History
HOLY ANGELS CATHOLIC SCHOOL (then known as an Academy) formally opened on August 29, 1887, under the direction of the SISTERS OF MERCY. In June 1908, property at the corner of Vincennes and Oakwood was purchased for the future expansion of the school. At the time, 697 students were enrolled. The new building at 545 Oakwood was completed at a cost of $ 70,000 and dedicated on September 1, 1912. The old school became a social hall. In 1919, living quarters for the Sisters of Mercy were provided on the 2nd floor of the school. There were 475 students enrolled at that time.
Between 1910-1920, the ethnic nature of Chicago began to change greatly. African-Americans living in the city increased from 44,103 to 109,459 in those years. By 1930, the majority of Chicago’s 233,903 blacks lived in the Southside “Bronzeville” area. It was also at that time that the Ida B. Wells Homes were built just north of the church itself. FR JAMES DUFFIN became Pastor at Holy Angels.
Holy Angels School is a Catholic elementary school within an African American Community. With Christian faith, we strive to enrich the lives of our students with an appreciation for the wealth and gifts of their heritage.
The Goal and Purpose of Holy Angels School is to provide an educational program that will enable the student to develop his potential to the fullest; to provide an atmosphere of learning where the student may develop self acceptance, i.e. a belief in his competence, a trust and confidence in his capabilities; to develop in the student the ability to make choices and accept resultant responsibilities and/or consequences of those choices; to help the student master certain academic asks; to achieve learning to become competent; to help the student to learn to become purposeful, seeking the resources and responsibilities of the world in order to be eternally happy in the future.
Our parents are the primary educators, and we value their input and support as we challenge our students not only to excellence in education but also the value and treasure of community and family living as proclaimed by the Gospel Message of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
