochial school was pretty much run the same way back in those days. The picture of the fireman carrying the dead nun down the ladder pretty much tore the guts out of everyone. I suppose every Chicago parochial school kid at the time figured it could have been him\her.

I've just had a chance to read other peoples' recollections. My best wishes to all attending the get-together on October 12th (with Dick Biondi).

Stories 355 to 346 Stories 335 to 326

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