World War I had a huge impact on daily life in Charlesbourg as the Marist Brothers, of French origin, left Quebec to defend their homeland in the trenches of Europe. Lay teachers took over until 1923, but the population wanted the brothers to return. Parish priest Charles-Ovide Godbout took steps in this direction, and five teachers were warmly welcomed at a reception.

1904 - 1953

The Collège Saint-Charles and the Marist Brothers in Charlesbourg

The Académie de Charlesbourg was founded in 1904. The Marist Brothers found refuge in Quebec after the separation of the Church and State in France at the turn of the century. With their reputation as good teachers, they were recruited by the parish priest of Charlesbourg, Monsignor Louis-David Gosselin, who was looking for an institution to educate the peasants’ sons. The school was enlarged in 1943. Apart from the period between 1914 and 1922 when they aided France in the war, the Marist Brothers remained in Charlesbourg until 1962, when they were replaced by lay people.

Class photograph

Auteur inconnu World War I had a huge impact on daily life in Charlesbourg as the Marist Brothers, of French origin, left Quebec to defend their homeland in the trenches of Europe. Lay teachers took over until 1923, but the population wanted the brothers to return. Parish priest Charles-Ovide Godbout took steps in this direction, and five teachers were warmly welcomed at a reception.

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Depicted period: 1950

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