Mount Carmel High School (Chicago) - History

History

In the Fall of 1900, the Carmelite order established St. Cyril College at 54th and Jefferson (now Harper) on Chicago's South side. In the first year there were 13 students and five priest teachers. The following year the college was moved to 64th and Washington (now Blackstone) because of the need for a larger building and better access to public transportation. The St. Cyril College Building at 64th and Star (now Dante) was completed in 1902, and classes began with 137 students and 11 faculty members. The school was consecrated by Bishop Peter Muldoon on August 10, 1902; a delay caused by the death of Archbishop Patrick Feehan.

Upon opening the college had three departments: (1) Academic, which included both a junior high and a high school program; (2) College, a four-year program with emphasis on Greek and Latin; (3) Commercial, a three-year course.

In September 1910, the school hosted Vincenzo Cardinal Vannutelli for lunch during a tour of Chicago Catholic schools; about ten years before becoming Dean of the College of Cardinals.

In 1918, with young men being called to serve in World War I, the college curriculum was dropped while the high school department was enlarged and improved.

In December 1922, Father Elias Magennis, General of the Carmelite Order, and Archbishop Mundelein of Chicago agreed on the need for the immediate construction of a new St. Cyril High School Building. In the spring and summer of 1924, a three story main building was erected by the Thompson-Starrett Construction Company with Zachary Davis as the architect. William Lynch, a St. Cyril College graduate, was in charge of construction. Later that fall, the new building was dedicated as Mount Carmel High School.

During World War II, Mt. Carmel began preparing students for wartime employment or military service, offering courses in aerodynamics, meteorology, navigation, and civil air regulations. Countless alumni from the Greatest Generation went on to serve the United States in various capacities, many losing their lives in the name of Freedom.

In the 1960s and 70s, economic and sociological factors changed Mount Carmel's Woodlawn neighborhood- fewer Catholics were living in the immediate area and the school's enrollment dropped. Mount Carmel's close proximity to the Black P. Stones/El Rukn street gang may have also hurt their ability to attract students. Despite these conditions, improved bus routes permitted many students to continue reaching the school.

Thanks to the efforts of Father David Dillon and numerous other Mount Carmel faithful, the school emerged stronger than ever in the 1980s and 90s. The already storied athletic program rose to dominance, winning state championships in Basketball, Football, Hockey and Wrestling. Over the past two decades, the campus has been expanded to include modern facilities that support science, technology and continued athletic success. The combination of the school's rich history, generous alumni and popular staff has built a promising future for Mount Carmel.