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Memories of the Heights FireCarolyn Traul Bennett
I remember after the fire the Sisters were looking for immediate housing to
place the 22 girls from South America. They were so upset and wanted to remain
together. Idalia Viso from Caracas, Venezuela was the only one who spoke
English, and she and I had already become friends just after school began in
September. I told Idalia to tell the other girls not to worry, that our home
[on the corner of Fifth Street and Jefferson] was large enough to accommodate
all of them so they could remain together. My parents [Mickey & Gordon Traul]
never hesitated to open our home up in order to keep everyone together after
going through this tragedy. They stayed on the 3rd floor of our home and the
Red Cross brought cots in for them that evening, along with toiletries. My
mother called and asked several friends from the Altar and Rosary Society to
go shopping for other necessities right away. Dad, who loved to cook, called
on the kitchen crew from the Knights of Columbus, and they cooked and brought
food in that evening. The girls were all so polite and grateful, and we were
so happy that we could care for them.
Nancy McKillip Farrell, class of 1961
I was a freshman at Ottumwa Heights Academy and was just getting used to
school. On OCtober 8th, some of us were walking around the circle drive and
noticed a wisp of smoke from the convent side. We all said one of the nuns
must be scorching her habit. It did not look like fire smoke, but more like
scorching. We walked on around and out the gates and started down Grandview
when we met firetrucks coming toward us.
We turned around and ran and met the Sisters and other students hurrying out
of the building. We were not allowed in to collect our belongings. We all
knelt down in the grass with the Sisters, the Postulants and the Novices and
prayed while we watched the school burn.
The floors on all the halls were so highly polished with wax that the
building burnt in a hurry. I think I remember that the fire hoses were not
long enough to reach to the building so nothing could be done to save it.
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