The Daughters of Divine Charity, a religious order of Sisters, were invited to staff our Lady of Hungary School. Three Sisters arrived on September 3rd, 1927, amid the ringing of the church bells and much jubilation by the parishioners and soon to be students.
The pastor, Father Geza Gyorfy had personally registered 215 pupils for the first school year. Students were enrolled in grades two through seven. By 1929, enrollment had risen to 384, with grades kindergarten through eighth. In 1953, enrollment had grown to 702, with ten teaching Sisters. By 1958, there were double classes of each grade, from first through the sixth grade. Seventh and eighth grades remained single classes. At this time, there were fourteen teaching Sisters and four lay teachers.In 1980, enrollment had fallen to an all time low of 106. Since 1980, enrollment has continued to increase. All day kindergarten and three and four year old Pre-school can be credited for these increases. The enrollment for the 1993-94 school year was 161. During the winter of 1992, the Principal Superior of the Midwest Province of the Daughters of Divine Charity notified Bishop John D’Arcy and Father Thad Kwak, pastor of Our lady of Hungary, that the Sisters would be withdrawn from the school as of June 1993.
To view a list of all the Sisters who spent many years working with the good priests, wonderful people and fine students at Our Lady of Hungary Parish from 1927 – 1993, click here.
Today there are ten lay teachers and a lay principal staffing the school. The Sister’s convent has been turned into a Chapter 1 tutoring sight. In addition to religious education and preparation for the Blessed Sacraments, the teachers instruct students in all major educational disciplines.
Special programs include: computers, music, gym and art education, as well as extra curricular activities such as boys and girls team sports and cheerleading. Our Lady of Hungary offers a hot lunch program, free milk program and text book assistance to qualified students. Experimental classes are offered in science and algebra as well as educational field trips. Foreign language was offered beginning in the 1995-96 school year.