Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières |
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STR coat of arms
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| Address | |
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858, rue Laviolette
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Canada
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| Coordinates | 46°20′55″N 72°32′41″W / 46.348557°N 72.544703°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Private |
| Motto | French: Religion et Patrie ("Religion and Country") |
| Established | 1860 as the Collège de Trois-Rivières |
| Campus | Urban, park |
| Team name | Vert et Or |
| Director | Pierre Normand |
The Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières is a private school in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. It's located in the Mauricie region of Quebec. This school is a secondary school within Quebec's unique education system. While it used to be very religious, it is now more open to everyone. However, it still keeps strong ties to its religious roots and the local community.
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History of the School
The Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières started in 1860. Back then, it was called the Collège des Trois-Rivières. The school chose Saint Joseph as its special protector. Its motto, "Religion et Patrie," means "Religion and Country." This motto refers to the Christian faith and the Quebec homeland.
In 1874, the school was given to the care of the Trois-Rivières diocese. A diocese is a church district led by a bishop. The diocese made it their own seminary, which is a school for training priests. They renamed it Séminaire Saint-Joseph des Trois-Rivières. Today, the city is called "Trois-Rivières" (singular), so the school's name is now Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières.
The Séminaire used to offer a "classical course." This was a special type of education in Quebec until 1968. In September 1968, it officially became a regular secondary school. In 1998, the school started accepting both boys and girls. Before that, it was only for boys. It also used to be a boarding school, meaning some students lived there. It still offered dorms for male students for a while.
School Building and Design
The large building you see today was built in 1929. It's a great example of neoclassical architecture. This style uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. A new building was needed because the old one burned down in 1929. The new building was actually built around the chapel that is still inside it.
The building is mostly made of grey granite from the Beauce region of Quebec. The tall front of the building has a big dome made of bronze. The main doors are very special. They were designed by a French artist who also created the "Monument of the Flame" in Paris. This monument is near the famous Arc de Triomphe.
Like the school's coat of arms, the doors show symbols of Christianity and Quebec. This shows the school's motto, "Religion and Country." Above the door, there is a statue of Saint Joseph. A flag pole also displays the flag of Quebec. These features also highlight the school's motto.
Musée Pierre Boucher
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| Location | Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières Canada. |
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| Type | religious history |
The Musée Pierre Boucher is located at the main entrance of the school building. This museum has a huge collection of art and historical items. It holds 7,500 works of art, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures. It also has 13,000 artifacts. These items show the religious history of the area. They also show what life was like in the 1800s and 1900s.
The museum is connected to important groups like the Canadian Museums Association. It is named after Pierre Boucher. He was an early Canadian settler. He worked with the Jesuits, a religious group. Boucher was also governor of Trois-Rivières twice. He was the first Canadian settler to be honored by King Louis XIV of France.
Historical Archives
The Séminaire Saint-Joseph also has a very important historical archives service. Archives are places where old documents and records are kept. This service is a great way to learn about the history of Trois-Rivières and the Mauricie region. The Service des archives du Séminaire de Trois-Rivières (ASTR) started in 1918. That's when a young priest named Abbot Albert Tessier was asked to be the archivist.
Since 1929, the archives center has collected even more documents. It now keeps over 760 collections of private records. These come from people, families, and groups in the area. The documents include letters, photos, postcards, and historical notes. Anyone can access these documents for free to learn more about the past.
More About the School
The Séminaire Saint-Joseph is known by a few names. People call it "Séminaire Saint-Joseph," "Séminaire de Trois-Rivières," or simply "STR." Besides the Archives and the Museum, the school also has a chapel. It even has a whole section of living quarters for the religious community. The school is also famous for putting on a professional-level yearly musical school play.
Students at the Séminaire are sometimes called les suisses in a friendly way. This nickname comes from the stripes on an old school uniform. These stripes made the students look a bit like a chipmunk. In Quebec French, a chipmunk is called un suisse. It's interesting to know that chipmunks got this name because their stripes looked like the uniforms of the Vatican Swiss Guard.
Famous People Who Attended
Many notable people have studied at the Séminaire Saint-Joseph. Here are a few:
- Richard Béliveau - A researcher focused on cancer prevention.
- Jean Chrétien - He became the 20th Prime Minister of Canada.
- Pierre de Bané - A federal cabinet minister and Senator.
- Maurice Duplessis - He served as the 16th Premier of Quebec.
- Gaétan Frigon - An entrepreneur and TV personality.
- Gérald Gagnier - A bandmaster, composer, and trumpeter.
- Gérald Godin - A poet and politician (MNA for the Parti Québécois).
- François Massicotte - A well-known humorist.
- Laurent Poliquin - A poet.
- Denis Villeneuve - A famous film director.
See also
- Trois-Rivières
- Mauricie
- Education in Quebec
