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. In Quebec, it's known as a secondary school, which means it's for students around 12-17 years old. While it used to be very religious, it's now more open to everyone. However, it still has ties to its religious past.
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History of the School
The Séminaire Saint-Joseph started in 1860. It was first called the Collège des Trois-Rivières. The school chose Saint Joseph as its special protector. Its motto became "Religion et Patrie," which 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 an area managed by a bishop in the Christian church. The diocese made it their own seminary, which is a school for training priests. They then changed its name to Séminaire Saint-Joseph des Trois-Rivières. Over time, the city's name changed slightly, so now the school is properly called Séminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivières.
The school 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, girls also started attending the school, making it a co-education school. It still offers dormitory rooms for male students who live there.
School Building and Design
The large building where the school is located today was built in 1929. It is 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 and impressive front of the building has a large dome made of bronze. The big main doors were designed by a French artist. This artist also created the Monument of the Flame under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
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 mast 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 a museum located inside the school building. Its main display areas are at the central entrance. The museum keeps 7,500 pieces of art from different times. These include paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures. It also has 13,000 items that show the religious history of the area. These items also show how people lived in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The museum is connected with important Canadian museum groups. It is named after Pierre Boucher. He was an early Canadian settler who worked with Jesuit missions. Boucher was also governor of Trois-Rivières twice. He was the first Canadian settler to be given a special title by King Louis XIV.
School Archives
The Séminaire has a large collection of historical archives. These archives are an important 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 year, the school asked a young priest, Abbot Albert Tessier, to be the archivist.
Since 1929, the archives center has collected even more documents. It now keeps over 760 collections of private archives. These come from people, families, and groups in the surrounding area. The documents include letters, photographs, postcards, and historical notes. Anyone can look at these documents for free.
More About the Séminaire
The school is known by a few names. People call it the "Séminaire Saint-Joseph," the "Séminaire de Trois-Rivières," or simply the "STR." Besides the Archives and the Museum, the school also has a chapel. It also has a whole section of living quarters for the religious community. The school is also famous for putting on a yearly musical school play. These plays are often very professional.
Students at the school 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 like a chipmunk, which is called un suisse in Quebec French. It's a funny coincidence because the chipmunk got its name suisse because its stripes looked like the striped uniform of the Vatican Swiss Guard.
Famous People Who Attended
- Richard Béliveau - A researcher who studies how to prevent cancer.
- Jean Chrétien - The 20th Prime Minister of Canada.
- Pierre de Bané - A federal government minister and Senator.
- Maurice Duplessis - 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 humorist.
- Laurent Poliquin - A poet.
- Denis Villeneuve - A film director.
- Ghyslain Raza - Known as the "Star Wars Kid."
See also
- Trois-Rivières
- Mauricie
- Education in Quebec
