All-South Side High School Reunion Planned At Bourbon Street

CHICAGO, IL — Calling all Crusaders and Mighty Macs, all Mustangs, Redskins, Vikings and Caravan while bringing back the spirit of the old days at schools like Maria, Quigley South, Mercy, Mount Assisi, Little Flower and Queen of Peace. A high school reunion party planned for 115 Bourbon Street next Thursday is bringing together the entire South Side for a "50'ish" year get-together.

That means this party, set to begin at 3 p.m. on Sept. 20 at the Merrionette Park venue, isn't just for those who graduated in 1968, like Brother Rice alum Ed O'Brien.

"We've expanded it to include five years plus, and five years minus," O'Brien, who is organizing the party, said. "So that's anywhere from '63 to '73. And actually, since it will be open to the public, you can come join us even if you are outside of those years too."

What originally was planned to be a reunion for South Side Catholic school alums has now included a call out for those who attended the public schools as well. So bring on all the graduates from Harper, Bogan, Curie, Richards, Fenger, Eisenhower and all the others in the area.

"The South Side and the south suburbs is what we are going for," O'Brien said. "Everyone from the Southwest area knew each other really well... we were all stretched out."

O'Brien said the idea to have this kind of reunion was born a few years ago when it was his 50th grade school class reunion for the Queen of Martyrs group he graduated with. And when it came time to get something going for the 50th celebration of his high school class at Brother Rice, he got the idea "to include everyone."

"Everyone our age would go to either an all-boys school or an all-girls school, so often times we aren't able to connect with our co-ed friends at reunions," O'Brien said. "We see each other at wakes and funerals, but why not for something good like this?"

Attendees on Thursday night will have a sheet to fill out when they show up and will write down their name, school and graduation year on it so they can be easily identified by others who attend the reunion.

"It will be a lot of fun to reminisce about the old days," O'Brien said. "It will be like everyone is 18 again."

There will be some light food served by Bourbon Street for a $10 wristband and a cash bar. But entry to the event is free.

"Walk in, chat with us and enjoy yourself," O'Brien said. "We will bring it back 50 years and feel just like it's 1968 and we have our whole lives ahead of us."

Photo by Tim Moran / Patch