Chicago Angel Guardian High School “Angels”

Posted on by davenanninga in Uncategorized
Angel Guardian
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Photo by Cody Cutter (Feb. 2009)
St. Henry’s Church at Angel Guardian
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Photo by Cody Cutter (Feb. 2009)

The History of Chicago Angel Guardian High School

Chicago (population: 2.8 million) is located along the shores of Lake Michigan in northeastern Illinois. From its early days as a Potawatomie settlement, then as the site of Fort Dearborn in 1803, which led up to the formation of the city and its incorporation in 1833 and 1837, respectively, the “City of Big Shoulders” became a major location in the US for various reasons. Railroads and water transportation were two reasons why Chicago was one of the fastest growing cities in the country during the 19th Century.

Today, numerous railroads and highways of interstate, US, state, and local designations bring people together in the city on a daily basis, as does air traffic at O’Hare and Midway Airports. Chicago is a melting pot of people from many nationalities, making it ethnically diverse, and thus, is referred to as “the cultural, economic, and financial capital of the Midwest” (according to Wikipedia).
Angel Guardian was opened as an orphanage in 1865 by five German Catholic parishes in Chicago to care for destitute children of German ancestry at the corner of Ridge & Devon Avenues on the north side. A two-year vocational high school was begun in the fall of 1910 under the eye of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, and students were encouraged to complete diploma requirements at either DePaul Academy, Loyola Academy, or Marquette Institute.

The school increased its course offerings to a four-year high school by 1945, but it was always intended for students that had remained at the orphanage past eighth grade. Angel Guardian had an agreement with the University of Nebraska to offer correspondence extension courses, in addition to the vocational classes they started with for those who wished to learn a trade.

Due to financial considerations, Angel Guardian was forced to close its doors in the fall of 1974 when the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services cut funding for the school and orphanage. The buildings were purchased by Misricordia as a home for special children and continues to operate today. Alumni also have a place to hook up with each other on a regular basis at: http://angelguardianorphanage.com/.

More about Angel Guardian’s history can be found by looking at these two links about orphanges in Chicago’s history: http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/937.html & http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/50.html

Angel Guardian logo
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courtesy of Sylvia Huante at http://www.angelguardianorphanage.com/
Boys Cottages at Angel Guardian
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courtesy of http://www.angelguardianorphanage.com/
Girls cottages at Angel Guardian
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courtesy of http://www.angelguardianorphanage.com/

FACTS ABOUT CHICAGO ANGEL GUARDIAN HIGH SCHOOL

Year opened as two-year school:        1918

Expanded to four-year school:            1945

Closed for good:                                1974

School colors:                                   Blue & White

School nickname:                              Angels

School song:                                     unknown

ATHLETICS

With the help of Tom Sikorski, we do know that Angel Guardian did offer football during the 1950’s and ’60’s. They also offered basketball, baseball, and track, but would like to find more details. Please contact us with more information at the address listed below.

FOOTBALL

Angel Guardian had a football team as early as 1955, but Tom tells us that only one result for that year as well as for 1956 and 1957 were found. Here’s a look at some of the best records over the years were:

1958   5-0-1             coach unknown

1959   4-0-1             coach unknown

1964     Team won final 4 games of season

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1965   8-0                Coach Bill Kern

  

1966   6-0-1             Coach Bill Kern

The football program enjoyed a 19 game unbeaten streak heading into the 1967 season!

1967   Last team      coach unknown

Some of these records may not be 100% complete. When it came to coverage in the newspapers, Angel Guardian and other smaller schools were crowded out by the more prominent Catholic and Public League city teams, which could mean that they may well have played some games that never made it into the papers.

Thanks to Tom Sikorski for these pieces of information!

BASEBALL

1966         Parish League Champions

1967         Parish League Champions

WHAT DO YOU KNOW….

about the history of Angel Guardian High School? We would like to hear from you about this school that thought well enough to educate its students for the real world. Photos, win-loss records, words to the school fight song, and memories are great to share with us. Please contact us by email at dr.veeman@gmail.com or by the USPS at:

Illinois High School Glory Days

6439 North Neva

Chicago, IL  60631

Kindergarteners with volunteer at A.G.O.
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courtesy of http://www.angelguardianorphanage.com/
Students in Center Court Yard—1953
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courtesy of http://www.angelguardianorphanage.com/


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