Little Flower High School is celebrating its 85th anniversary with a series of events to bring awareness to and reinvigorate the school “so we’re here for another 85 years,” said president Kristie Dugan.
Little Flower opened in 1939 at 10th and Lycoming streets in Hunting Park.
Originally, the school was to be named Northeast Catholic High School for girls as a sister school to the existing Northeast Catholic for boys. But Cardinal Dennis Dougherty had a strong devotion to St. Therese of Lisieux, and changed the proposed school name to Little Flower and donated all the money from his golden jubilee to get the school up and running.
Today, Little Flower honors St. Therese as its patroness.
For decades, Little Flower welcomed girls from feeder elementary schools, including St. Martin of Tours, St. Joachim, St. Bartholomew and Mater Dolorosa in the Northeast.
At present, with open enrollment, girls can attend any school they’d like. Enrollment at Little Flower is 420.
The celebration of the school will continue through the 2024-25 academic year and beyond.
“It’s not a one-and-done thing,” said Dugan, a Fox Chase resident and 1992 LF grad who has four daughters who graduated from the school.
In fact, in 2025, Little Flower will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Therese.
So far, Little Flower has revamped its Sequel, an alumnae newsletter, into an all-color product. There was a Mass and retreat at Normandy Farms, with the Rev. Joe McLaughlin, principal in the 1980s, among those in attendance.
There was a faculty and staff dinner and Hall of Fame induction ceremony sponsored by the Friends of Little Flower that took place at Blue Bell Country Club (owned by 1958 graduate Eileen Held Hansen). Two former presidents, Sister Donna Shallo and Sister Joan Rychalsky, were on hand.
Bidding is open for an online auction at LittleFlowerHighSchool.org, under the Alumnae Upcoming Events tab. There are also plans to sell Christmas surprise boxes filled with Little Flower swag.
The Rev. Ray Kelly, a singing Irish priest, celebrated a Mass at the school that was followed by a cocktail reception and a concert.
“He’s this international star,” Dugan said.
Among its student body, Little Flower has many “legacy girls,” daughters of not only LF graduates but grads of schools that have closed, such as North Catholic, Cardinal Dougherty and Bishop McDevitt.
Every morning, the Little Flower community prays for the alums of those three schools, along with John W. Hallahan and St. Basil, two other all-girls schools that have closed in recent years.
The girls attending Little Flower today come to a school with recent safety enhancements, and they walk through the same iconic front doors that the girls in 1939 did.
While the class of 2024 was small – 88 girls – they earned almost $40 million in scholarships.
“That’s amazing,” Dugan said.
One of the points of pride is the Sr. Kathleen Klarich, RSM, Center for Academic Excellence, named in honor of a former principal, which provides academic support and pushes girls to reach their potential. The arts are big at the school and include a choir, strings, percussion and ceramics, along with the upcoming production of Freaky Friday. Little Flower is also coming off a second-place finish in Sea Perch, a robotics program run by the Navy.
Sister Joan Ames, IHM, the school’s late director of institutional advancement, established an Angel Fund that assists girls who are experiencing difficulties that could be the result of a death in the family or a house fire. There are girls who work two jobs but still need help making a tuition payment or affording a school ring or prom ticket. The school also has a food pantry. LF sees the Angel Fund as a way of aligning with the missionary discipleship promoted by Archbishop Nelson Perez.
“I was astounded by the needs of our students and families,” said Dugan, who became president in July 2022.
Dugan said Little Flower gives “a giant hug” to all the girls who walk through the doors.
“The minute you walk in, you feel it. They’re not just students. We see them as beautiful young women of God,” she said. “A child who’s loved can thrive. We take care of you.” ••
