The all-girl parochial school was built on land once owned by former city mayor B. H. Wess. After ground was broken on 16 July 1927 and the cornerstone laid, the building was ready for opening day, 17 September 1928.
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Dorothy Pence, a sophomore, wrote, “The building is in classical style of architecture, with six Doric columns above the main entrance. The lobby is of marble with built-in lockers for the students. Two statues stand with flaming torches representing Virtue and Learning.”
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While the original building was equipped with an indoor swimming pool and outdoor tennis courts, these features were eliminated over the years.
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The girls were taught by Franciscan nuns, who lived in the renovated Wess home, a short distance away.
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Because of declining enrollment and increase cost of maintenance, a decision was made to close the school and merge with Roger Bacon, the all-boys parochial high school. After 56 years of operation, OLA closed its door for good in 1984. At one point after closing, Cincinnati Metropolitan College operated at the location, but failed to open in 1994. The building was eventually razed in favor of a housing development. The Angel medallions that were once part of the school’s architecture now mark Angel’s Way.
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Kay Heller Phillips
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Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Sep 1928, p. 14; The Cincinnati Enquirer, 09 Mar 1983, p. 39; The Cincinnati Enquirer, 16 May 1993, p. 171; The Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Sep 1997, p. 43.