Building a school in the heart of the village

Schools in the village of St. Albert

To keep up to date with school activity in St. Albert, it’s important to trace the history of French schools through the Ontario system: the first school in Ontario, a French school in Windsor, was founded in 1786. In 1912, Regulation 17 prohibited the teaching of French in our schools. Franco-Ontarians organized resistance. The “Battle of the Hat Pins” saw women occupy the Guigues School in Ottawa day and night. Everywhere in Ontario, there was a school crisis.

In St. Albert, when the English inspector showed up at school, everyone rushed out the doors or windows. The law didn’t allow religious classes, so catechism had to be hidden. One hour of French a day was allowed, but practice was quite different at St. Albert. One day, the English inspector wanted to remove the crucifix from a classroom. As everyone was on the warpath, someone ran to warn the school superintendent, who was also the village blacksmith with the eloquent biceps. He immediately introduced himself: “Don’t touch that and get out of the school immediately”, were the only words spoken by the blacksmith-superintendent. The intruder, with his small suitcase, slipped between two imposing rows of students already outside in protest. Ontario finally withdrew Regulation 17 in 1927.

The first schools in the parish were attended, when they were founded, mainly by Protestants. The first two were School No. 3 in Mayerville, on Lot 8 of Concession X, and School No. 6 almost at the other end of the same concession, on Lot 26. They were opened on November 2, 1857. They were located in areas populated by Anglo-Saxons. The third, Public School No. 7, opened on January 28, 1867, on lot 15 of the Xth concession. The latter, located on the plain, so to speak, was apparently attended from the outset mainly by French-Canadian children. The lack of schools in the early days of the Cambridge Township colony, the lack of clothing for children during the winter months when such schools existed, and then the indifference of many to education, perpetuated for many years a state of illiteracy among the elders: all too often we find crosses rather than signatures at the bottom of official documents. However, the period 1885-1890 saw a more pronounced interest in education, with a rather high number of young people even attending secondary schools outside the village.

In 1885, the village school was built where it still stands today. The land belonged to the fabrique, and was sold to Catholic Separate School Section No. 6-7. Three years after the village school was founded, the desire was expressed to secure the services of nuns for teaching. On June 4, 1886, Father Gauthier wrote to the Bishop of Ottawa, stating that “the trustees of the St-Albert village school wish to engage, if Your Grandeur has no objection, two nuns to teach their children”. On September 13, 1887, he wrote again: “I have in hand $300 for my future convent.” For years, the project remained in the planning stage. Finally, in 1913, an important step was taken with the acquisition of Mr. Alexandre Plante’s house to house teaching sisters. The transaction was concluded under Father Arnault. Then, in 1915, under the aegis of Curé V. Pilon, the project was finally realized. Pilon, the project was finally realized and the arrival of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart was welcomed. The three public schools that existed when the parish was founded were gradually replaced by separate schools, while other separate schools were opened to meet the growing needs of the population.

In 1949, it was moved by Lucien Adam and unanimously seconded that the Secretary apply to the Inspector for suitable plans to build a school suitable for the school district. In 1950, the schoolyard was enlarged as required. On August 25, the old school was sold to Narcisse Demers for $450. Donat Legault was appointed foreman for construction of the new school. A typewriter was purchased. A house was rented from Alphonse Adam at twenty dollars a month, to accommodate classes 7, 8, 9 and 10 during construction.

On April 21, 1951, we moved into the new school: 4 classrooms, acoustic ceilings, sinks, glass panels, at a cost of $60,000 to accommodate a hundred students, from kindergarten to grade 10. On October 21, 1951, the school was blessed by His Excellency Mgr Maxime Tessier.

Around the ’50s, the centralization movement began. Schools were grouped under a single administrative unit for each village. This led to the disappearance of the “écoles de rang”, where a single person taught the eight years of elementary school in a single classroom, to some 30, 40 or 50 students. This exodus from our rural schools took place over a 12-year period, and is now happening in St-Albert.

Joining forces with the village school are

School #3 of the 8th East Concession, in September 1956,

School #6B, 9th Concession West, in September 1960,

school #15 on the 7th concession west, in September 1961

School #14 in Mayerville (9th concession east), in September 1968.

As of 1965, grades 9 and 10 are no longer taught. In 1967, another classroom, gymnasium and library were added.

In January 1969, the great upheaval in education took place. The schools were grouped under a single central administration for each united county. We came under the jurisdiction of the Prescott-Russell Counties Catholic Separate School Board, whose administrative offices were located in Hawkesbury. The school board is made up of ten elected members, including Jacques Landry, our regional councillor.

1997 saw the creation of French-language school boards in Ontario. École élémentaire catholique St-Albert became part of the CSDCEO (Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien). In 1999, on the occasion of St-Albert’s 125th anniversary, 221 students attended the school.

In 2024, the school now welcomes some 100 students. In a supportive family atmosphere, the school staff works with the community’s children to help them develop as learners and eco-responsible citizens. The school offers daycare for toddlers and preschoolers, as well as before- and after-school care.

Roger Cayer, St-Albert, 125 ans de vie, 1999, p.91 to 135