MHM St Alphonse Monument - St Alphonse MB - Manitoba Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

{ picture of the first log building }
The Roman Catholic School Distrcit of St Alphonse # 1001
In the Parish of St. Alphonse in 1883, on land donated by Jules Poirier and Louis Vendette, the settlers constructed a log building to serve as a priest’s residence, chapel, and school. here in 1884, Phelonise Chapdelaine, the first teacher, had a class of ten students. By 1885, increasing population prompted the construction of a new two-storey building, at the base of the hill, housing the primary school, boarding house, and parish hall. Odele Bedard took over as teacher at this time. The fee to board at the school was $2 per month, usually paid with produce, wood or flour. He was replaced in 1899 with the Sisters of the Five Wounds of the Saviour, who were invited to take charge of the school and start the first convent. Two thirds of the children were French, one third were Flemish, but French only was used in the beginners’ class. The school building was destroyed by fire on February 27, 1903 and classes were held in the rectory for seven months.

1964 school picture 1996
St Alphonse Consolidated School
S.D. No. 2371
Following the Royal Commission on Education in 1957, the St. Alphonse Consolidated School No. 2371 was formed in January 1959, with the addition of the surrounding rural districts of Campeau, Grange, Thor and part of St. Albert, St. Urbain and Bru. Mountain School Division No. 28 was established on 1 April 1959. The consolidated school district of St. Alphonse became part of this Division but the local school board, composed of five trustees and a secretary-treasurer, retained control of the elementary school. In 1964, a new three-room school was built by Gotthard Peterson Construction Co.. In 1967, St. Alphonse School had its first lay teaching staff in 68 years. “School of Choice” policy affected enrollment and the doors of St. Alphonse School closed on 28 June 1996 for the last time.

{ picture of the 3 story convent boarding school 1916-1954 }
Sisters of the Saviour ----- Ursuline Sisters
1899-1932 --------- 1932-1967
After the fire destroyed the first school, a two-storey wood convent boarding school, 34 feet x 38 feet, was erected west of the church by the Cusson Co., at a cost of $6,200.00. It was enlarged and a third storey was added in 1916. The Sisters of the Saviour, the “Chanoinesses”, educated the children in two languages, teaching them music, home economics, and painting along with the usual subjects offered in all other schools of the province. In 1930, with the diminishing number of French families in St. Alphonse, the sisters negotiated with the Ursuline Sisters of Bruxelles to take over the convent school. The Chanoinesses left St. Alphonse in 1932.

The Ursulines directed the St. Alphonse School for 35 years, offering to the villagers and boarders a well-rounded academic, religious, and cultural education. In 1959, consolidation of rural schools with the village convent school brought an era of change for the school and community. The convent school became obsolete and, in 1964, the Sisters sold their building, allowing for the construction of a new public school in which they continued to teach for two years.


On July 2, 2000 These three commemorative plaques were erected and dedicated to the students, to the parents who sought education for their children and to the Sisters, priests and lay teachers who gave of themselves so unselfishly to provide this well rounded education, grounded in the catholic faith, to all students who attended this school.

Marker Name: The Roman Catholic School Distrcit of St Alphonse / St Alphonse Consolidated School / Sisters of the Saviour -- Ursuline Sisters Languages: English Location: in front of the Roman Catholic Parish Church Highway 532 and Notre Dame Avenue Saint Alphonse Marker Text: see long description Link to HistoricPlaces.ca or mhs.mb.ca: [Web Link] Agency: Not listed Website: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/28/2011 PeterNoG visited it