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3 IMMACULATA HIGH SCHOOL THE ORIGIN The Congregation of he Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived in the hearts of four young Irish girls who joined together, in on of their country s darkest hours, to serve god by ministering to their fellow men. It was during the cholera plague of 1831, that Mary Frances Clarke, Rose O Toole, Elizabeth Kelly, and Margaret Mann braved the terrors of disease to bring comfort to the sufferers of Dublin, and discovered in their souls the kinship of a common purpose. When the epidemic had passed, these girls were inspired to carry on their association. During the grueling months they had discovered a vast, neglected area of the Lord s vineyard the youth. So, securing a cottage in the suburbs, they began the religious instruction of children. Their first formal school was opened on the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 1832, and was called Miss Clarke s School. But the work of these young Irish girls was not to take root in the soil of Ireland. The courage and faith which had led them to face the plague prompted them to find their apostolate where the need of their services was greatest. They resolved to set out for America. About this time an incident occurred which left a deep impression of the young aspirants to the religious life. Out on an errand of charity, they were about to cress the River Liffey when the center span of the bridge collapsed. A venerable appearing man rescued them from imminent danger and bidding them adieu, spoke these prophetic words: Go where you will ladies, the hand of God is over you. With these words buoying up their hearts, Miss Clarke and her companions boarded ship at Liverpool on July 18, They reached Philadelphia on September 7 to find that their only American acquaintance had been stricken by a fatal illness. In their bewilderment their benefactor of the Liffey Bridge appeared and directed them to St. Joseph s Church, where they found friends. Father Donaghoe, the pastor, enlisted the young ladies for his Sunday school and later he placed them in charge of a new private school. As time went on, guided by the counsel of their pastor, the young ladies determined to associate themselves under the religious vows. It was on November 1, 1833, that they received the religious habit from the hands of Father Donaghoe, who appointed Mother Mary Frances Clarke as Superior and Sister Mary Margaret Mann as her assistant. From this humble beginning the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary whose Mother house was moved to Dubuque, Iowa in 1843, have carried the inspiration of four devoted Irish girls through out the Middle West. The Sisters now number 1,869 and they conduct 108 elementary schools, 45 high schools and 2 colleges. WhoWasAgnesOGara.doc Page 3 of 10

4 Immaculata High School was an all-girls' Catholic high school located in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It was open from 1921 to The building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in [1] The campus buildings received Chicago Landmark status on July 27, 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. [2] Listed for the Freshman class room 205 I find: AGNES O GARA ELECTED CLASS PRESIDENT WhoWasAgnesOGara.doc Page 4 of 10

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6 THE LISTING FOR PICTURE II Left to Right Eileen McSweeney Margaret Schulien Agnes O Gara Vivian Bajork Ellen Skene Mary Griebel Virginia Silver Alice Griebel Jean Whelan WhoWasAgnesOGara.doc Page 6 of 10

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10 Notice on the second page of autographs, toward the center, there is written: Agnes O Gara President. Barb nee Ferriell, Kinsey, daughter of my Aunt Agnes nee Baker, Ferriell stated that is her mother s writing. Also anyone who knew Aunt Agnes would claim that it is her in that picture listed as Agnes O Gara. How could this be the same person? Grandmother, Catherine nee Dyra Baker lost her husband, Arthur Baker to the effects of a construction accident and was left to raise eight children. This was during the depths of the great depression and she now had eight mouths to feed and cloth. It is common knowledge among us grandkids that many of her girls were fostered out to her sisters in Chicago and to other relatives. Aunt Agnes went to live with her Aunt Agnes O Gara in Chicago after the death of her father. Agnes and her husband Dominic O Gara only had a son named Martin. Aunt Agnes was born 18 June 1925 so the age would be about right for a freshman at the end of the school year. I believe it is likely that the girl in the year book is our Aunt Agnes. What a great find for out family history. THANKS COUSIN BARB. WhoWasAgnesOGara.doc Page 10 of 10