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History of Nolan Catholic High School

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History of Nolan Catholic High School

In 1961, the Marianist Brothers joined with the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur to bring a new era of Catholic secondary education to Fort Worth. A new co-institutional school was opened on the Bridge Street campus. This new school would combine the existing Catholic girl's school, Our Lady of Victory, and the Catholic boy's school, Laneri High School.

Under the Our Lady of Victory name and accreditation, the new school welcome OLV girls in grades 9-12 and initially freshman boys from Laneri. In 1962, the upperclassmen at Laneri would join the school.

The initial five years of Nolan's history each celebrate a "first."

1961 -- school opens under the OLV name and accreditation
1962 -- first graduation of OLV girls
1963 -- first class of mixed gender (OLV girls and Laneri boys)  
           graduates
1964 -- name changes to Nolan High School in honor of
           Msgr. Robert M. Nolan
1965 -- first year of graduates to attend all four years on this
           campus
        
Today, NCHS is a co-educational institution of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, under the continued administration of the Society of Mary (Marianists).

 

 

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History of the Viking Mascot

The VIKING mascot was taken in 1961 by Our Lady of Victory for several reasons:

  1. The Vikings were an adventurous people who loved war and fighting. They were skillful and daring warriors and they were also referred to as NORTHMEN since they were Scandinavian. The term VIKING may have come from the old Norse work Vik meaning bay or inlet. They lived in coastal cities and were a seafaring nation. They lived between 700-1700.
     
  2. They spoke a German dialect that resembled the language spoken in England at the time. They use the RUNE (Runic) alphabet.
     
  3. Churches of Europe offered a special prayer for help against the VIKINGS. It was "God, deliver us from the fury of the Northmen."
     
  4. The horned helmet, bronze lance and curious carved trumpet show the skill of VIKING craftsmen.
     
  5. The VIKINGS exhibited daring and imagination and their ferociousness terrified the people of Europe. They struck swiftly and secretly and seemed to enjoy the raids on untamed lands.
     
  6. VIKING raiders were dauntless, fearless and full of courage. They learned rapidly from the people they conquered.
     
  7. Originally worshipping Thor and Odin, Norse gods, they quickly adopted Christianity as their own religion and were soon devout Christians.
     
  8. As the VIKINGS became more civilized, they gave up their cruel raids and their savage love of destruction. The shifted from piracy to peaceful and productive commerce. They established new parameters of civiization throughout Europe.  They affected dramatic changes all over their world.
     
  9. The first VIKING to see America was Bjarni Herjulfsson. But the first VIKING to land was Leif Ericson. Their adventurous stories are outlined  in detail in museums in Newfoundland and in Scandinavia.
     
  10. Because they were fierce, courageous, strong, brave and adventurous, intelligent and physically capable of intensity in battle, the VIKINGS were adopted as Nolan Catholic's mascot.