Legal School District

The new beginnings of Legal School No. 1738 began December 10, 1907. The district borrowed $800 to construct and furnish a new school. Located about half a mile south from intersection 50 avenue and 50 st, the school stood. Its was referred to as the Mercier school by some students because of the neighboring land next to it, owned by farmer Phillippe Mercier. By 1914 the school was getting increasingly popular, room was fading away with 75 students occupying the school. For the time being, a house was rented in the town to accommodate the younger students. The new two storey school was erected with a $2,000 budget and could have been found across the present school grounds. The old Mercier school was then transferred and added to the new two storey school in the town in 1916. The district created another 4 room school on the present school site in the early 1940s. When a fire destroyed the two-storey building, the school was then shifted next to the four room school.

For 24 years the Legal school district offered schooling from grades 1 to 9. But what would a student do when they finished their final grade? Most would continue work around the farm, or find a job in the community. For the selected few that continued their education they would have to find lodging in Edmonton, where a high school was available. Girls would find their schooling in Catholic convents whereas the men would continue in junior colleges like the Edmonton Jesuit College. 1932 was the commencement of senior high classes in Legal and was held on the top floor of Mercier school with 13 pupils. Sister Marguerite Marie Côté was the one, and only teacher that instructed the high school students. In 1967 Legal and Westlock came to an accord for Vimy students to be bussed to Legal for their High School. For ten years the students brought their unique gifts to the school until 1979. With low demand from Vimy, buses were no longer feasible.

During the years 1945 to 1948 the government was forcing small rural schools to close down. Legal itself joined up with the larger district Sturgeon School Division No.24 in June of 1948. A new two storey building with two major additions was completed in 1959 (the present high school wing) and 1974 with smaller addition in 1993. The building also held a new gym which was soon upgraded and divided into 2 rooms. The first was a home economics lab and the other was an industrial arts shop. The newly placed option classes only lasted a couple of years until they were shutdown by the Division. The present-day Library and a multipurpose area filled the vacant rooms. The 1974 addition is now the modern elementary wing and library. By 1973-74 all older rural school buildings were removed from the school.

Tuesday, July 20, 1966, was the day that marked the separation of Legal School District from Sturgeon School Division for “dissatisfaction of the board of the district with facilities for religious instruction”

Dilligence, Fairydell, Pontiac, Springfeild, St Emile, and West Legal school districts were all shut down and bussed to Legal. There was an increase of student population flooding into the school. An enrollment of 400 students that year. By the time the 1948 rolled on in, another 4 room school was constructed on he south east corner of the site. Other rural one room classrooms, from the shutdown schools, were transported to Legal school to augment the room. The building was used as the high school for the first few years. Next came the present elementary addition which was added in 1973 completing the school and ensuring the entire school was in one building. After about 25 years of service to the convent the 4 room corner school was sold to the local senior citizen group for one dollar. It is now renamed the “Club 60 Roses” center.

When Legal was divided from Sturgeon, all the old districts reformed themselves. The districts sent all their students to Legal school. The residents of the surrounding communities all wanted a say in the Legal Centralization school board. Three trustees from each of the 6 district plus Legal itself would meet to discuss arrangements and regulations for the school. The system failed after three years. In 1969 all districts were abolished and performed under the one name, Legal School District.

Then by the 80’s kindergarden classes were introduced to public. Allowing young ones to benefit from a pre-schooling system to allow for a softer transition into grade 1. Then by 1993, Legal School instructed Kindergarden to grade 9, High School students were bussed to newly constructed Morinville Community High School.

In the 1980s French Immersion was launched in the province of Alberta. Legal welcomed the program with open arms. 50% - 75% of the program was offered in French for the students. Religious studies were also offered in the school. Basketball and volleyball were first offered in the school in the 1960s. Badminton, soccer, curling and track were later offered in the 1980s. Then hockey came into play stealing the lime light of basketball (which later was erased). Band and Drama was created in the 80’s giving kids a chance to experiment in the fine arts.

Bibliography

Vision Courage Heritage volumes 1 & 2

The Thibault Roman Catholic Public School District No. 35

The District was named in honor of Rev. Father Thibeault, O.M.I, who established a mission school with Father Lacomb in Lac St Anne, 1842. In June of 1892 The Thibault Roman Catholic Public School District No. 35 was established. As humble as the school was, it closed just after a few short months. Seven years later, Father Jolicoeur revived the district. They hired lay teachers until the arrival of the religious teachers. Ada Latulippe and Angelina Desroches were in charge of teaching the French classes, while Katherine Steffes taught the English classes. Sister Marie Adeleine, Supior; Sister St Nicholas, Sister Tarcienne, teachers; Sister St Europe, cook and housekeeper.

The first day of classes were Monday, February 1, 1904, where sixty pupils waited to be presented to their new teachers It was a success and the second school year began on September 5, 1905, with an enrollment of 80 students.

The convent accommodated 120 full time boarders and 22 members of “Les Filles De Jesus”. The school board decided that on October the 8 and on the schools would no longer be taking the children of non ratepayers. Notre Dame Convent was a three storey school was constructed west of the present St Jean Baptiste Church in Morinville in 1909. They had 2 classrooms one for French instruction and the other for English. Subjects were classified differently then they are now. Today our four core subjects are Math, English, Social Studies and Science. In 1927 their subjects were divided accordingly, Religion, Reading and writing, Arithmetics, Grammar, composition, Literature, Geography, Zoology, History, Spelling, drawing and painting, Music, Botanic, Geometry, Trigonometry, Physics, Chemistry, Latin, Calligraphy and Stenography. Lastly not only would they be graded on academic subjects but also on their attitudes of being proper and punctual (which may be difficult for full time boarders). The upper floor was reserved as the dormitories for the boarders and the teachers, who stayed from Monday to Friday. School started from 4:30 till 6 p.m, and then another hour after supper till 9 o’clock.

To sustain the increase of the growing population there was construction on another school in 1910. Located right across the Notre Dame Convent, it was a two storey school, nick named the “Red” school. The Red school had four classrooms, a barn, outdoor washrooms and a well. When the school opened in 1914, it had 69 pupils all taught by “Les Filles de Jesus” A south wing was added to the Notre Dame Convent by the 1920 ‘s. Then another wing was added on the North side 10 years later. The extension increases the classrooms by 4, with a recreational hall and dormitories By April of 1949 each elementary class housed 45 to 50 students, a new school was in order. By Febuary 21, 1950, the “White school” opened its doors. Students were imported from The Roseridge and L’abbé country school to Morinville, as they were being shut down. On the night of March 14, 1958, fire was set to the “red school”. It was completely destroyed. In the mean time students were held in the Parish Hall for their classes. By October 24, 1958, the waiting was over. A new school had been constructed by the name George. P. Vanier. This school had a total of 8 classrooms, a large gymnasium, a chemistry lab, an industrial arts shop and a modern home economics room. Nineteen years later Notre Dame Primary School opened. On October the 11 1977, it opened its doors. But plans for a new school were in the process. In dedication to Rev. Father George-Henri Primeau, G.H.P opened up in October 8, 1980. The last and final school that opened just before the regionalization was Morinville Community High School. It is currently one of the most technologically advanced schools in the province. By 1994, there was discussion of having the St Albert, Morinville and Legal School districts unite together. January 1, 1995, all three operated under the one name, Greater St Albert Catholic Schools Division.

Since last year the Division now operates under a budget of 66.3 million dollars yearly. $187, 567 is divided among the 17 different schools in St Albert, Morinville and Legal as Awards and Scholarships. They have an enrollment of 6,251 students with 440 teachers following out instruction just as of last year (2009-2010).

Bibliography

Faith and Tenacity

Morinville, a Pictorial History

Morinville Museum

St Albert Protestant Separate School District No. 6

The post war boom brought many Non-Catholic people to the town of St Albert. Between the years 1948 and 1951 the population grew 60% to 1,938. March 14 a vote was made. The outcome was successful with 45 people favoring a new district. By April 1st, 1958 the "St Albert Protestant Separate School District No. 6.” Was now a reality. They had 5 trustees, 128 students but no schools or teachers. With a $200,000 budget a new school was to be erected. By the end July the school was still undergoing construction. Many problems arose during this time to delay the completion of the school. At one time the architects were dismissed by the board only to be rehired a couple of days later. There were issues with the town’s administrators, the builders hesitated to start, plumbers on strike and the health inspector declaring the building unhealthy for children as the cement was still green. The school wasn’t going to be ready for the beginning of September. From Permission of the United Church, students were taught in the basement in the meantime. The Protestant school board hired 9 teachers from grades 1-7. A pioneer of western Canada was the name chosen for the new school. Sir Alexander Mackenzie School was ready January 3, 1959.

St Albert Protestant Separate School District No. 6 encountered yet more problems. One of the regulations attending the school was the dress code. Boys were to wear dress pants or slacks, never blue Jean, black leather jackets or hobnailed boots. Girls were to wear certain length skirts. If these regulations were not followed it would be decided if the child should be sent home or not. On one occasion a family took their case to court for their boy was suspended because he wore his blue jeans to school.

In 1963, on Fairview Boulevard, Paul Kane High School was constructed. Ten years later the student population grew enough for the present Paul Kane School to be constructed on Cunningham Road. The old high school was renamed Lorne Akins Junior High. By the 1960s two more schools joined the family. Leo Nickerson ( in ’64) and Robet Rundel (in ’65). The first core school opened as Ronald Harvey Elementary in 1975. ( A core school has the main central building with approximately 6-8 classrooms and add-on portables. Depending when the population increases or decreases the portables are then added or removed. Wild Rose Core (1977), W.D Cuts (1979), and Elmer S. Gish Core School (1981) were to follow, all built in the span of 6 years.

Under school age children now have a chance to going to school. Since 1975 Kindergarden offered an easier transition for kids going into grade 1. French Immersion was the next step. In 1981 Muriel Martin proposed the idea for a French immersion program. A vote was made, and a French immersion kindergarden class was erected. Nine months later the program expanded to third grade. Muriel’s dream lives on with 4 schools, (Leo Nickerson, Muriel Martin, Sir George Simpson, and Paul Kane) offering the complete program from kindergarden to grade 12. Other language studies are also offered in the district, such as German, Japanese and Spanish. They also offer addition courses such as Recourse room, Learning Assistance and Academic Challenge classes. Integrated Occupational Program (IOP), Logos (a Christian program), Career and Technology Studies (CTS), Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate.

The latest schools to be added to the Protestant School Division are as followed. Keenooshayo, Bellerose both constructed in 1988, and Muriel Martin in 1991. St Albert Protestant Separate School District No. 6 just recently completed its 50 year anniversary in from 1958 to 2008.

Bibliography

The Black Robes Vision

Proud of our past... Excited about the Future, St Albert Protestant Schools.

St Albert our History

A special thanks to Paula Power for helping with this blog

St Albert Public Roman Catholic School Division

The Greater St Albert Catholic School Division all started in Lac St Anne, when three sisters set up a school for the needed education of the children. Sister Zoe Le Blanc-Enery, Sister Adele Lamy and Sister Marie Jacques-Alphonse By 1863, Father Lacomb left Lac St Anne for St Albert along with his 3 faithful nuns. They built a convent a year later which not only served as a school but as a hospital and orphanage. Within weeks of arriving in St Albert, the 3 nuns had 20 pupils lined up to teach. St Albert Public Roman Catholic School Division was officially established on May 5, 1885. Two years after they, the Grey nuns, had arrived here. A larger two storey building, with room for boarders had been built that same year. One hundred and eight students held attendance at the school under strict supervision of the 3 Grey Nuns. In 1898 the class grew to 150 white pupils, 50 Metis pupils and 85 First Nations students. “The brick school” more formally know as Father Mérer School was unveiled. It was a 4 classroom school teachings grades 1 to 11. The furnace that kept the school warm and cozy in the winter months, tended to freeze up. Students would have to wait for their inkwells to melt and on few occasions would be sent home.

The 1930’s brought the great depression. Schools were shutdown from the lack of paying teachers salaries. At $60 per month the town of St Albert somehow managed to keep the school open, and thus the school division was saved. By 1940, St Albert offered their first twelfth grade class, ever. In 1946 St Albert merged in with Sturgeon School District No. 24 with many other schools following suit. Sturgeon sent their students to Villeneuve or St Albert for school, but all senior high students were sent to St Albert. Father Jan School was built from the increase of student population. The school was built on a design familiar through out Alberta. With no plumbing, or drainage systeme, the school still continued to be of use till the mid-60’s. Students would nick-name the building “The little white school”. It was built specifically to accommodate grades 1 and 2, but as the years went by it played host to grades 3 and 4 and in later years as a private kindergarden. In 1953, overcrowding was a large issue, with high student to teacher ratios. They built another school, but this wasn’t enough, the school was to small by the time it opened up and they were forced to have classrooms in the basement. Soon to follow a high school was under construction, and four years later it was unveiled. On January 19, 1957 students were allowed to see their new school. It bumped up the number of classrooms in the town from 14 to 23. A science lab, industrial arts shop, home economics room and a large auditorium were all part of the blue prints.

St Albert separated from Sturgeon in 1957, it was growing to much and was a burden for the Division. When St Albert reformed its old district it renamed itself, the St Albert Public School Division No.3 with its boundaries matching those of the town. In celebration of the newly reformed district, a new school was constructed. Named in honor of Bishop Vital Grandin, the school had 24 classrooms and housed 572 pupils and 23 teachers. A post war boom brought change into St Albert School systems between 1948 to 1951. As Non-Catholic people moved into the village. With their population, St Albert grew 60% in size. The town of St Albert not only hosted these new foreigners but their Protestant Religion as well. It wasn’t long till the St Albert Protestant school District No. 6 was established in 1958, creating more pressure on the district to perform better. In 1964 Albert Lacombe school opened with plans of an 18 room school on its way. The newer school was also named Albert Lacombe High School, with the older school being renamed Father Jan School. Kindergarden classes had also started this year. It was offered in R.C parish till it was moved into the little white school later on.

By the year 1969 St Albert Public School District had collected 1400 students and 83 members of staff. By 1994, there was discussion of having the St Albert, Morinville and Legal School districts unite together. January 1, 1995 all three operated under the one name, Greater St Albert Catholic Schools Division.

Since last year the Division now operates under a budget of 66.3 million dollars yearly. $187, 567 is divided among the 17 different schools in St Albert, Morinville and Legal as Awards and Scholarships. They have an enrollment of 6,251 students with 440 teachers following out instruction just as of last year (2009-2010).

Bibliography

http://www.sturgeon.ab.ca/Portals/0/policy-handbook/A_01.pdf

St Albert St. Albert A pictorial history

St Albert Our history

Black Robes Vision