Our Parish and School History

St. Thomas was a mission outpost with Father Thomas Kelly, Pastor of St. James Church near 29th and Wabash, serving the residents of Hyde Park at St. Thomas.

Hyde Park was incorporated as a town.

St. Thomas assumes permanent status as a Parish beginning with its first Church, a small brown frame structure on the corner of 55th and Kimbark, facing 55th Street with Father P.T. Butler as Pastor.

Father W. A. Horan, Pastor, oversaw St. Thomas Church structure moved and turned about to face Kimbark Avenue, some distance north of the 55th St. corner and raised onto a high brick basement.

The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters opened the first Parish School with Sister M. Gregory as Superior. The St. Thomas Church basement was divided into two classrooms to house this first St. Thomas the Apostle School.

St. Thomas School has approximately 100 students (40 boys and 60 girls) with Sister M. Edward as Directress and three other Dominican Teaching Sisters in residence.

Hyde Park becomes part of Chicago.

A new St. Thomas Church – a solid, relatively spacious brick Victorian Gothic structure with a tall steeple was built on the corner of Kimbark Avenue and 55th St. guided by Father John J. Carroll, Pastor.

The previous church structure was transformed into a classroom for the school, which, with the basement rooms, completed the three room St. Thomas School.

University of Chicago opens.

The World’s Columbian Exposition creates and leaves our area with what now is known as the Midway and the Museum of Science and Industry.

Father Thomas Vincent Shannon is named Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church which begins his 25 year leadership of the Parish and School. Father Shannon would later be referred to as a great builder. All current St. Thomas the Apostle Parish buildings, with the exception of the convent addition, were built under his leadership.

Upon examination of the old parish school, Father Shannon found it far from adequate for the education of children and arranged for the rental of the old Ray Public School , three blocks away at Kimbark and 57th St. since it was vacant. He had a great semicircular sign placed over the doorway: "School of St. Thomas the Apostle."

When the school opened in September in the rented public school the first year, 486 children were enrolled - a gain of almost 300 from the previous year. The number of sisters increased from six to twelve.

Uniforms were introduced at the school. Father Shannon felt "..it gave a fine sense of democracy to the youngsters to find that they were all dressed alike, and that no one knew who was poor or who was rich."

The Convent Structure was built behind St. Thomas Church on Kimbark Avenue and 55th St. This was the first structure built, four years after the new pastor arrived.

Plans for the new St. Thomas the Apostle Church were drawn by Barry Bryne (associate of Frank Lloyd Wright).

Ground was broken for the Church.

St. Thomas the Apostle Church was dedicated and soon acquired its fame for art and architecture. The Church is now on the National Historical Registry.

St. Thomas the Apostle Rectory was completed.

The New School of St. Thomas the Apostle, on Woodlawn Avenue and 55th Street, is dedicated. In addition to the elementary school for boys and girls, it housed a high school for girls.

St. Thomas the Apostle School Principal, Sister Joan Smith and Sister Nona McGreal, First Grade Teacher, go to Washington, D.C. to begin working on “The Progressive Program”. This curriculum series, “Faith and Freedom” was written and implemented by these two Sisters and became the standard texts used across dioceses in elementary classrooms. Sister Lois, current archivist at the Sinsinawa Dominican Motherhouse in Wisconsin, summarized the 1938 notes in the Sinsinawa Dominican Annals, saying “As a result, literally hoards of folks came to St. Thomas the Apostle School to observe and take notes on this teaching strategy of incorporating the concept of social justice.”

The St. Thomas the Apostle High School vacates the St. Thomas Building and merges with Visitation, St. Thomas Aquinas and Unity Catholic High Schools. The Elementary School expands into the high school area of the building, allowing for 2 classrooms per grade level.

In March, 2008 St. Thomas the Apostle School is awarded a $10,000. grant from the Univeristiy of Chicago and South East Chicago Commission Neighborhood Enhancement Program to begin developing our Neighborhood Community Reading Garden.

On June 6, 2008 Mr. Michael McCaskey of the Chicago Bears announces that Bears Care, the charitable beneficiary of the Chicago Bears, will serve as the Patron of St. Thomas the Apostle School, via the Big Shoulders Fund’s Patrons Program, for the academic years of 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. Bears Care will provide $300,000 of financial support and countless hours of volunteer support through the Patron’s Advisory Board. This support enables St. Thomas the Apostle School to begin working with the University of Chicago’s Elementary Math and Science Center to adopt an innovative and top-quality Science and Math curriculum, as well as expand its Arts Program.

On October 1, 2009 St. Thomas the Apostle School dedicated its Neighborhood Community Reading Garden created through the generosity of the University of Chicago and South East Chicago Commission Neighborhood Enhancement Program and St. Thomas the Apostle Community. Located at the northwest corner of the school property on Woodlawn Avenue, this area serves as a “visual oasis of green space in a busy urban setting” and is intended for use by all children and adults in Hyde Park and surrounding areas. Community residents and local schools have been invited to use this Reading Garden, which can provide teachable moments for art activities, earth science, environmental studies and quiet moments of reflection and prayer and/or just a beautiful place to take a break.

On November 14, 2009 Mayor Daley’s 2009 Landscape Awards Program recognized St. Thomas the Apostle School's Reading Garden as an area that "makes a substantial and lasting contribution to the well being of our city...helps beautify your local community and, ultimately, all of Chicago by promoting a more healthy and enjoyable place for our families." The school was awarded 3rd Place in the Region 4 Schools category.