St. Rita of Cascia High School explained

St. Rita of Cascia High School
Zipcode:60620
Country:USA
Coordinates:41.752°N -87.685°W
Founder:Very Rev. James F. Green
Chairman:Clare Napleton
President:John Donahue[1]
Staff:84[2]
Ceeb:141255[3]
Avg Class Size:25
Sat:2
Act:2
Tuition:US$10,800[4]
Song:Hymn to St. Rita
Fightsong:St. Rita Fight Song
Motto:Veritas, Unitas, Caritas[5]
Motto Translation:Truth, Unity, Love
Accreditation:North Central Association of Colleges and Schools[6]
Mascot:Mustangs
Team Name:Mustangs[7]
Colors: red
blue
Yearbook:The Cascian[8]
Newspaper:The Ritan
Founded:1905
Enrollment:515[9]
Homepage:http://www.stritahs.com
Rivals:St. Laurence

St. Rita of Cascia High School is an all-boys Catholic high school located in the Ashburn neighborhood on Chicago's Southwest Side., United States. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, is operated by the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel, a Catholic jurisdiction of the Order of Saint Augustine, and is a member of the Augustinian Secondary Education Association. The school is named for Rita of Cascia (1381–1457), an Italian Augustinian nun and Roman Catholic saint.

History

The high school was founded in 1905 by Augustinian friar Kevin Campbell, O.S.A, who bought the property on which the original school sat for US$30,000 for the 5acres site. Green Hall was the initial building on the original campus. The school was formally dedicated on 22 April 1906, at which time the San Francisco earthquake of four days earlier was invoked.

Successor to the founder was William L. Egan, O.S.A., during whose tenure the original Harris Gym and Egan Hall were completed. In 1922, the school's first stadium was constructed.[10] Joseph B. Kepperling, O.S.A. followed Egan in 1926, but his career was brought to a close by his death in 1929. John J. Harris, O.S.A. was selected as the next rector of St. Rita.

In January 1935, a fire caused extensive damage to the school's shrine after an altar candle was placed too close to a Christmas tree.

In the summer of 1935, Ruellan P. Fink, O.S.A. succeeded Harris. Under Fink's leadership, technical coursework began at the school in 1936. This period also saw the construction of the Mendel Technical Building (1938), and an addition to Egan Hall (1939), which (at the time) made St. Rita the largest all-boys Catholic school in the American Midwest. A fire destroyed the wooden stands in the athletic stadium in 1944, and were soon replaced with concrete bleachers.[10] An April 1939 benefit for the addition included actors Arthur Treacher, Fifi d'Orsay, Eddie Bracken, and Virginia Payne. The new monastery was completed in 1949.

John E. McLaughlin, O.S.A. succeeded Fink in 1956 as principal. In 1962 Francis P. Crawford, O.S.A. became Principal. Crawford was succeeded in 1968 by Daniel B. Trusch, O.S.A. In 1971 LaVern J. Flach, O.S.A. became principal; in 1979 David L. Brecht, O.S.A., in 1983 Patrick E. Murphy, O.S.A. became Principal and in 1989 Bernard R. Danber, O.S.A. was appointed principal. Both Murphy and Danber are graduates of the school.

In 1990 the St. Rita Campus moved from 63rd and Claremont Avenue to its current location at 7740 S. Western Avenue. Prior to St. Rita's renting of the new campus, it had been home to another Catholic high school, Quigley Seminary South High School.[11] The Archdiocese of Chicago closed Quigley South prior to St. Rita's purchase of the property, returning the Chicago minor seminary to its original site at Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary.[11] At the time of the move, St. Rita had been preparing a renovation, but was forced to move when there was a concern over a new school opening on the property.[11] The school's then principal stated: "We could not afford to let another high school open there. We felt that that would be such a threat to us that we would be in danger of closing."[11] The original campus was sold to the Chicago Board of Education for US$1.8 million.[12] The original campus is now the site of Claremont Academy Elementary School.[13]

In 1993 a new president-principal model was adopted for the school. Michael J. O'Connor, O.S.A. became the school's first president. O'Connor appointed Joseph F. Bamberger as principal. In the year 2000 Thomas McCarthy O.S.A. was then named the second president and the first alumnus to be president of St. Rita High School. In the spring of 2002 McCarthy became President-Principal after Joseph F. Bamberger retired. In 2007, Sally Deenihan became not only the twelfth principal in the school's history, but also its first female principal.

In 2012, the school announced that Ernest Mrozek would be the new high school President, a position he held until 2016. Father Thomas McCarthy, O.S.A., continued to serve as both the chairman and the chaplain of the school; he also focused on his new position for the Augustinian Order's new Director of Vocations.[14] In 2023, Deacon John Donahue J.D., ED.D. was named President.[15]

School crest

The colors which predominate the school crest are red and blue, as these are the school colors.[16] The book and the burning and pierced heart are symbols associated with Saint Augustine.[16] The rose and bees are symbols associated with Saint Rita of Cascia.[16]

Academics

Students are placed into one of three academic programs, based on an entrance exam score, and input from parents and previous teachers.[17] The Augustinian Academy is for gifted students, the Mendel Academic Program is a college preparatory program, and the Villanova Academic Study Center is geared toward students requiring more individual academic attention.[17]

As a part of the Augustinian Academy program, the school offers 12 Advanced Placement courses: 2-D Design, Studio Drawing, Calculus, Chemistry, English, Latin, Music Theory, Psychology, Spanish, U.S. History, World History.[17]

Student life

Activities

The school sponsors 14 extracurricular activities ranging from academic competition and publishing to student government, and performing arts.[18]

The school's music program supports four organizations, three of which are a marching band, a concert band, and a jazz band.[19] There is also a dance and twirling squad (the Ritanettes), made up of girls from local girls' Catholic High schools, which performs with the marching band and at performances in the winter.[19]

Athletics

St. Rita competes in the Chicago Catholic League (CCL). St. Rita was one of the eight founding members of the league in 1912, and one of five remaining charter members.[20] The school is also a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), the organization which governs most sports and competitive activities in the state.

The school sponsors 12 interscholastic athletics teams which compete in IHSA sponsored state championship tournaments.[21] While not sponsored by the IHSA, the school also sponsors interscholastic teams in ice hockey, and rugby.[21]

St. Rita has won IHSA State Championships in football (1978–79, 2006–07) and wrestling (2002–03, 2003–04).[22] They also have won many State Titles in baseball and made state many times.[23] St. Rita has participated in nine Prep Bowls, the annual (since 1934) game pitting top teams from the Chicago Public League and the Chicago Catholic League. St. Rita won the game in 1963, 1970, 1971, 1977, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2018, and 2023.[24] [25] [26] [27] [28]

The 1963 football team won the national championship.[29]

In 1924, the school's football team hosted an intramural team from The University of Notre Dame coached by Knute Rockne, losing 6–0.[10]

Because Quigley South did not have a football team, there was no football stadium at the new school building. St. Rita used its old stadium until the end of September 1990 by which time the conversion of Quigley South's soccer field to a football stadium was completed.[10]

The original football stadium at 63rd and Claremont was used in the beginning of the movie Rudy.[30]

Aviation

In 1955, St. Rita of Cascia High School partnered with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to become the founding High School of EAA's Project Schoolflight, a nationwide youth outreach program.[31] At that time, St. Rita had the top Aviation Industrial Arts Program at the High School level in the USA. Robert D. Blacker was St. Rita's Aeronautical Instructor for the program which was inspired by The Reverend Joseph A. Coyne, O.S.A., Dean of St. Rita's Technical Department.[32] Over the next 4 & 1/2 years, Blacker and his students built the first two airplanes for Project Schoolflight. The first one, a Baby Ace airplane completed in 1957, was christened the Spirit of Cascia and the second airplane, completed in early 1960, was the EAA Biplane which is now in the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Spirit of Cascia, an EAA award-winning plane for Outstanding Achievement at EAA's 1957 Fly-In, is currently at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Museum in Maryland Heights, Mo., where it is being restored (2021).[33]

Blacker helped the students of St. Rita form the first Junior Chapter in EAA history[34] and he also wrote articles in the EAA's Sport Aviation magazine which included photos and stories of St. Rita High School students working on the aircraft.[35] [36] [37] A St. Rita student's real life story of his two years in Blacker's Aviation classes is in the external link below entitled: "From a Baby Ace to a Ford Tri Motor".

Blacker's 1958 book, Basic Aeronautical Science and Principles of Flight, has an 'In Appreciation' Forward section on page v. which extends "deep gratitude" to The Reverend Coyne.

Notable alumni

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: St. Rita Senior Administration . St. Rita of Casica High School.
  2. Web site: Faculty & staff directory. St. Rita of Cascia High School. 4 October 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100301071028/http://stritahs.com/about/directory.html. 1 March 2010.
  3. Web site: High School Code Search. College Board. 10 October 2009.
  4. Web site: Tuition. St. Rita of Cascia High School. 24 November 2015.
  5. Web site: Our core values: Truth, Unity, Love. St. Rita of Cascia High School. 4 October 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090910080054/http://stritahs.com/about/values.html. 10 September 2009.
  6. Web site: NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement . 28 July 2009 . NCA-CASI . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090429033455/http://www.advanc-ed.org/schools_districts/school_district_listings/ . 29 April 2009 .
  7. Web site: Chicago (St. Rita). Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 2 October 2009. 4 October 2009.
  8. Web site: Activities. St. Rita of Cascia High School. 4 October 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090907102936/http://www.stritahs.com/activities/index.html. 7 September 2009.
  9. Web site: FAQ.
  10. News: Temkin. Barry. St. Rita stadium takes final bow. Chicago Tribune. 12. 28 September 1990.
  11. News: Reardon. Patrick T. Hirsley, Michael . St. Rita to call Quigley South its new home. Chicago Tribune. 1. 3 May 1990.
  12. News: Reardon. Patrick T.. All feel like freshmen at St. Rita. Chicago Tribune. 3. 11 September 1990.
  13. News: Claremont Academy sports sign to go with new name. Chicago Tribune. 2. 3 October 2004.
  14. Web site: Murphy. Patrick. Stronger Vocations and Leadership on the Way. Midwest Augustinians. Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel. 21 February 2015.
  15. Web site: 2024-05-01 . St Rita High School - Chicago Catholic School . 2024-05-02 . St Rita High School . en-US.
  16. Web site: Our Crest. St. Rita of Cascia High School. 4 October 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090910080054/http://stritahs.com/about/values.html. 10 September 2009.
  17. Web site: Academic Programs. St. Rita of Cascia High School. 5 October 2009.
  18. Web site: Activities Directory. St. Rita of Cascia. 4 October 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090907102936/http://www.stritahs.com/activities/index.html. 7 September 2009.
  19. Web site: St. Rita Band. St. Rita of Cascia High School. 4 October 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20091022193742/http://www.stritahs.com/band/index.html. 22 October 2009.
  20. News: CATHOLICS TO FORM LEAGUE :Eight "Prep" Schools Will Enter New Football Body. DRAFT SCHEDULE TONIGHT. Chicago Tribune. 10. 3 October 1912.
  21. Web site: St. Rita Athletics. St. Rita of Cascia High School. 4 October 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20091002115110/http://www.stritahs.com/athletics/index.html. 2 October 2009.
  22. Web site: Season summaries for Chicago (St. Rita). Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 29 September 2009. 4 October 2009.
  23. Web site: Team Info .
  24. News: Leusch. John. St. Rita All-Chicago Champion: 81,270 watch 42-7 rout of Vocational. Chicago Tribune. D1. 1 December 1963. Before a throng of 81,270, Byrne broke two Prep boal records ... to lead St. Rita to its first All-Chicago gridiron championship..
  25. News: Leusch. John. ST. RITA BEATS LANE IN PREP BOWL, 12-8: 65,735 See Catholic String Reach 11. Chicago Tribune. B1. 6 December 1970.
  26. News: Leusch. John. St. Rita Stops Morgan Park 18-12: Keeps City Crown on Marek TDs. Chicago Tribune. D1. 5 December 1971. St. Rita won its second All-Chicago high school football championship in a row yesterday by managing an 18-12 victory over Morgan Park ....
  27. News: Shnay. Jerry. Rita fulfills prophecy. Chicago Tribune. B1. 4 December 1977. St. Rita's football team profited from Coach Pat Cronin's prophecy. And that's one reason the Mustangs won the 44th annual Prep Bowl Saturday afternoon..
  28. News: Metsch. Steve. Prep Bowl pomp saturates St. Rita. Southtown Star. Chicago. 29 November 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20121102062331/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-11DCAF5AB3F0A180.html. dead. 2 November 2012. 4 October 2009. It's not often a high school football team follows a state championship with a highly respected Chicago Prep Bowl victory. Yet, that's what St. Rita accomplished ....
  29. News: Pride of the South Side :: FOOTBALL :: YourSeason. Chicago Sun-Times . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080914163822/http://yourseason.suntimes.com/football/1162026%2C091308fbritahundred.article . 14 September 2008 .
  30. Web site: 45 Darius Fleming. biography. Notre Dame University Athletics. 4 October 2009. ... helped lead St. Rita to the Class 7A state championship in his junior season ... St. Rita's original football stadium was used in the beginning of the movie "Rudy" ....
  31. Blacker. Robert D. March 1983. SCHOOLFLIGHT- It Really Works. Sport Aviation. March Issue. 62. "...Mr. Blacker came to St. Rita High School in 1951 and initiated a class known as 'Aeronautics'.....". EAA.org.
  32. Book: Blacker, Robert D. Basic Aeronautical Science and Principles of Flight. American Technical Society. 1958. Chicago Il.. "Lib. of Congress: 58-10423...Robert D. Blacker Instructor in Aeronautics, St. Rita High School.............Particular gratitude is extended to The Reverend Joseph A. Coyne, O.S.A Dean of Technical Department...".
  33. Schmid. Julie. October 1957. Youth takes a Trophy. Sport Aviation. October Issue. 13. "...Spirit of Cascia Baby Ace....built by St. Rita students....wins " Outstanding Achievement in Aviation Education award at 1957 EAA Fly-in....". eaa.org.
  34. Book: Lande, D.A.. OSKOSH: Gateway to Aviation- 50 Years of EAA Fly Ins. Experimental Aircraft Association. 2002. 1-58932-005-0. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 22. Photo of St. Rita HS Junior Chapter with EAA Founder Paul Poberezny.
  35. Blacker. Robert D.. March 1956. A Place for Amateur Built Aircraft in Education. Sport Aviation. March Issue. 4. "...We take our hats off to Father Joseph Coyne & instructor Robert D. Blacker of St. Rita's.....". eaa.org.
  36. Blacker. Robert D.. April 1958. One High School's Aviation Training Program. Sport Aviation. April Issue. 11. "... By Robert D. Blacker, Instructor St. Rita High School...". eaa.org.
  37. Blacker. Robert D.. June 1959. How EAA can Further Aviation Education. Sport Aviation. June Issue. 18–19. "...The EAA Biplane is center of attention of airplane building at St. Rita's High school junior chapter #39. eaa.org.
  38. News: Tucker. Steve. St. Rita. Chicago Sun-Times. 4 December 2007. 3 October 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20071230110201/http://www.suntimes.com/sports/preps/681275,CST-SPT-spot05.article. 30 December 2007. dead. dmy-all.
  39. Web site: Judge William J. Campbell. biography. Library of the U.S. Courts of the Seventh Circuit. 3 October 2009. William J. Campbell was born on March 19, 1905 in Chicago, and was a graduate of St. Rita High School..
  40. News: Cubs sign pitcher Clancy. Chicago Sun-Times. 31 January 1992. https://web.archive.org/web/20121102054846/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4093768.html. dead. 2 November 2012. 3 October 2009. The Cubs signed 14-year veteran right-hander Jim Clancy to a minor-league contract ... Clancy, a Chicago native and 1974 graduate of St. Rita, spent most of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays ....
  41. Web site: McNear . Claire . A guide to that wild Darius Fleming story . SBNation.com . 20 January 2016 . It's an understatement to say we are proud of New England Patriot Darius Fleming, St. Rita Class of 2008..
  42. Web site: Hall of Fame . St. Rita of Cascia High School.
  43. Web site: O'Hara . Mike . Golladay started path to success at St. Rita High School . detroitlions.com . 22 December 2020.
  44. News: Macey, Alan and Tim O'Brien . Kafka joins Eagles; Barnes passed over . . 25 April 2010 . 7 May 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100429170844/http://www.southtownstar.com/sports/2197816%2C042510sptkafkabarnes1star.article . 29 April 2010 .
  45. Web site: Mike Madigan replacement Edward Guerra Kodatt resigns after only 3 days, Angelica Guerrero Cuellar nominated as new successor - ABC7 Chicago. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20210224165310/https://abc7chicago.com/mike-madigan-edward-guerra-kodatt-resignation-successor/10367048/. 2021-02-24.
  46. Web site: Michael. Osipoff. All about St. Rita: Northwestern's Vic Law, Michigan's Charles Matthews maintain connection. Chicago Tribune. 30 October 2018. 12 January 2020.
  47. Web site: Snyder . Mark . How Kentucky transfer Charles Matthews was groomed to be next Michigan basketball star . Detroit Free Press . 28 May 2017 . Standing 6-foot-6 by his St. Rita of Cascia High School graduation in 2015.
  48. News: Goddard. Joe. WHAT'S UP WITH . .Dennis Lick Former St. Rita standout played six seasons for Bears. Chicago Sun-Times. 21 December 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20121102054909/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1503508.html. dead. 2 November 2012. 3 October 2009. Lick, one of the best offensive tackles to come out of the Chicago area, helped St. Rita win the 1970 and 1971 Prep Bowls..
  49. Web site: Finnegan, Edward Rowan. biography. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. 3 October 2009. ... attended the St. Ritas, Northwestern, and DePaulus schools, Loyola University, and Northwestern University School of Law ....
  50. News: Ryan. Tom. Life's an open Doors for leader of legendary rock band -- Ray Manzarek: What Stone did to Morrison was a travesty. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 20 March 2000. 4 October 2009. Manzarek said his Chicago upbringing thrust him into music. "South Side of Chicago around 35th and Western, St. Rita High School, De Paul University, and the blues on the South Side of Chicago,".
  51. Web site: Ahmad Merritt . statistics and biographical sketch . databasefootball.com . 4 October 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100214033303/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=MERRIAHM01 . 14 February 2010 .
  52. News: Southwell. David. St. Rita Puts 8-Game Win Streak on Line -- Healthy Mustangs Will Host Palatine in 5A Semifinal. Chicago Sun-Times. 18 November 1994. https://web.archive.org/web/20121102062053/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4257991.html. dead. 2 November 2012. 4 October 2009. St. Rita (9-3) hosts Palatine (10-2) at 1 p.m. Saturday in Class 5A. Maladies contributed to the Mustangs' 1-3 start ... Ahmad Merritt (mononucleosis, shoulder injury) missed considerable time ....
  53. Web site: Disabato . Pat . Detroit Lions make NFL draft worth the wait for St. Rita grad Pat O'Connor . Chicago Tribune. 1 May 2017.
  54. Web site: Ron Sabal NFL & AFL Football Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com. pro-football-reference.com. 2015-09-29.
  55. Web site: 81 Tony Simmons WR. biographic sketch. New England Patriots. https://archive.today/20120906035122/http://www.patriots.com/alumni/index.cfm?ac=alumnibiosdetail&bio=412. dead. 6 September 2012. 4 October 2009. He attended St. Rita High in Chicago, Ill. and earned prep All-American honors ....
  56. Web site: Gene Stump Stats . Basketball-Reference.com . en.
  57. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WeisRo20.htm Ron Weissenhofer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College
  58. Web site: Bob Zimny . The Pro Football Archives . https://web.archive.org/web/20140826114455/http://www.profootballarchives.com/zimn00200.html . 26 August 2014.

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