More schools, more traffic

By Mary Stanek

Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon

3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394

Another school year is well underway. That means more traffic concerns for everyone, especially for those of us who live close to any of our area schools.

Please remember to drive safely, there are children everywhere, and even adults that are pedestrians. I exercise extreme caution crossing 59^th Street on my way to the market each morning because so many don’t realize that there could be someone in the intersection. It has paid to exercise that caution, because several times I have had close calls, especially with those turning left off of 59^th and onto North Pulaski.

Mary Stanek

The Peck Pre-K school that was previously at 59^th and Komensky has moved into the Sor Juana Elementary school location on 57^th street. But for those of us that remember, that building will always be St. Turibius School. Thank you to the Greater Southwest Development Corporation for donating supplies to the Peck Pre-K School.

The Sor Juana Elementary school has moved into the old John Hancock location. But for those that remember, that building will always be Lourdes High School. Its sort of like always calling Willis Tower Sears Tower. In our hearts those buildings will always be what they were years ago.

So many may be wondering who was Sor Juana? She lived during Mexico’s colonial period and was a contributor to Spanish literature. Yet, reading literature at that time was prohibited to girls. Without the availability to receive a formal education she educated herself and became fluent in Latin.

In 1667 she entered the community of Carmelite nuns and then onto another convent. She continued to study, write and collect books but fell under criticism that as a woman she should devote herself to prayer and give up her writings. She died ministering to other nuns stricken with plague on April 17, 1695.

I hope I got that all correct, in a nutshell. But as I read her history, she was quite an amazing woman.

Happy Birthday to Crystal Garcia on Aug. 30.

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