Luther North, Chicago, Suspends Operations

June 2017

By Jackie Bussert

Luther North College Prep’s last graduating class at its Northwest Chicago campus crossed the stage on Saturday, June 3. It was a weekend for looking back as alumni came for a special open house and reception that Friday to tour the halls one last time. It also was a weekend for looking ahead with this last graduating class, who joyously move forward with academic and athletic achievements.

Indeed, just this spring, the girls’ track and field team earned the Class 1A state championship. Poignantly, it was the first ever state title claimed by a Luther North sports team — and the last.

“I praise God for 108 years of His blessing to secondary students in the greater Chicago area,” said Wayne Wenzel, Jr., the school’s principal and executive director. “Through the ministry of Luther Institute, Luther High School North, and now Luther North College Prep, more than 10,000 graduates have learned about their Savior as they prepared for a life of service.”

Luther North has struggled in recent decades, as have many Christian day schools, with the challenge of meeting soaring operational costs in the face of declining enrollments. Enrollment peaked in 1971 at almost 1,400 students, with this year’s enrollment down to 170. This spring, the board voted to suspend operations at the close of the school year.

Luther High School North opened in 1953 in northwest Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood (5700 W. Berteau) and claims the right of being successor to Luther Institute, Chicago’s first Lutheran high school. Luther Institute was founded by Chicago Lutherans in the early 1900s just northwest of the Loop. That school, at Woods and Park, near the old Chicago stadium, eventually outgrew its facility and was replaced by three Chicago area schools: Luther South (now closed) and Luther North in Chicago, and Walther Lutheran in Melrose Park. Luther Institute officially closed its doors when Luther North opened in 1953.

In 2010, already facing severe operational deficits, the school association sold its campus to New Life Community Church and has since been sharing the space as part of the sale agreement.

As part of the transition to end operations at the Berteau Campus, arrangements have been made for Luther North junior students who transfer to Walther for their last school year to still be able to receive a Luther North diploma when they graduate next spring. Luther North Principal Wayne Wenzel also is moving to Walther as their new head of school.