Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park celebrates 125th anniversary

Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park is celebrating its 125th anniversary, a milestone of resilience born of a women’s religious congregation founded in the French town of Le Puy in 1650 that defied hardship, political strife and guillotines in its quest to serve the “dear neighbor.”

In 1836, a request came from Missouri’s bishop of St. Louis for members of the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph to come teach deaf children. That first foray into the United States would lead to a small group of sisters arriving in the La Grange Park area some 63 years later in 1899 and starting a school the following year, at first teaching only 14 students in a remodeled six-bedroom house at 120 N. Spring Ave.

They soon embarked on construction of the building that would be the first of several academic homes for the school led by Foundress Mother Alexine Gosselin. Until 1963, the school enrolled both resident and day students.

“It has been so much fun really digging into the early history of Nazareth and really coming to an understanding of the incredible … work, hardships and challenges of the original founders,” said Therese Uphues Hawkins, a member of Nazareth’s Class of 1979 and principal since 2018. “Most of my career was spent in the classroom teaching history [at Nazareth]. I’m a history nerd at heart.”

The story goes that the sisters had 3 cents in their pocket when they arrived in town, Hawkins said.

Founded as a girls school, Nazareth grew steadily by the 1970s, but enrollment fluctuations prompted the bold action to go coed in 1977, a move met by some resistance.

Nazareth board of trustees member Dan Chopp remembers the year well.

“I was one of about 15 boys that went into a previously all-girls school,” Chopp said. “[It was a] unique experience – first, being a 14-, 15-year-old person going to an all-girls [school] with a few other boys. Secondly, [we were] trailblazers kind of changing what had been a traditional girls Catholic school for so many years, beginning the coed transition.”

One of his siblings, a year older, was in the last all-girls class, he said.

“We joked about [no] problem getting a date,” Chopp said. “At the time, we weren’t able to have a football team – not enough boys. That first year, we had a basketball team, some type of track and tennis. Our basketball team would practice against the girls' teams.”

The transition succeeded, mentioned in the 1980 comments of an anonymous student included in the Nazareth website’s anniversary timeline:

“The alumnae have been changed to alumni, but any alum (and here’s one) worth her salt fondly remembers four-point collar uniform blouses, rolled skirts and the haze of forbidden hairspray in the washrooms at three o’clock. … Despite (perhaps, more likely because) of the rules and regulations, the education was first-rate and proved a solid foundation for a college experience. Things change, yet remain the same. The physical plant at Nazareth is moved, the boys are a new twist, but the philosophy and level of education are still high. The Academy has changed, survived and appears as strong as ever as it receives congratulations in the year of its 80th birthday.”

Today’s student body numbers 790, drawing from about 55 communities and more than 100 grade schools, said Deborah Vondrasek Tracy, Nazareth president, previously principal for 18 years and a member of Nazareth’s Class of 1982. Her first position at the school was to serve for six years as campus minister and religion teacher. Both her mom and daughter are Nazareth graduates.

Hawkins also is a Nazareth parent, with all three of her daughters graduating.

“My experience as a student, as a teacher and now as a school leader is that what we do here at Nazareth and what we’ve done for 125 years is to empower young people to be the very best version of themselves, and to go out and give back to a world that is so much in need of peace, healing and unity,” Hawkins said.

The Roman Catholic college-preparatory high school names its four pillars as scholarship, service, spirit and unity. Students volunteer more than 15,000 hours each year to service partners and nonprofit organizations.

“And that service component is woven into every year of a child’s experience here at Nazareth,” Hawkins said. “We want our students to engage in direct service with people and to create relationships with the people they are serving. We think that is where our students gain the most. Living out our mission of unity is all about social justice, all about making sure we are aware of people living on the margins, of people who need help, people who have obstacles in their lives that we may not have.”

Before 1996, the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph administered, staffed and managed every detail of the student experience. As the new millennium approached, Nazareth Academy became its own corporation independent of the Congregation of St. Joseph, which now sponsors and supports the school while functioning as its spiritual center.

“I am so proud of the education I received from the Sisters of St. Joseph and the lay faculty that were here at the time,” Tracy said. “I [was] very empowered to find my voice, to use my voice, to develop my talents. I left with a great deal of confidence going off to college. … Going to work at Nazareth was like coming home.

“Every school has a lens through which they educate. … That lens is rooted in who founded your school, who sponsors your school,” Tracy said. “These women are amazing and dynamic and have a world vision of very proactive and forward thinking. … The women who taught me, who were in leadership at the time – fast-forward. Many of them are still actively involved on our board or meeting with our students. They’ve remained dear friends. … They don’t let up. What great role models.”

One sister remains on the staff – Sister Terry Middendorf – having served Nazareth for more than 50 years.

“She was my math teacher in the 1970s,” Hawkins said. “Sister Terry has served in her role as academic dean for many years. Her office is next to mine. I don’t know what I’d do without her. … We are very lucky to still have a sister who is with us every day,” Hawkins said, citing Middendorf’s wisdom, perspective and history with Nazareth.

Appreciation for the school runs strong, a sentiment echoed by senior Annie Trayser.

“I have absolutely loved Nazareth all four years,” said Trayser, whose mother, aunts, siblings and cousins attended the school. “I grew up going to sports games and Nazareth events. My parents knew when they moved to the area that they’d send us all to Nazareth. They really believed in the school. I appreciate a lot about how the teachers build relationships with the students [and] always are willing to give us extra help, to let us ask any questions we have, as well as change their [style] of teaching to help individual students.”

Trayser, who plans to become a nurse, discovered a love of sports at Nazareth and has been part of cross country and soccer teams in addition to school clubs, many entailing service projects.

To mark the anniversary year, an aerial shot was taken of students on the main football field forming the numeral 125. Trayser got up at 3 a.m. to be part of the photo shoot.

“We get to show off our school and how close we all truly are,” Trayser said.

At Nazareth, Chopp’s two children were prepared well for college, he said, issuing a shout-out to Tracy and Hawkins, who overlapped his years attending the school.

“[After] going to college themselves, they made Nazareth their career,” Chopp said. “[It] is really a tribute to them and what the school has become.”

He relishes the longstanding friendships formed at Nazareth.

“Some of the guys I went to school with, and girls for that matter, we’ve had relationships for life. Still friends today. … Seven guys went to watch the Nazareth state championship [football] game a few weeks ago.”

For those curious about the Roadrunners team name, which debuted in 1977, Hawkins said it dates to her student days at the school, when there used to be non-connected academic buildings.

“We literally would have to run across the road to get to our other classes,” Hawkins said.

While continual improvements have kept the campus up-to-date and the school has become a powerhouse in boys and girls sports, as well as in programs such as music and theater, one thing remains unchanged.

The Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph credo of unity underpins the mission to work toward a world of hope and peace that all may be one.

Anniversary events

As part of the celebration, the NazBash and auction took place in February.

An alumni career day will be March 18, the 125th day of the school year.

There will be a gala June 6 at the La Grange Country Club, with a weekend of events including an alumni reunion. For details, visit nazarethacademy.com.

The anniversary gala will honor both the school and the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph.