Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Bringing History Into the Present

La Vielle Ecole - Grosse Ile

I watched this video which is called the Old or Former School - Grosse Ile. The hardwood reminds me of the 'Old English' School in Grande Entree, now belonging to Paul Warren, who uses it as his summer home.

There is the Old School of Old Harry, owned by C.A.M.I. and made into a museum. But Old Harry also had an earlier school, that was the original home of Henry Clark Sr. After he built Aunt Rhoda's house (oldest existing house on Old Harry), he would use the original house as a school for his grandchildren. As Old Harry became more populated, he donated the house and some land at Old Harry turn for a proper school for the day. This happened around 1870 and it stayed as a school until 1922, when the little red school house was built.

Timmy (Ivan) Clarke and Sandra Vigneau's home was the old School of East Cape, but I'm fairly sure that this is not the school, the video is referring to.

The first school in Grosse Isle was a building hauled to Grosse Isle Head. It was a one room school and is thought to date around 1860.

Also, there was a one room school built around the turn of the century, that was bought by Creighton Richards. It was moved to the Richards land and his brother, George turned it into a house. The house burned down while Stuart Richards was the owner, around the early 1980's, I think.

However, there is a house owned by the late John Clarke, on Grosse Isle North, that was part of the old two-room school house of Grosse Isle. The school had been built in 1934 by Arthur J.C. Goodwin and Douglas Clarke. This might possibly have been the old school in the video.

According to the picture in the video, the old school is John's house on Grosse Isle North. I haven't been inside it but it looks similar to Paul Warrens house according to the video.



For more information about the Magdalen Islands schools, including those of Entry Island and school life for the English on the islands, see the C.A.M.I website for a book they have created. They can also be communicated with at (418) 985-2116. Fax: (418) 985-2113 or e-mail: cami@magdalenislands.ca.
C.A.M.I.
787ch. Principal
Grosse Ile, Qu.
G4T 6B5

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