Mount Carmel High School (Chicago)

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For other schools with the same name, see Mount Carmel High School.
Mount Carmel High School
Image:MC logo.jpg
Motto "You came to Carmel as a boy. If you care to struggle and work at it, you will leave as a man."
Established 1900
Type Private, All Male
Affiliations Catholic, Carmelite
President Fr. Carl Markelz, O.Carm
Students 800
Grades 9–12
Location Chicago, Illinois, USA
Campus Urban
Colors Brown and White            
Mascot Caravan
Yearbook Oriflamme
Newspaper The Caravan
Website http://www.mchs.org

Mount Carmel High School is an all boys Catholic high school in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, the school is operated by the Carmelite order of priests and brothers, some of whom live in the nearby Saint Cyril Priory. These Carmelites are assisted by dedicated lay faculty and a nationally recognized coaching staff. Mount Carmel's student body is highly diverse- a tribute to its mission on Chicago's heavily segregated south side.

Mount Carmel is occasionally confused with Carmel High School in Mundelein, Illinois, and Mount Carmel High School in Mount Carmel, Illinois. The former is also a Carmelite school, while the latter is the town of Mount Carmel's only public high school.

Contents

At the invitation of Archbishop Patrick E. Feehan, the Carmelites established St. Cyril College at 54th and Jefferson (now Harper) in the fall of 1900. 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.

At first 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 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 of 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.

Main building circa 1924
Main building circa 1924

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 the 1960's and 1970's, the economic deterioration of the Woodlawn neighborhood began to hasten. As crime and poverty increased around the school, the enrollment decreased. The presence of the Black P. Stones/El Rukn street gang may have also hurt Mount Carmel's ability to attract students. But thanks to the efforts of Father David Dillon and numerous other Mount Carmel faithful, the school survived by bussing in students from neighboring areas. Current redevelopment projects in the Woodlawn area and southern expansion by the University of Chicago has improved the future outlook of the neighborhood.

The Mount Carmel campus is located at the intersection of 64th and Dante Avenue, less than a mile from the shores of Lake Michigan. The oldest surviving structures are the three-story main building and the Carmelite Chapel.

In the 1950s and 60s, Mt. Carmel saw the addition of two buildings: the Student Center and the two-story Learning Center. Since then, the campus has gradually been enlarged, beginning with the student parking lot and the athletic field on the south end of the property. Thanks to the Capital Campaign Case Study, the campus was further expanded to include the Scott School property. In 1992, construction began on a new monastery for the Carmelites. Additionally, a science and computer center called the Graham Center was built on the site of the old Carmelite Monastery. Although the old Priory was demolished to make room for the Graham center, the original Chapel was saved and given a facelift.

The school again expanded in 2005 by adding the Mt. Carmel Convocation Center, built on top of the old student parking lot. The $17 million structure houses three gyms, an indoor track, weight room, offices, locker rooms, meeting areas for alumni and faculty, a student center/dining hall, and new computer and science labs. A new student parking lot was built on the north end of the campus.

In addition to the Convocation Center, Mt. Carmel's athletic facilities include Carey Field for football and Haggerty Field for baseball and soccer. The 'Old Gym' still hosts athletic competition, including the school's annual Fight Night boxing event. The original four-lane, 20 yard pool hosts the Swimming and Water Polo teams. Off-campus facilities used by the school include the Jackson Park trails and practice fields, Gately Stadium, Eckersall Stadium, and the Homewood-Flossmoor ice arena.

Academic excellence is the trademark of Mt. Carmel High School, as it has been recognized as a Blue Ribbon [1] and National Expemplary School. Mount Carmel currently offers a curriculum that is as comprehensive as that of any Catholic High School in Chicago. With four programs of study, the school serves the needs of all types of college bound students:

The Honors/Advanced Placement Program

The Honors Program challenges students to maximize their potential by placing them in accelerated courses, and enriches their experience through Advanced Placement courses in Literature, American and European and World History, Physics, Calculus and Foreign Languages.

Accelerated College Prep Program

Students in the Accelerated College Prep Program pursue a challenging curriculum developed to prepare them for acceptance into the college of their choice. All requirements meet the standards for college admission established by the Illinois Board of High School Education.

College Prep Program

The College Prep program prepares students to successfully meet the standards for college admission. To be admitted to this program, a student's standardized test scores must show college potential and his grammar school transcript and letters of recommendation must confirm a solid work ethic.

McDermott-Doyle Program

The McDermott-Doyle program meets the needs of young men with specific learning disabilities who seek a college education but require accommodations to achieve their goals. There a limited number of seats in this program, with preference given to students who are Catholic or graduates of Catholic grammar schools.

Mt. Carmel has long been host to champions of the athletic field. The 1950 football team is considered by many to be the best in Illinois state history. Under coach Terry Brennan, who would later take the head coaching job at Notre Dame, the Caravan rolled to an 11-0-0 record that included both the Catholic League and Prep Bowl championships. In addition to 1950, Mount Carmel's football team has won city championships in 1927, 1932, 1933, 1939, 1943, 1951, 1952, 1960, 1967, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1993 and 2001.

In 1974, the Chicago Catholic League agreed to participate in IHSA state tournaments, signaling a new era of Mount Carmel athletics. Coach Bill Barz led the Caravan to its first ever IHSA state championship in 1980, when the football team defeated Hinsdale South 15-10. Since then, the program has claimed 9 additional state football crowns under coach Frank Lenti in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002. Only Joliet Catholic Academy has won more IHSA football titles (13), although the Caravan leads the head to head series by a 28-9 count.

Mount Carmel's athletic success extends far beyond the gridiron. The school's first state championship was won by the Water Polo team in 1975, when they defeated perpetual powerhouse Fenwick High School in triple overtime. The Ice Hockey club has amassed 5 state championships (1979, 86, 87, 88, 90) and a Catholic League record 20 Kennedy Cups. In 1985, coach Ed McQuillan and the Caravan captured the only IHSA AA Boys Basketball Championship won by a Chicago Catholic League School. From 1992-94, legendary coach Bill Weick and future Olympian Joe Williams led Mt. Carmel to 3 consecutive IHSA Wrestling titles.

Several other Caravan squads have placed in the finals for state, including: Baseball 2005, runner up; Football 1986, 1995, 2005, 2006, runner up; Volleyball 2000, third place; Wresting 1998, 2002, runner up. Caravan teams and individuals have also won countless Catholic League Championships in Football, Golf, Soccer, Cross Country, Wrestling, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Baseball and Track & Field.

Complete List of Competitive Activities:

Academics and Science

Authors and Journalism

Business and Politics

Professional Athletes, Olympians and Sports Figures

Television, Stage and Hollywood

  1. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools 1982-2002.
  2. ^ Associated Press, Richard Parker , 87, Egyptologist, Retired Professor, Boston Globe, June 7, 1993, at 17.
  3. ^ Baby Boomers on Mars, Marsrovers NASA spotlight, March 20, 2006, Features Section.
  4. ^ Sunday Lunch with Bob Cooley, Chicago Sun Times, August 27, 2006, by Debra Pickett.
  5. ^ Dunavant among 19 named to Futures hall, The Commercial Appeal, March 10, 2007.
  6. ^ The Life and Death of the Deadliest Man Alive, The Chicago Reader, July 14th, 2006, by Dan Kelly
  7. ^ When Denny McClain Stood Baseball on its ear, The Detroit News, March 1, 2003, by Mary Bailey.
  8. ^ Boys to Men; Mount Carmel's Lenti makes the grade on and off the field, American Football Monthly, November, 1999, by Stan Goff.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Carmel_High_School_%28Chicago%29"
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