April 6, 2008

Immaculata High School, Irving Park and Marine Drive

Summary from Wikipedia: Immaculata High School was an all-girls' Catholic high school located in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It was open from 1921 to 1981. The campus buildings received Chicago Landmark status on July 27, 1983. Still standing at Irving Park Road and Marine Drive, they were designed by Prairie School architect Barry Byrne, a onetime apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright.


Click image for a larger view of the poster:
Immaculata High School, Chicago, Illinois


5 comments:

adgorn said...

Alfonso Iannelli did the statue of the Virgin Mary that used to be in the niche over the door (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Immaculata_High_School_%28Roman_Catholic%29,_640_West_Irving_Park_Road,_Chicago_%28Cook_County,_Illinois%29.jpg ). I sent a note to the current occupants,http://lyceechicago.org/ , to ask where the statue might be , but no answer.

Iannelli is also famous for the old Midway Garden sprites and the Rock of Gibraltar relief on the Prudential Building.

FYI Byrne is interviewed by Studs Terkel in "Division Street," which I just read on Friday while sitting in the jury room at Daley Center waiting for my name to be called. It wasn't.

Alan

Unknown said...

I was in the class of 1951. My name then was Meryl Mallers. My sisters, Marian and Barbara were also graduates of this school. It broke our hearts when the school was closed. We heard that it was sold to Muslims and was to continue as a religious school. My name now is Meryl Burkhardt and I live in Sammish, Wash. my e=mail address is merylbur@gmail.com

Once In Uptown said...

My Sister Sharon Lewter attended IHS (class on '73) I remember attending her graduation ceremony. I'm sad to say my Sister passed away in March OF '86 and is buried at Mt.Emblem Cemetary in Elmhurst.

Anonymous said...

Alan, the statue of Mary was removed by the American Islamic College, when they moved into the building after the high school was shut down.

(Depictions of human beings is traditionally discouraged in Islam:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aniconism_in_Islam)

My recollection is that the statue was carefully removed, so I would guess that it was donated to some other institution. The AIC would be the people to ask:
http://www.aicusa.edu/

I think they've had some ups and downs as an organization, but seem to be back in operation.

adgorn said...

I recently heard the statue was donated to the Chicago History Museum. I have asked them and am awaiting a response.

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