École Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin

Institution founded in 1950, Sainte-Foy (Québec), Québec.

In September 1950, Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin School opened. It was requested and funded by the Sainte-Foy School Commission in Quebec City. The school was situated near Notre-Dame-de-Bellevue Convent which belonged to the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. This seemed very practical for the school commissioners whose intention was to offer the direction of the school to the sisters. The pastor of Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin Parish approached the Congregation sisters and they accepted to send teachers. They were: Sister Sainte-Marie-Paul (Marie-Aline-Elméria Jodoin), the school’s new superior, Sister Sainte-Marie-Claudia (Marie-Fleurette Noël) and Sister Saint-Marc-Évangéliste (Mariette Dodier). They lived at Notre-Dame-de-Bellevue Convent. In September 1950, the sisters received eighty-eight enthusiastic boys and girls into the classrooms. Lay teachers assisted the sisters in grades 1 to 6. In 1953, a grade 7 class opened. In addition to their regular curriculum, the students were also offered classes in music theory, physical education and arts and crafts – this last course later was replaced by Home Economics. An interesting element about the school curriculum was the introduction of the "dynamic reading method" created in 1942 by Sister Renée-du-Saint-Sacrement, of the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In addition to school activities, students were encouraged to join various religious associations: Croisades, Croisillons, Légionnaires de Marie, Apôtres et la société de l’Enfant-Jésus. Apart from childhood diseases affecting school life over the years, the history of Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin was peaceful. The school however was characterized by its ever-growing student population. Indeed, at the beginning, the small school was comprised of only four classrooms. Very quickly, it became urgent to find new premises. Consequently, in 1961, the School Commission ordered the construction of a new school capable of receiving at least two hundred fifty students in its eight classrooms. Thus, Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin School was made up of two buildings on two different streets. In 1964, again because of the large number of children, a suggestion was made to divide the students between the two buildings according to their grades. Therefore, the sisters no longer taught from kindergarten to grade 4. Every January, Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin School’s teaching staff had the pleasure of being invited to supper by the CND sisters who worked at Nérée-Tremblay School. This tradition continued until 1968, when the sisters permanently left Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin 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.

A picture of this institution is unavailable. Do you have one we could use?

École Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin

École Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin

Sainte-Foy (Quebec), Quebec

Institution fondée en 1950

Dernière adresse : 895, avenue Myrand

École Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin

École Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin

Sainte-Foy (Quebec), Quebec

Institution fondée en 1950

Dernière adresse : 2120, rue Boivin

First location : 895, avenue Myrand
Second location : 2120, rue Boivin