Divine Savior High School admits first lay students

Encouraged by 2,000-plus students attending Mother of Good Counsel Grade School and their success as educators, the sisters opened enrollment at Divine Savior High School to female lay students. Initially, the sisters planned to accept only incoming 9^th grade girls, but a group of incoming sophomores convinced the Sisters to accept them too. The sisters welcomed 36 freshman and 20 sophomores on the first day of school that year. With men returning home after WWII drew to an end, class sizes would continue to grow.

Baby boomers filling hospital maternity wards in the 1950s soon made their way into Catholic schools. The sisters saw the need to expand to accommodate incoming students. Having already purchased 60 acres on 100^th Street, they began construction on the new Divine Savior High School in 1950. The partially finished school opened its doors to 186 students in 1951. Along with classrooms, the school featured a chapel, small gym, home economics center, cafeteria and science labs.