Fifty Years Gone

Fifty years ago on this day, the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary entered their classrooms at Our Lady of the Angels School. They prepared that morning as they did every morning, with their lesson plans. It was the first day of Advent.

Hundreds of children from the neighboring community went to school on this day fifty years ago. They stuffed their winter coats and boots in their lockers, sat at their desks, said morning prayers, went home for lunch and came back for afternoon lessons.

As the school day drew to a close, someone set the school on fire. Fifty years ago today, ninety-two children and three nuns died.

David Cowan and John Kuenster wrote To Sleep With The Angels, a fascinating expose of fear, panic and incredible bravery in the midst of tragedy. The survivors are old now, fifty years older, but they still recall clearly what they experienced on that day.


There's a reason that children are forced to endure fire drills, even in the cold of winter. There's a reason that there are numerous fire alarms in the hallways of all schools. It's the lessons learned fifty years ago today.