Football Dynasty Comes To An End in Illinois

April 29, 2009

Following up on a recent story carried here on NATS:

Despite fund raising efforts by parents and alumni of football powerhouse Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison, Illinois raising some $900,000 in the span of the last 17 days, the De La Salle Christian Brothers of the Midwest announced, in an email dated April 28th, its intention to go ahead and close the school in June due to a lack of funding to operate for an extended period of time.

"Like you, we wish the school's situation were different," the email states, "but unfortunately, our hoping and wishing is not enough to overcome the realities of rapidly declining enrollment and multi-million-dollar investment needs. So we have made the painful decision to close Driscoll at the end of the school year in June."

Christian Brothers acknowledges that though nearly $1 million had been raised as a part of an alternative five-year operating plan proposed by a committee made up of students, parents, administrators, alumni and members of the surrounding community, Driscoll has experienced a 33 percent decline in enrollment over the past five years and would ultimately need to raise nearly $4 million total in a weakening economy in order to remain open.

Adam Halick, a student at Driscoll, shared his disappointment with a local news station (WLS-TV in Chicago), explaining, "I really thought we were going to save the school. I guess it couldn't happen. For whatever reason, God wouldn't let it happen. I'm very disappointed but we're going to have to just go with it."

David Schwabe, director of development at the school, maintains that not all hope is lost, however, with supporters of Driscoll High meeting on Thursday with the Joliet Diocese Bishop J. Peter Sartain requesting that it take over the 43-year old academy and make it an independent Catholic high school -- similar to the model used by the Notre Dame High School for boys in 2006. "We can definitely boost enrollment, raise enough money to keep operations going," Schwabe states. "And once people see the dedication and enthusiasm and heart and soul of this Driscoll community, they want to be a part of it."

Doug Delaney, spokesman for the Joliet Diocese told the Chicago Daily Herald that it is highly "unlikely" that the diocese will intervene in favor of Driscoll; he acknowledges, however, that the committee of Driscoll supporters has every right to have its case heard and supports such efforts. "It's a sad day," he comments on the potential for the school's closing. "Closing the school is like a death in the family."