For many years, Msgr. Plessis, Bishop of Quebec and Msgr. MacDonell, Bishop of Kingston, had wished that the Sisters of the Congregation would establish themselves in Kingston, the city which was to become the capital of a United Canada. Two Sisters set up the Congregations first English-language school during this first venture in Upper Canada in 1841. The means of transportation were rudimentary at that time: it took three days for the Sisters to travel by stagecoach from Montreal to Kingston. The national capital from 1841 to 1843, Kingston, quickly lost its title to Montreal. Nevertheless, the Congregation was now firmly implanted in Ontario and would increase its presence there.
In September 1951, Cathedral School opened its doors on Johnson Street, in the east-end of Kingston, Ontario as a branch of Notre Dame Convent. Situated near the Lakeshore Native Algonquin Reserve, it was the very first Senior Elementary School established in Ontario. This new school was established in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s "Porter Plan," which stipulated that all new construction must adhere to the rule that each scholastic level have its own school building. Consequently, grade 7 to grade 10 students attended the new Cathedral School, while those in senior levels stayed at Notre Dame Convent School. Four hundred sixty students were present on the first day of classes. Most of the teachers were sisters and Sister Saint Mary Desmond (Florence Quigley) was the school’s assistant director. A business program was offered, as were courses in industrial arts, science, home economics, physical education, French and social science. The school’s emblem, especially designed during the establishment of the school, bears several symbolic elements. On the left-hand side, there is a star inspired by the coat of arms of Kingston’s Archbishop, Joseph Anthony O'Sullivan. On the right-hand side, a book and quill are references to Saint Thomas Aquinas, patron saint of boys. Represented in the centre, is a lozenge shape on a wavy band which symbolizes Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, patron saint of girls and the Saint Lawrence River.
Cathedral School students participated in several clubs overseen by the sisters and lay teachers (dance, sciences, debating, model cars, reading, acrobatics, chess, poetry, journalism etc.). In 1953, the students launched the Drama Festival, published the first school newspaper, Cathedral School News, and broadcast a radio program. The boy’s Bantam Hockey Team won the league trophy several times while the girls won the Kingston Junior Basketball League Championship several years in a row. In 1957, an annual public speaking competition was launched in collaboration with the Knights of Columbus. In 1959, the girl’s uniform was changed. On October 4, 1961, the 10th anniversary of the school was celebrated. For the occasion, a religious service, presided by Archbishop Joseph Anthony O’Sullivan, paid tribute to Cathedral School’s three founding sisters. In 1966, the sisters permanently withdrew from the school. Still active as of November 2014, it is known by its French name, École catholique cathédrale and offers a French immersion program to students from grade 1 to grade 8.
NB: This text was written using documents found in the archival holdings in our possession and does not constitute a complete administrative history of the teaching establishment.
The Sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame arrived in Kingston on November 21, 1841. They established their very first mission in Ontario and, by the same token, one of the first English schools: Notre Dame Convent. In 1967, after over one hundred twenty-five years, the convent closed and the two oldest teaching institutions in Kingston were merged. Bishop J. L. Wilhem announced the creation of Regiopolis-Notre Dame High School. Regiopolis, a Jesuit school for boys (1837) and Notre Dame, the Congregation’s school for girls (1841) were joined. The convent’s teachers were integrated with the staff and the students were received in the classrooms of Regiopolis School, situated on Russell Street. Sister Saint Alice of the Angels (Kathryn Quigley) became director of the girls’ section. The teaching staff was made up of seven Jesuit priests and seven sisters of the Congregation.
In 1969, the sisters permanently left their residence in Notre Dame Convent and moved to a new house on Wright Crescent, Kingston. In addition to academic courses, the new school also offered students choir and music classes. The students participated in several extracurricular activities, such as the Glee Club. The sisters were very involved in Kingston’s community life. For example, they frequently visited inmates in Joyceville Penitentiary. In 1971, because of decreasing numbers, the Jesuits left the school. In the same year, Frontenac Lennox and Addington Catholic Separate School Board announced that it would direct the grade 11 to grade 13 classes. The sisters continued to teach and participated in the administration of the school. During the 1970s, the building which housed the school became ever-more rundown and too small. It was thus decided that a new school would be built on the land on Russel Street. In September 1977, the new Regiopolis-Notre Dame High School was inaugurated. On October 30, 1977, an official opening ceremony was held. At the beginning of the school year, the modern building received eight hundred young men and women.In 1983, the sisters permanently withdrew from teaching there and their residence became a retirement home for the sisters. As of November 2014, the school was still active and had taken the name Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School.
NB: This text was written using documents found in the archival holdings in our possession and does not constitute a complete administrative history of the teaching establishment.
