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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: joanied On: 11/30/2008 ID: 408
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Massillon, Ohio
I was a fourth grader on December 1, 1958. I remember visiting my grandmother that evening and seeing the reports of the Our Lady of the Angels tragedy on television. My mother's youngest sister still lived with their mother and I can remember my mother trying to calm her so that she would not upset me. I remember hearing that the fire started at the bottom of a stair well and that children on the upper floor of the school were trapped. At that time I was in a first-floor classroom, as I would be in fifth grade. The sixth grade in my school was housed on the third floor, however, and at the end of a side hallway, farthest from the stairs. The night before I was to enter sixth grade I was awake all night thinking about the OLA fire and how the students were trapped at the top of the stairs. All that year whenever we had a fire drill or if the smell of smoke was in the air, my heart would pound and I was very frightened. Every time the reflection from a car driving by the school bounced off one of our classroom walls, I thought it was flames outside our classroom door. I don't remember sharing these fears with anyone. I just kept them inside. Over time the fear went away, but still I was relieved years later on a visit home to see that outside fire escapes had been added to the third-floor side halls of my old school. Now that I am a teacher, I always think about the safety of my students and how I would help them escape danger in our building should that disaster ever befall us. This past summer thoughts of OLA started coming back to me, and I found the OLA site on the web. I have read the books about the fire and watched the documentary. I follow the recollections and messages on this site, as well. Today, especially, all of you who have suffered (and continue to) in any way because of the fire are in my prayers. God bless you and give you peace on this terrible anniversary.


Posted by: MIchelle Moncada On: 11/30/2008 ID: 407
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
I read the book, "To Sleep with the angels" years ago. It affected me to tears...I want to say that on this horrible anniversary that all of us here, and many of us who read about the tragedy's anniversary in the paper this am are thinking about you, and hope that you recive some peace from this message board.

I am 36, obviously was not alive at the time, but the injustice struck me deeply--or as deeply as it can for not having actually been there.Years later, I read the Michelle McBride book, and I didn't realize that the physical pain never abates.

My only experience with fire was a fire-hazard of a tiny club venue. I smelled smoke, like paper burning. There were maybe 10 people that came to see us play in this junk-filled basement, and I considered myself responsible for them due to all these types of tragedies, all of which were running through my mind just then. There were two exits, a stairway (dangerous by nature) and a back exit for all purposes, blocked off by junk behind where we were to be playing. I said, "We can't start until I figure out where that smell is coming from." Turned out, some guys had a barbeque they started with paper, and the smell was seeping into the building.

Physical pain must be easier to have to live with in some ways than the memories. I was very sorry to read that McBride passed, and yet hopefully, she has found some peace after all these years--and I hope wherever she is that there is some reason for this tragic event that maybe we can't comprehend. I don't know how someone could get through a day if it were all arbitrary.

I want to hope that history never repeats itself, but what bothers me about these events the most is that things never change as much or as well as we hope they will. The awful fire in RI a few years ago was almost identical to the Cocoanut Grove in Boston in the 40's--overcrowding and flammable decorations, along with alcohol, which makes people not move as fast. When people are having fun, they will literally watch a fire burn in front of them, when there isn't a single second to waste.

I know of theatres with curtains to this day that aren't fire-code worthy becuase they're cheaper. Nothing and no amount of money is worth potentially hurting or killing someone. And I can tell you for a fact, no one clips a picece of curtain off and really finds out if the curtain is indeed fireproof. The Iroquis Fire on the site of the Ford Center for the Performing arts happened in this way; to 602 deaths. Not even a marker there. And it's still a very narrow, stair-laden wacky setup building.

Maybe fire survivor organizations can help by even being there to make sure fire-related things really are safe and not flammable, and shut places down that aren't. "Nothing's going to happen" is the most dangerous sentence in the English language; becuase it's an excuse to cut corners and "save money." And in every book I have ever read about fires, they always say "the fire codes changed dramatically..." There shouldn't BE a "grandfather clause" for not having sprinklers in a public building, even though most deaths and injuries occur in house fires--so please check you smoke alarms. Sprinkers don't cost more than carpeting.

What has changed? Maybe the tragedies of OLA and related incidents are to be changed in smaller increments. I studied crowd behaviour, and pick exits at the backs of places that no one came in at; as that's where everyone would go to. If I were playing a rock concert, I consider all those people to be my responsibility. I think of every possibility; which is the only way to be safe: always be completely ready for the worst. Have fire extinguishers always ready with the plastic ties already cut off. Fires move extremely fast, and you won't remember that if something bad happened right then. Most people freeze if a serious event happens--you must train yourself to act instead. Put the urge to panic aside til later.

When builing a house or new rooms, they do make fireproof and fire-resistant insulation for inside the walls. You buy it from recording studio insulation manufacturers. Yes, it's expensive, but if the room were even semi-sound proof, you can't believe you'd even hear a smoke alarm. Please be careful about overloading outlets and high-power appliances like a/c units (esp. in old buildings with only two electrical lines--know what line runs what and never run two high-power things on the same line at the same time), microwaves, amplifiers, hair dryers--anything that makes the lights dim a bit. These are always things that have three-pronged plugs on them.

Anything plugged into the wall can start a fire. ALWAYS use surge protectors and ground fault outlets or ground-fault plug-ins esp. around water. Ground-fault outlets have the red and black buttons on them, but you can buy one that assigns the electricity to the ground (where it always wants to go) rather than using our 75% water body content as a shortcut. Get a licensed electrician to make sure you are safe.

Animals and children can bite through cords and the surge protector will (or has in my experience) taken the brunt, and burnt out, and not hurt anyone or caused a fire in the process. Tape your cords to the wall if there's ANY potential you might spill something on the floor, or it might come into contact with water for any reason. At my house, the roof once totally failed and I woke up to it literally raining in my living room! In 60 years we've lived here, the basement never flooded, but I'm ready for it if it ever happened; as I do have a music room with a lot of power running there.

Think of where large amounts of water will end up if the bathtub overflows or a 200 gallon fishtank breaks. Use marbles and see where your water's gonna end up.

Never forget about your friend the rubber-soled shoe. If you happend to be standing in water (even dampness will work just fine) for some reason, and you're barefoot, and you then touch a short, even a tiny-powered lightbulb then has the right conditions to stupidly and senselessly kill you. Had you worn rubber shoes, you might get lucky, as the electricity can't go through the bottom of your foot, as it can't pass through rubber. Never get into the habit of picking at bagels in the toaster with butterknives! I've seen many brilliant people setting bad habits for their kids in these dumb kinds of ways.

At this time of year, water your x-mas trees...all that stuff is highly flammable...My aunt had friends that went to OLA. My family's been here for a long time, and you can sense that it still affects residents of Chicago that were here at the time when it comes up. I hope I didn't get too far off subject; but if my paranoia stopped someone from being hurt, than maybe it was worth it. I would like to have made a positive contribution to the board over being sad and not changing things to be better and safer.

I wish all of you well, Michelle M
jrnyx3@hotmail.com


Posted by: Beverly Spruill On: 11/30/2008 ID: 406
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before 1162 N Harding, a few blocks from OLA
I was a 6th grader at Orr School. As we were leaving school on 12/1/58, one of the kids from OLA rode by on his bicycle and told us OLA was on fire. I went to my friend's house and there learned how bad the fire was. Her neighbor escaped by jumping out a window and made his way home with a broken ankle. On my street, George Canella, who lived across the street from me, died. 2 other kids escaped with slight physical injuries. My best friend, Mary Linda Rocco, was burned so severely that they gave her last rites. Miraculously, she survived but was hospitalized for months afterward. The 3rd floor of our school was empty, so the surviving students used our space. There was a cloud over our whole neighborhood for years afterward. There wasn't one single person who didn't have a friend or a relative who went to OLA.


Posted by: carol shabel di canio On: 11/29/2008 ID: 405
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes No 8 3 sister mary edgar
the principal was in our classroom because our teacher sister mary edgar was ill. she did not understand why the fire alarm went off without her being aware of a fire drill. she was very calm, but alarmed and had all of us leave the classroom in an orderly fashion. it was very confusing and we were all over the place....in church, in people's houses. the neighborhood all banned together as one big family...but it was a very tragic and heartbreaking experience. one that even, as an eight year old, I will never forget.


Posted by: Queen Esther On: 11/29/2008 ID: 404
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Washburne & Oakley Streets
I was walking home from school on Washburne near Oakley on December 1, 1958. I was 9 years old. Just as I was walking a man jumped out of a car, leaving the door open, and asked me if I knew where Cook County Hospital was? He scared me and I did not know what to do. He looked around the streets, and looked panicked. I suddenly turned around and pointed in the direction that I thought was Cook County Hospital. He smiled, and drove off. I was angry at him, because I did not know why he would ask a child for directions. I sensed something sad about him, and that was when I answered. I went into my house, which was just a few buildings away. I told my sister what had happened with the man asking me questions. She was watching TV and told me about the school fire. I was so sad, and wished I could have helped the man more. I have remembered him often over my lifetime. I pray that his life was filled with peace.


Posted by: nancy arana On: 11/29/2008 ID: 403
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before 9928 hoxie/chicago/south side
I was working as a waitress in a restaurant just off Jeffery on 79th st. The radio was on and as the news started about the fire everything stopped. There was'nt a sound of eatting,of cooking of moving. We all just listened in horror to what was happening. My husband was on his way to work after dropping me off. He turned around and came back just to be with me. Our 3 children were safe at home with my mother .They were too young for school. I can't even tell you how long we listened,it seemed like a lifetime--and it was for 92 children and 3 nuns.


Posted by: JimD On: 11/29/2008 ID: 402
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Chicago (South Shore Area)
On December 1st 1958, I was one day shy of celebrating my first birthday. Of course I have no recollection of the fire, but this event has touched me in many ways. My older sister was eleven years old and remembers it quite clearly.

As a grade school student in the 1960s, I was constantly reminded of the OLA fire whenever we had a fire drill. Our teachers would not tolerate any slowness or fooling around during a fire drill. They would tell us about the terrible fire at OLA.

In the late 1980s, I worked with a man who almost became a victim of the fire; his name was Bob. Well, Bob's parents were moving to the OLA neighborhood. An apartment was rented and Bob was taken to OLA to get signed up for seventh grade. This was about two weeks prior to the fire. The apartment lease somehow failed to materilize, and Bob's parents decided not to move. In 1991, Bob died of cancer and I still remember him telling the OLA story.

Later on, I found the OLAFire.com website and began an email conversation with the late Charlene Benza. Charlene was a wonderful person and we exchanged memories of Chicago, family, and the old neighborhoods. I was invited to a Friends of OLA meeting and got to meet Charlene and the rest of the wonderful people who are part of this organization. Although I was an outsider, they made me feel very welcome.

So much has been said about this event, the victims, and the survivors. I want to add my personal blessing to the victims of this tragedy. For I believe that had this fire not occurred, certainly an equal tragedy would have happened at another one of the firetrap schools around the city and/or nation. It might have been one of my schools or yours. But it would have happened.

Of course, my biggest wish of all is that this fire had not happened; that somehow we can go back to 2:00 PM on December 1st, 1958, and make it stop. But, alas, we cannot.

I want to add that this web site is a fabulous tribute to the people who were involved and tells a story for future generations. Kudos to the webmaster for the difficult job of maintaining the site and keeping the message clear.

God bless all of the victims and survivors as we remember them on December 1st, 2008. I will always remember them.


Posted by: Beth Troka Atkins On: 11/29/2008 ID: 401
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes No 7 2 103 Miss Herlihy
We were reading at the end of the day when our teacher Miss Herlihy asked if anyone smelled smoke. Just as she said it the fire alarm sounded. Without coats we filed out of the room. Our classroom was on the first floor next to the Iowa Street exit. As we walked through the hall to the door I noticed the children coming from the second floor were running down the stairs and looked really scared. Once outside, our class took its place across the street from the rectory and, as in past fire drills, we turned around to face the school. There I could see dark smoke rising over the school into the sky. Students were still running out the doors.

A fire truck that was westbound in front of the church couldn’t get through due to all the cars in the street. I remember seeing a fire fighter getting down from the truck and shouting and directing the cars to get out of the way. This action to a seven year old seemed strange because I thought the siren was enough to get cars and people to move. There were children leaning out the windows of the second floor of the Iowa Street side of the building. These could have been Rooms 201 or 203. A priest was on the sidewalk below looking up and motioning, or talking, to them. Light colored smoke started coming out the windows over their heads. Then the smoke became more dark and dense. Fire fighters placed ladders at the windows, and the children started climbing down. I thought they were very brave because I would have been scared to be that high on a ladder.

Fire fighters emerged from the alley between the school and the rectory carrying children, and then they placed them on the lawn of the rectory. Not understanding the gravity of the situation I thought these children had fainted. Then someone covered them with blankets. A priest wearing a purple stole around his neck was leaning over them, anointing and blessing them. Learning of the sacraments in preparation for Communion I knew that was what you did for the sick and dying, and I knew that wasn’t good.

Looking toward the convent, which was across the street from the school on the Iowa side, I could see the older nuns standing on the sidewalk with their hands covering their mouths. Some dropped to their knees with hands in prayer; some were just throwing their arms in the air. As an adult I realize now they were in disbelief.

As we stood on the sidewalk lots of children without coats started running past us, and, at the time, I couldn’t understand why their faces and shirts were covered with black marks. Smoke and soot will do that. I recall the street starting to get wet from the fire hoses that were everwhere. More people were running toward the school.

At some point Miss Herlihy told us to follow her. She started leading us away from the school. I didn't know where we were going. I became scared that I might not know how to get to my home on the 1100 block of N. Monticello from wherever she was taking us. I broke from the line and started running home while hoping I wouldn’t get in trouble for doing that. As I neared Hamlin and Thomas an elderly couple stopped and asked me if school was out. All I could reply was “yes.” I didn’t know how to explain what was happening.

My Mother was at home and heard on the radio that the church was on fire. She decided to meet me so I wouldn’t be scared with all the fire trucks around the church. As she was on her way she saw one of the neighbor girls running home without her coat and shoes. When my Mother asked her what happened she told her the school was on fire. My Mom said she began running toward the school, but tripped and fell. A Police Officer riding a three-wheeler stopped to help her up. He said he was on his way to the school fire. As I ran east on Thomas I will never forget the sight of my Mother running toward me. She scooped me up and wrapped her coat around me. Because I was cold we stopped at a nearby corner store owned by Tony and Maria on the way home. There my Mother told them what was happening. We went into their apartment in the rear of the store and listened to the radio. Someone tried to give me a shot of whisky or something like that, but my Mom told them no. It’s crazy what you remember. While listening we heard that the roof of the school had collapsed. Everyone was upset and began crying. Before we left, Tony loaned me his son Sammy’s coat to wear for the rest of the walk home.

Once home, my Mom answered all phone calls by saying, “She’s home.” During those first few days we learned the names of the neighbor children that were injured or dead. It was difficult for me to understand how a child could die. I couldn’t comprehend that they were in heaven because they were too young. It didn’t make sense that I wouldn’t see them anymore. My parents, like others, went to many many, wakes.

Somtime later we were informed that coats had been collected from the school and were available for pick up at Mary Hall. I recall the coats were spread out on tables, and the smell of smoke was overwhelming. We took my coat to DeRosa’s Cleaners on Division. When we arrived a lot of people were already there dropping off their coats, and the cleaners smelled just as smoky as Mary Hall. One day as we walked past the school we could see workmen on the second floor throwing books and other debris out the window. In those days almost every classroom had a piano. It was almost surreal to see parts of a piano, especially the keyboard falling to the ground.

The Monday after the fire the students were bussed from OLA to Our Lady Help of Christians School. I find it interesting that this school was doing exactly what its name said, helping others. Help of Christians’ students attended classes in the morning, and we attended in the afternoon. Their students placed their books at one side of the desk so we could have room for ours. My grandparents lived in that parish, and sometimes my grandfather would wait outside so he could wave to me as we arrived or departed. At HOC we were given all new books and book bags. Sandwiches and milk were provided as well, which was something new for us.

I think it was after Christmas vacation that we were divided and sent to about four local public schools. I went to Cameron and now had a different teacher, Sister Faustina. Rooms on the third floor of Cameron were used for the OLA students. This relocation separated us from friends and classmates. There had been so much upheaval for fragile children. I recall some poor kids occasionally wetting their pants in class.

A sadness truly blanketed the neighborhood. When we met people in the stores, the adults spoke in hushed tones. Several times people would hug me and tell me how lucky I was. I remember being in a store and seeing a neighbor who had lost her daughter. She had a sweet smile, and with tears in her eyes she said she was happy that I was safe. I recall saying thank you, but my adult mind realizes she showed great kindness in the depth of her grief. As a parent and grandmother these stories have become more tragic to me.

My parents both graduated from OLA and had remained in the neighborhood, but chose to move away in April 1959. The first day at my new school included a surprise fire drill. I remember thinking that I should act controlled because just hours before I had just been introduced as a survivor of the Our Lady of the Angels fire. Back then the new school had an incinerator where they burned the refuse in the afternoon. Initially, I was scared to be in school and smell something burning. Although I was assured there wasn’t any danger, I never got used to that smell. I always had someone else light the candles on my daughters' birthday cakes and even owned a home for ten years before I used its fireplace. I always placed a big bucket of water next to it during each infrequent use.

My first job was at St. Anne’s Hospital. There I heard many nurses and doctors describe their experiences of that day and the time that followed, but not living in the neighborhood, I never had a chance to speak with any students who were there. I had so many memories, but no one with whom they could be validated. About twenty years after the fire I was fortunate to hear Michele McBride speak about her new book and about fire safety. She was exceptional, and she was my first connection to someone who “was there that day.” Over the years, through my employment, I have met others who attended OLA. Having that one date in common creates a certain level of understanding between strangers.

Thank you to the Friends of OLA for the good work they do and to our Webmaster for creating this forum and being a source of help to many.

Peace and Blessings


Posted by: jennifer On: 11/28/2008 ID: 400
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
My email address is mngrn10@yahoo.com and i really want to talk to joyce P. joyce if your wondering, i want to talk to you because you write to everybody and that is really sweet. Also, if any one else who went to ola please email me, you will be joyed


Posted by: Patrick On: 11/28/2008 ID: 399
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Superior & Lavergne
I was a kindergarden student at H.O.C. Help of Christians.. The events of that day and subsequent days have haunted me so...I as a child that young just knew something [evil] way out of the ordinary fire had happened.. My older sister ran through the apt we lived at yelling Our Lady of The Angels is burning down..! I remember the endless sound of sirens from the firehouse at Chicago & Laramie going to help put out that horrible fire.. I mentioned evil earlier because something evil I believe possesed that little boy to start that fire.. I really believe this.. Fifty years and this still haunts me.. I later went to S.P.C. and our football team played against O.L.A. some of the football players on their "big team" had burn scars I remember.. Everyone shook hands after the game but know one talked about the fire.. I met Mike Canella years later as a classmate at Willowbrook H.S. in Villa Park Ill. I remember we discussed the fire as at first I did'nt beleive him as we were freshmen together in science class I appologise Mike as I know better now.. If you read this Mike we were in Mr. Maggio's class together '68.. My good friend John from S.P.C. [St. Peter Canisuis] classmate later in life met his bride an O.L.A. student 1st grader her name is Bernadette.. May God bless all of you who survived with wonderful thoughts only and blessings of joy and good health for the rest of your lives..