De La Salle Institute
| De La Salle Institute | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
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| , | |
| Information | |
| Type | College preparatory school |
| Motto | Signum Fidei |
| Established | 1889 |
| President | Diane Brown (Interim President) |
| Principal | James Krygier (Institute Campus), Sr. Rosemarie Morowczynski (Interim Principal Lourdes Hall Campus) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Number of students | 1159 |
| Color(s) | Royal Blue and Gold |
| Mascot | Meteor |
| Website | www.dls.org |
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De La Salle Institute is a Catholic, Lasallian, secondary school located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois.
The school is a part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.
History
De La Salle Institute was founded by Brother Adjutor of Mary in 1889. The school started as a two-year commercial school and has since grown to a four-year college preparatory school. Brother Adjutor of Mary founded De La Salle Institute in 1889. Named for the Founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools the school has grown from a two-year commercial school to a four year college preparatory school. Students from throughout Chicago and approximately 20 surrounding suburbs attend De La Salle. They come from all ethnic, racial, economic and religious groups: 49 percent Caucasian, 33 percent African-American, 16 percent Hispanic-American, 2 percent Pacific Asian-American, 24% non-Catholic.
On June 1, 1888, the State of Illinois issued a charter incorporating the school as a degree-granting institution. The cornerstone was laid May 19, 1889, at the corner of 35th and Wabash.
Brother Adjutor foresaw a school for poor and working class boys. He is quoted as saying: "I made up my mind to leave nothing undone in the direction of fitting the boys of the masses for the battle of life, morally as well as educationally." The classes in 1892 did not discriminate on religious grounds: two of the first nine students were Jewish. This philosophy of nondiscrimination has guided De La Salle throughout the 20th Century.
In 1985, De La Salle was given national recognition through its designation as an "Exemplary School" by the United States Department of Education. Only 65 private schools of the 6,000 in the country were honored with this award.
De La Salle Institute seeks the student who is interested in a quality education while furthering the development of such ideals as traditional and moral values. This relationship between the humanities and traditional education embraces the school's guiding principle.
De La Salle Institute is committed to the education of an integrated student population, a reflection of the composition of the Chicago community. De La Salle is aware of the importance of a college degree to the future of our students. Currently, nearly 85 percent of our graduates pursue college studies. An Honors Program geared to superior students offers accelerated courses.
In the fall of 2002, De La Salle added another chapter to its rich legacy of excellence in the field of secondary education by opening a campus for young women in collaboration with the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis at 1040 W. 32nd Place in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood.
By creating the Lourdes Hall facility in conjunction with the main campus that has existed since 1889, De La Salle enjoys the distinction of becoming the only high school in the United States to offer a high-quality education to both young men and young women in separate single-gender environments.
"Catholic schools provide a wonderful alternative for parents who seek the best for their children," De La Salle president Brother Michael Quirk, FSC, said. "We will continue to offer a quality education for young men, and we are very excited about the wonderful new possibilities of a De La Salle education for young women."
Athletics
De La Salle participates in the Chicago Catholic League. De La Salle Basketball team has won the catholic league chamionship back to back in 2007 and 2008. Brother Adjutor of Mary founded De La Salle Institute in 1889. Named for the Founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools the school has grown from a two-year commercial school to a four year college preparatory school. Students from throughout Chicago and approximately 20 surrounding suburbs attend De La Salle. They come from all ethnic, racial, economic and religious groups: 49 percent Caucasian, 33 percent African-American, 16 percent Hispanic-American, 2 percent Pacific Asian-American, 24% non-Catholic.
On June 1, 1888, the State of Illinois issued a charter incorporating the school as a degree-granting institution. The cornerstone was laid May 19, 1889, at the corner of 35th and Wabash.
Philosophy
provide alumni and friends with opportunities to further enhance their relationships with both the Institute and fellow alumni and friends;
provide De La Salle Institute with the revenue necessary to enhance the education it provides for its students;
promote a positive image of De La Salle Institute to both its internal and external communities.
Technology
Beginning in 2006, De La Salle began requiring incoming freshmen to lease or purchase an IBM X41 Tablet PC. The Tablet PCs allow students to take notes electronically and make use of the included textbook in e-books. Also, the Tablet PCs are equipped with a library of books to use for research, and many classic novels. Both De La Salle campuses are equipped with a WiFi network, allowing teachers and students to wirelessly access the Internet and print to network printers. De La Salle also has a computer repair center at each campus to deal with any computer problems or malfunctions. On August 28, 2006, De La Salle was featured on Fox News Chicago due to its use of tablet PCs.
Extracurricular activities
De La Salle Institute offers 15 sports for boys and girls, as well as many clubs such as Mock Trial, Chess Club, Weight Lifting, Boxing, Guitar Club, Science Club, Spanish Club, French Club, Web Design, and Drama. De La Salle offers many activities for students, everyone can participate in something.
Notable alumni
- Richard M. Daley, current Mayor of Chicago
- Richard J. Daley, former Mayor of Chicago
- Michael A. Bilandic, former Mayor of Chicago
- Martin H. Kennelly, former Mayor of Chicago
- Frank J. Corr, former Mayor of Chicago
- Bryant Gumbel, Sports Commentator
- Greg Gumbel, Sports Commentator
- Renaldo Wynn, NFL Defensive Lineman
- George Connor, former Chicago Bear
- Brian Bogusevic, Houston Astros AA Starting Pitcher
- Dan Ryan, President of Cook County Board from 1954-61
- George Dunne, Cook County Board president
- Moose Krause, Basketball Hall of Famer
- Lou Pote, former Anaheim Angels pitcher
Student Services
Each De La Salle student is assigned a counselor for their entire stay at De La Salle. This service allows students to talk about family issues, academic issues, behavioral issues, or just to talk. The counselors intervene at points when students are failing, or close to failing, in order to get them back on track.
There is also a counselor available to aid the students through the process of finding and apply to colleges and universities.