Sex Education Teacher - Fr. Charles Sullivan

Charles P. Sullivan, S. J., 1883-1957
9th child of Philip Sullivan and Ellen Connor

While attending a wake for another Sullivan relative this weekend, I met a man who had attended St. Ignatius High School in Chicago, graduating in 1951. St. Ignatius, while he was there, was an all-boys school. During the conversation I asked if he had known a Fr. Charles Sullivan who taught at St. Ignatius in the 1950s.

He got the biggest grin on his face. He said he would never forget Fr. Sullivan who was one of his Religious Education teachers. Evidently, Uncle Charlie was assigned the duty to have "THE" sex talk with each of the boys.

My story-teller said the boys would be given a specific time to go to see Fr. Sullivan in a room. They would sit down, Uncle Charlie would NOT look them in the eye, mumble a few words, and then tell them to go out and send in the next young man.

I remember Uncle Charlie as a kind but very prim and proper man. I can only imagine how uncomfortable he must have been with this particular assignment. Evidently, the young men he was "educating" didn't feel much different.

Source: Mr. Ruane, St. Ignatius High School, Class of 1951.