The overwhelming majority that post here have allegience to one school. Maybe you went there, or your son did. Maybe you have some other connection, but with the heavy Catholic representation it might be interesting to hear why you picked the school you did for yourself or son. So why your school?
Why your school?
- Thread starter TPF523
- Start date
I'll start. I'm a public school product, I went there because my parents weren't going to pay for a catholic education and because that's just what people did at that time. My kids grew up in catholic schools, we valued the morals and the extra attention given by the catholic school environment. We did consider our local public school (LT) because I do think it's a fantastic school but it never was much of a factor, everyone (kids included) in my house was just more comfortable with the catholic school setup. I like to think I allowed all my kids to make their own decisions. If there was a school they were interested in we let them explore it and draw their own conclusions. Other than LT, we looked at Fenwick, Nazareth, Benet, St Ignatius, St Rita, Montini, Marist and Mr Carmel to an extent. At the end of the day we deemed that the latter 4 were not the proper fit for us. There was a lot of familiarity with the first 4 schools from our grade school, with the most at Fenwick and Nazareth. My oldest ultimately decided that Ignatius was just too far and too inconveniently located for us. On his second shadow to Benet he did not have a good experience and eliminated them. It came very much down to the wire as we forced him to make his decision the night before the entrance exam. We loved everything about Nazareth, the administration, teachers, coaches etc. Every visit to Naz was top notch. At the end of the day my oldest ultimately decided that Fenwick could do more for him academically. Nazareth is fantastic academicallly and me even be eqiivalent to Fenwick NOW but it's the aura of Fenwick, the history, the academic reputation and connections that Nazareth just can't compete with. We have loved everything about Fenwick and have never second guessed our decision but with that being said we have a tremendous amount of respect for Nazareth as well as many lifelong friends both at the school and involved with it. (I guess that's how I became a Nazareth apologist)
I grew up in Morton District and that was never really a thought of mine. I grew up wanting to goto Fenwick and thought I was going to go there. But when it came down to it I knew a couple people at Naz and felt I'd be more comfortable there so I tested there. No regrets at all.
I almost forgot that cost was a big factor too. We knew we were going to pay a ton of money but the amount of aid at Fenwick is significantly higher than Nazareth. We knew this from the dozens of families at Naz and from their lack of discusses aid with us. Fenwick was happy to let us know how we fit in and what type of aid we should expect to receive. Naz just more or less said, we'll see what you get. Knowing I would have kids overlapping was a huge concern and Naz's multi student discount was meaningless. Fenwick, Benet, Ignatius have tremendous endowments and can help much more than Naz as a result. Naz has built up that school tremendously but at the expense of the endowment, for families like us that financial comfort made a difference.
I literally grew up a half-block north of Mt Carmel. I could see the school from my bedroom window. As early as first grade, I could hear the students marching through the neighborhood on one of their outdoor pep rallies. I moved to a new neighborhood after eighth grade and my buddies tried to get me to change to Mendel and its beautiful campus. My family wanted me to transfer to Brother Rice after my freshman year because it was within walking distance. Nope.
My sons attended LWE nice area nice school. Frankfort high taxes but nice area with good public school. No need to pay for a private education. Both my sons went on to college and have business degrees.
I grew up in Geneva and my parents sent me to St. Peter on Kaneville Road. I could walk there every day. When it came time for high school I went to Geneva even though quite a few friends were headed to Marmion.
For me it boiled down to my parents telling me where I was going. It sucked having to make new friends, but I survived and had a good experience there. By the time my two sons finished junior high we gave them the choice and both picked Marmion.
I really think the difference today is more parents get their kids involved in their high school decision.
Well when my oldest sister was getting ready for HS, RB wasn't doing so well so my parents explored private school and settled on Naz with her. The experience was positive and even though we were all public school educated k-8 and RB was much improved 8 years later, Naz was just part of the family tradition 4 kids later. Never considered another private school, although for a time I really just preferred to go RB, but most my family sold Naz to me.
My family was a mixed bag, oldest sister went to naz when it was still all girls, a year later my brother went to fenwick, two years after that my second brother went to naz to be one of the first coed classes. We moved from Bellwood to Elmhurst during my middle brothers sophomore year, his junior year he transferred to IC. Two years later I visited both IC and Fenwick, being a late bloomer the fenwick football coach didn't pay much attention, jack Lewis IC head coach pulled me in office and told me he wanted to play for him, so Ic it was for me. My younger sisters both followed to IC. My mother pushed for the catholic schools, my father followed her lead. A lawyer, two doctors, a nurse, a teacher, and a successful business owner.
All three schools did a great job, naz, fenwick and IC. The private choice was a good for my family.
All three schools did a great job, naz, fenwick and IC. The private choice was a good for my family.
I was completely torn even when I woke up the morning of the exam. I was leaning towards MC, my parents thought I was nuts to want to go to 6410 S. Dante everyday and wanted me to go to BR. Now even though it wasn't too long ago, well 31 years I guess it was, but their was no deginated shadow days....or meet and greet at people's homes, you went to an Open House at the school and that was it...I honestly liked MC because my 2 best friends were going their and I liked the idea of taking a school bus or car pooling everyday....well to make my parents happy I tested at BR but I knew I had time to flip my test over to MC...I finally guilted over my parents to agree to let me shadow one day with my neighbor and I really just fell in love with MC....I told them it felt like home...they made a few calls to people they knew with kids their and they all gave MC the thumbs up, so they agreed to let me go to MC...best decision we made, I really had a great time and my parents became huge MC fans too.
Your entrance exam story recalls for me Jim Grabowski - the great running back for Taft HS and the U of Illinois.. When asked why a good Polish boy from the neighborhood didn't go to Weber (a football powerhouse at the time), he explained that he was a minute late for taking the entrance exam (in December, 1958) and was turned away by a brother at the door. He went to Taft, and played against MC in the 1960 Prep Bowl in front of 71,000 fans.. He eventually wound up as one of the Packers' "Gold Dust Twins" (with Donnie Anderson from Texas Tech) who each received the astounding sum of $400k from Green Bay -- a result of the bidding war between the NFL and AFL.
If any of you boys ever get the chance to see the AFL history put together by NFL films (most likely shown on the NFL network), don't pass it by. That old AFL was a hoot. For example, many of the teams had glittery uniforms -- which reflected sunlight and blinded the TV cameras. It was wild.
For us it was pretty simple. 8th grade was a bit overwhelming, with 8 different schools "talking" to us. It really came down to cost, and location. We narrowed it down to BMac, Naz, and Provi.
Cogs and Corey really did do a great job recruiting, and we felt horrible telling Corey and Joe that Naz was just too damn far.
My daughter, at the time, was attending Mac, and absolutely hated it. And I wasn't too sold on my 13 yo playing Varsity as a frosh.
So we ended up going to Provi and haven't looked back. Otherwise, my boy would have gone to Reed Custer and been lost to the football world.
Cogs and Corey really did do a great job recruiting, and we felt horrible telling Corey and Joe that Naz was just too damn far.
My daughter, at the time, was attending Mac, and absolutely hated it. And I wasn't too sold on my 13 yo playing Varsity as a frosh.
So we ended up going to Provi and haven't looked back. Otherwise, my boy would have gone to Reed Custer and been lost to the football world.
Mike O'Neill was my junior high coach. His son Mike was a RB on the 1980 and 81 teams. Went to see Mike play in Prep Bowl in 1980. He then went on to star on the 1981 State Championship team - he also then ended up driving me to Rice most days when I was a Frosh since Hickory Hills was a good distance to Rice (Mike was a great guy and smart - went to Penn). Even though my dad went to Rice, most of my friends were going to Laurence or DeLaSalle. Took a tour of Rice and liked their swimming pool and the Biology Lab and teacher. One other guy from my junior high tested there. The rest Larry, Marist and DLS
DD would have fit in real nice with our Dline stable. Glad he's doing well.
Both my wife and I went to Joliet Catholic/St Francis Academy. We moved back to Joliet after we got married. Have two who have graduated from JCA, two currently there and one more who will attend in a few years. My parents sent me to Joliet Catholic for the same reason I send my kids there. A great Catholic education and a tremendous community and family experience. FWIW, all of my kids have or will play varsity sports, yet sports played ZERO role in the decision to send them there.
I was already in an academically strong and then-diverse 7-12 magnet CPS program (Kenwood) and didnt want to risk leaving for a Catholic high school (did test at DLS but preferred Rita or Rice) and for whatever reason ending up at my home CPS HS Bowen. I did come around to thinking the grass would have been greener so tbats why the daughter is in catholic grade school then likely either Carmel or Kenosha St. Joseph.
Entered HS in 1965 at the local public school in one of the very near SW suburbs. Raised Catholic, but Dad was in the trades with the seasonal work challenges. Mom got out a few hours each night to help make ends meet. Private HS school tuition not an option even though Dad went to Mt.C. R.I.P., Love you Mom & Dad.
I am a product of public schools from the West Coast and a Public University. We are not overly religious - but we see the value and reasoning's why many families decide the private route is for them.
Therefore we gave our kids a choice of where they wanted to go - either the public high school (for a time it was Neuqua, but in a re-boundary by the district it moved to Waubonsie - both are highly rated public schools and have extensive AP/Honors offerings to push oneself academically.... three years of calculus anyone? not for me!!) OR a private school - AC, Benet, Montini, Marimion, would have been the primary choices from a geographic standpoint.
One child didn't even entertain any other choices and went Dub-V. Another evaluated Benet - but ultimately decided on Dub V. I was happy, my wallet was happy, and for me anyway it would have totally sucked to have kids in different high schools at the same time. My Third and youngest child has already said she going Dub V when her time comes!!
Therefore we gave our kids a choice of where they wanted to go - either the public high school (for a time it was Neuqua, but in a re-boundary by the district it moved to Waubonsie - both are highly rated public schools and have extensive AP/Honors offerings to push oneself academically.... three years of calculus anyone? not for me!!) OR a private school - AC, Benet, Montini, Marimion, would have been the primary choices from a geographic standpoint.
One child didn't even entertain any other choices and went Dub-V. Another evaluated Benet - but ultimately decided on Dub V. I was happy, my wallet was happy, and for me anyway it would have totally sucked to have kids in different high schools at the same time. My Third and youngest child has already said she going Dub V when her time comes!!
Born and raised in Geneva and proud to have played under legendary coach Jerry Auchstetter. Moved back after 15 years in Chicago with one of the main reasons being Geneva Community High School. It prepared me well for the University of Illinois and later grad school; I expect it will serve my children well too.
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Decided to move to the area in Winter of 2009/2010. Was going to work in Schaumburg so needed a reasonable commute which meant being near RT 355. Wife always works in the city so needed a reasonable train trip. Studied N'ville, but schools too big & didn't really feel the warmth. Looked at Barrington/Palatine but train ride too long. Glen Ellyn seemed like a nice village. Did a little research and GW seemed to be building something interesting after 2OT loss to WWS in '09 7A Final.
Working like a madman while wife visited the area meant the two of us visited GW at about midnight in single digit temps. Loved the school on approach and headed down the hill to the field. Got out and jumped up on the hill between the school and the field. The feeling was overwhelming. I could visualize the team walking down the hill to the field with the lake in the background. I told my wife that if they were building something real on the football field, the spot we were standing would be a magical spot. In '12, I stood on that exact spot and watched all of the town's police and fire trucks caravan the team buses back from UofI and joining thousands of neighbors in greeting the team as they came into the field parking lot. The sight of all those boys scaling that hill to ring the school victory bell was like an out-of-body experience. My boy was just a sophomore for that playoff run, so it wasn't "his team," but that didn't matter.
The '15 title was more personal for a couple of reasons; one, those were my boys, and second, I stuck my neck waaay out on this board in promoting/defending my boys against the slings and arrows of all you knuckleheads. Brods the Bod delivered and it was as if all the planets aligned to provide the perfect capper to a great year. Yes I lost the argument of #1 to @JCHILLTOPPERS (and his band of merry Darksiders) but that didn't matter. What I learned after that year was just how lucky I was to have selected GW. Watching Hetlett grow as a coach over the last 6 years has been amazing. That '15 team was the first without Coach Sigs as OL/OC. That Summer leading into that season was tough as there appeared to be no good cop to Hetlet's bad cop and there was just something missing that didn't really click until the LT game in week 5 when we finally played on a clean field Brods decided he was done fooling around. Watching Hetlet navigate through that Summer and provide real balance playing as much good cop as bad convinced me that Hetlet was still growing as a coach. When coaches stop growing, things can get ugly fast.
Now that my kids are done with the program, I could not be happier about our choice to come to GW. We learned some very tough lessons along the way, but I know my kids learned life lessons that drive them every day. I am confident that they will succeed in this crazy world because they will never question putting in hard work. Not sure how I pull myself away from the program like all ex-player parents are supposed to do. I just know that GW lived up to every possible expectation I may have had and exceed most.
Thanks for the thread that allowed me to get that off my chest.
Working like a madman while wife visited the area meant the two of us visited GW at about midnight in single digit temps. Loved the school on approach and headed down the hill to the field. Got out and jumped up on the hill between the school and the field. The feeling was overwhelming. I could visualize the team walking down the hill to the field with the lake in the background. I told my wife that if they were building something real on the football field, the spot we were standing would be a magical spot. In '12, I stood on that exact spot and watched all of the town's police and fire trucks caravan the team buses back from UofI and joining thousands of neighbors in greeting the team as they came into the field parking lot. The sight of all those boys scaling that hill to ring the school victory bell was like an out-of-body experience. My boy was just a sophomore for that playoff run, so it wasn't "his team," but that didn't matter.
The '15 title was more personal for a couple of reasons; one, those were my boys, and second, I stuck my neck waaay out on this board in promoting/defending my boys against the slings and arrows of all you knuckleheads. Brods the Bod delivered and it was as if all the planets aligned to provide the perfect capper to a great year. Yes I lost the argument of #1 to @JCHILLTOPPERS (and his band of merry Darksiders) but that didn't matter. What I learned after that year was just how lucky I was to have selected GW. Watching Hetlett grow as a coach over the last 6 years has been amazing. That '15 team was the first without Coach Sigs as OL/OC. That Summer leading into that season was tough as there appeared to be no good cop to Hetlet's bad cop and there was just something missing that didn't really click until the LT game in week 5 when we finally played on a clean field Brods decided he was done fooling around. Watching Hetlet navigate through that Summer and provide real balance playing as much good cop as bad convinced me that Hetlet was still growing as a coach. When coaches stop growing, things can get ugly fast.
Now that my kids are done with the program, I could not be happier about our choice to come to GW. We learned some very tough lessons along the way, but I know my kids learned life lessons that drive them every day. I am confident that they will succeed in this crazy world because they will never question putting in hard work. Not sure how I pull myself away from the program like all ex-player parents are supposed to do. I just know that GW lived up to every possible expectation I may have had and exceed most.
Thanks for the thread that allowed me to get that off my chest.
Holy Cross/Guerin
Went to catholic schools @ St.Celestine in Elmwood Park (3 yr old Preschool through 8th grade)
Lived down the block from Holy Cross, dad went to Holy Cross, a fair amount of my classmates went to Holy Cross. It was a no brainer for me.
When Cross closed after my junior year we just crossed the parking lot to Guerin. There wasn't an option for going anywhere else.
Went to catholic schools @ St.Celestine in Elmwood Park (3 yr old Preschool through 8th grade)
Lived down the block from Holy Cross, dad went to Holy Cross, a fair amount of my classmates went to Holy Cross. It was a no brainer for me.
When Cross closed after my junior year we just crossed the parking lot to Guerin. There wasn't an option for going anywhere else.
I am a public HS alum and my wife is a Catholic HS alum (Montini...there, I said it). We met in college and I was always impressed with how much mutual respect her HS classmates had for each other. That was not my experience in HS. When it came time for my kids, I had no qualms about sending them to Catholic HS. Our oldest daughter chose Naz over Fenwick and LT. My son chose Naz over St. Joe's, mainly because of his love of basketball. Through grade school and junior high he always went to the summer hoops camps at Naz and Joe's, and liked them both. Even though he was always one of the top 4 or 5 campers in his age group at the Joe's camp, Ping never made much of an impression. Meanwhile, we met Gene Heidkamp who was coaching Naz hoops at the time, and we loved him. Unfortunately, Heidkamp left Naz after our son's freshman year (quite a few hoop moms worked at the school and there were a couple too many hens in the henhouse I always say), and his eventual replacement, well, lets say he left a bit to be desired. What does this have to do with football? Well, he played football too, and Racki came in before his sophomore year. If that hadn't happened, pretty good chance he may have looked to transfer. The football program took off, along with our son's interest and success in the sport. He played 4 years of both sports in HS, and ended up loving football (All Conference and All Area) and hating basketball. We never expected that when he started HS.
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Well, started wanting to follow in my father's footsteps. He attended St. Rita playing football and basketball. I was pro Rita until 8th grade when our grammar school football coach introduced our team to MC football. His son was a starting linebacker. Sitting in the locker room at Gately Stadium with the likes of Matt Gersch, Bobby Sanders, Simeon Rice, Mike McGrew and Jeremy Nau was impressive.
I attended Rita's open house on 63rd and although the mystique was there, the facilities were outdated and cafeteria was in basement. I was turned off.
A MC coach came to the house with his rings, Letterman's jacket and a binder with all the recent graduates playing college ball. Of course, I fell for it. MC was the choice until the day of its open house. My Dad was at the firehouse, so my mother took me and got lost in the neighborhood down there. I can still here my Mom saying, there's no way I'm sending you to a dangerous neighborhood for school. The next upon coming home from school, my parents sat me down and presented Marist, Rita or Rice as my options.
Rice was the closest and most of my friends were going there, so I became a Crusader. Besides my father, Coach Mitchell instilled so many quality traits and values. He was such a great mentor and prepared us for life. I will always look back on them with great admiration, love and respect.
I attended Rita's open house on 63rd and although the mystique was there, the facilities were outdated and cafeteria was in basement. I was turned off.
A MC coach came to the house with his rings, Letterman's jacket and a binder with all the recent graduates playing college ball. Of course, I fell for it. MC was the choice until the day of its open house. My Dad was at the firehouse, so my mother took me and got lost in the neighborhood down there. I can still here my Mom saying, there's no way I'm sending you to a dangerous neighborhood for school. The next upon coming home from school, my parents sat me down and presented Marist, Rita or Rice as my options.
Rice was the closest and most of my friends were going there, so I became a Crusader. Besides my father, Coach Mitchell instilled so many quality traits and values. He was such a great mentor and prepared us for life. I will always look back on them with great admiration, love and respect.
My grandfather attended DLS/JCHS in the 1930s. My father attended JCHS in the 1960s. I already had siblings and cousins attending JCA in the 1990s, so I was pretty much destined to become a third generation Hilltopper. My parents encouraged me to look at the public school alternative just so I could be making my own choice, but I had my mind made up as an 8th grader.
God willing, JCA will still be open and tuition will still be reasonable enough for me to make my children fourth generation Hilltoppers and Angels. That said, my parents made the substantial sacrifice of over six figures on high school tuition for their children, so I do feel a sense of obligation to find a way to give my kids the opportunity. Especially when I saw what kind of lifestyle they sacrificed for us and how they unhesitatingly say they would do it again in a heartbeat.
Follow a few schools and leagues, both city and subs. Grew up on NW side attended catholic school. OLV, now closed. Played youth football at Portage Park in the "Junior Bears" program. At high school age most of my buddies went to St. Pats, Weber, Gordon Tech, Loyola, DePaul. A few went to Lane or Schurz.
I went to NDHS in Niles. I was only guy from OLV who went there that year.
My younger brother played fb at Schurz when they were powerhouse and prep bowl team '60? Lost to Fenwick big time in that game 40-0
I played 4 yrs fb at UIC beginong when UIC opened in '65. During that time I decided to become a teacher and coach.
Student taught at closest NW suburb to city.....hence "gohawk" screename. Coached soph football during student teaching.
MS hired me after graduation as varsity assistant in fb and wrestling. Talk about fortunate!! Spent next 35 years at MS. Coached varsity fb for 20 years with 6 hall of fame coaches. Coached South's first ever ihsa state playoff game in the second year of. FB playoffs, 1975. Guess the opponent!!.... Loyola! We got killed! It was MS first game ever against a non-public school
In 1989 I moved to the administrative side of education and athletics becoming Director of Athletics for boys and girls at South. That meant I had to get out of coaching.
During my next 15 years at MS the scope of my involvement in atletics broadend to all 23 sports and all around the state and with the IHSA. But back to football...
As AD hosted ihsa state series in nearly every sport. In fb it was nearly every year
Because we played teams from all around the suburbs and I knew the A.D.' s well I would "follow" those leagues and teams.
1995 and 2000 state fb state championships were special! 1995 swept the CCL; ST.Rita, Fenwick, and Mt. Carmel in the championship. 2000 championship was special since it was Phil Hopkins final season before retiring as head coach. We had been young varsity assistants together. When he became head coach I stayed on as his assistant until I became AD. Retiring after winning a 2nd state title is pretty special for Phil.
Who do I hire to fill the that BIG position? Eleven years earlier I had hired a former player to teach and coach - David Inserra. The same year, 1989, in addition to hiring Inserra as lower level coach, I hired a Chicago fireman to be a non-teacher coach, one of the first as a non-teacher. That was Charlie Bliss.
So in 2000 I hired David as head coach and Charlie who had been a lower level coach as well as David would be the offensive coordinator. The rest is history. The "Streak"...playoffs streaks, championships, runners-up, etc.
My only "downer" in my 35 yrs in Athletics and Illinois hs football is not being able to "go out" like Phil Hopkins, winning a state championship in my final football season -2003. But I guess the second-place trophy was next best!!
I went to NDHS in Niles. I was only guy from OLV who went there that year.
My younger brother played fb at Schurz when they were powerhouse and prep bowl team '60? Lost to Fenwick big time in that game 40-0
I played 4 yrs fb at UIC beginong when UIC opened in '65. During that time I decided to become a teacher and coach.
Student taught at closest NW suburb to city.....hence "gohawk" screename. Coached soph football during student teaching.
MS hired me after graduation as varsity assistant in fb and wrestling. Talk about fortunate!! Spent next 35 years at MS. Coached varsity fb for 20 years with 6 hall of fame coaches. Coached South's first ever ihsa state playoff game in the second year of. FB playoffs, 1975. Guess the opponent!!.... Loyola! We got killed! It was MS first game ever against a non-public school
In 1989 I moved to the administrative side of education and athletics becoming Director of Athletics for boys and girls at South. That meant I had to get out of coaching.
During my next 15 years at MS the scope of my involvement in atletics broadend to all 23 sports and all around the state and with the IHSA. But back to football...
As AD hosted ihsa state series in nearly every sport. In fb it was nearly every year
Because we played teams from all around the suburbs and I knew the A.D.' s well I would "follow" those leagues and teams.
1995 and 2000 state fb state championships were special! 1995 swept the CCL; ST.Rita, Fenwick, and Mt. Carmel in the championship. 2000 championship was special since it was Phil Hopkins final season before retiring as head coach. We had been young varsity assistants together. When he became head coach I stayed on as his assistant until I became AD. Retiring after winning a 2nd state title is pretty special for Phil.
Who do I hire to fill the that BIG position? Eleven years earlier I had hired a former player to teach and coach - David Inserra. The same year, 1989, in addition to hiring Inserra as lower level coach, I hired a Chicago fireman to be a non-teacher coach, one of the first as a non-teacher. That was Charlie Bliss.
So in 2000 I hired David as head coach and Charlie who had been a lower level coach as well as David would be the offensive coordinator. The rest is history. The "Streak"...playoffs streaks, championships, runners-up, etc.
My only "downer" in my 35 yrs in Athletics and Illinois hs football is not being able to "go out" like Phil Hopkins, winning a state championship in my final football season -2003. But I guess the second-place trophy was next best!!
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A
anon_4vszfu35bv677
Guest
Product of the Catholic education system. Moved to the LW area when the kids were small mainly for the schools. Sons went to LWE and played football there. Oldest one has a masters and is working on another while the youngest is an attorney with a Juris Doctor.
Like Corey,never saw the need for private school. I wanted my sons to know diversity of religion, raise and thought.
Like Corey,never saw the need for private school. I wanted my sons to know diversity of religion, raise and thought.
In December, 1962, Fenwick beat Schurz for the city championship in front of 91,000 people. Be aware that the huge crowds for these games was partly due to park district employees having to buy ten tickets each. My buddy and I got free tix every year from his dad; so did his neighbors.
I had no idea that UIC had football. How long did it last?
I grew up in the nationally infamous tiny section of Chicago between Norridge and Park Ridge. Home to the O.J. Simpson hotel and John Wayne Gacy. I went to Catholic grammar school, St. Eugene.
Some of my classmates lived in those very close burbs and were able to attend Maine South and Ridgewood. However, most of the kids chose Catholic high school. For the girls, Resurrection was very close and most went there. We did have one girl go to Regina, two to Marilac, two to Guerin. Two girls were moving away, and went to Conant and Hoffman.
As for the boys, we didn't have a very close high school like the girls did. We fractured off into even more schools than the girls despite having less boys than girls. One St. Patrick, one Fenwick, one Loyola, one St. Ignatius, five Notre Dame, five Holy Cross, one Gordon, three Maine South, one Ridgewood, one Taft, and one moved away to Lake Park.
63 kids in all… 42 girls, and 21 boys (nice ratio) and 17 different high schools.
Where did I go? Holy Cross.
Stated reason... because my dad went there, Class of '69.
Underlying reason... because it was the closest and most convenient.
Secret reason never revealed... because I didn't know how to swim and Holy Cross did not have a pool. Notre Dame and St. Patrick would've been a big headache in that regard.
Cross Pride! Would've been cool to play on Maine South's state semifinalist my senior year... or Notre Dame's playoff team… or Ridgewood's super class that was number one in football basketball and baseball at different points my senior year and also went to the Little League World Series when we were younger.... but Cross Pride nonetheless.
Some of my classmates lived in those very close burbs and were able to attend Maine South and Ridgewood. However, most of the kids chose Catholic high school. For the girls, Resurrection was very close and most went there. We did have one girl go to Regina, two to Marilac, two to Guerin. Two girls were moving away, and went to Conant and Hoffman.
As for the boys, we didn't have a very close high school like the girls did. We fractured off into even more schools than the girls despite having less boys than girls. One St. Patrick, one Fenwick, one Loyola, one St. Ignatius, five Notre Dame, five Holy Cross, one Gordon, three Maine South, one Ridgewood, one Taft, and one moved away to Lake Park.
63 kids in all… 42 girls, and 21 boys (nice ratio) and 17 different high schools.
Where did I go? Holy Cross.
Stated reason... because my dad went there, Class of '69.
Underlying reason... because it was the closest and most convenient.
Secret reason never revealed... because I didn't know how to swim and Holy Cross did not have a pool. Notre Dame and St. Patrick would've been a big headache in that regard.
Cross Pride! Would've been cool to play on Maine South's state semifinalist my senior year... or Notre Dame's playoff team… or Ridgewood's super class that was number one in football basketball and baseball at different points my senior year and also went to the Little League World Series when we were younger.... but Cross Pride nonetheless.
Before UIC opened as UICC, commonly called the Circle Campus. U of I had a 2yr undergrad campus at Navy Pier. It was known affectonately as "harvard on the rocks" It openef right after WWII to accommodate returning GI's. They played football as a 2 yr school playing small colleges and other teams like the Great Lakes Naval Traing Ctr team. When Uic opened in 1965 they started playing larger schools. Early UIC teams were young, fr & sophs. As team got older competion got better: Eastern Illinois, Illinois state, UWM. SW Missouri, UIC gave no athletic scholarships then. As program and school grew quickly a fb player from Champaign team left to come to UIC.. That started the demise of UIC football
No way was Champaign going to allow a sister school to recruit in Chicago. Team record started declining after 1968
As school grew pressure was to grow athl
Dept and football is costly. Program was dropped in early 70's. The FB teams from those early years still have reunions
We're all old guys now amd compare our body part replacements!
No way was Champaign going to allow a sister school to recruit in Chicago. Team record started declining after 1968
As school grew pressure was to grow athl
Dept and football is costly. Program was dropped in early 70's. The FB teams from those early years still have reunions
We're all old guys now amd compare our body part replacements!
Thanks for that. I had no idea.
DePaul once had a football team -- played at Wrigley Field. The program was dropped when only 700 people came to what turned out to be its last game (during the late 1930s).
Marquette dropped football in 1956 - a decision that generated a huge negative response.
Who were 3 who went to MS from St Eugene? If they were athletes I likely would know them. Forum folks from city don"t realize mailing address, Norridge or Harwood Hts has nothing to do with school district. It's to where you pay local education taxes . Dist 214 is good example. Kids in Arl Hts are at BG, Wheeling, Prospect. & RM. Some kids with a Glenview address are in unincorporated Cook Cnty, just like the Norridge kids and they can
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