Saint Hyacinthe (La Providence)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
People often confuse the beginnings of this school with the founding of the community of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Saint Hyacinthe.
On September 12, 1877, Bishop Louis-Zéphirin Moreau founded the community, in the town school located on St. Michel Street and classes started there on September 18.
In 1937, Bishop Fabien-Zoël Decelles proclaimed the founding of the new parish to be called Precieux Sang de Notre Seigneur Jesus Christ [Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ]. The parish was/is located along the Yamaska River.

ARRIVAL OF THE SISTERS
Sister St. Joseph (Elisabeth Bergeron), foundress of the SJSH community
Sister Malvina Blanchette
Sister Valérie Langevin
On September 12, 1877, there was no one to welcome the sisters at the old school house. This school which would also be their residence was an old whitewashed one-story building. Inside there were two classrooms, a long table, a few wobbly benches, two platforms with chairs for the teachers.
On October 22, Sister Henriette Dufresne came to join the group. The 80 pupils were divided into three groups. In 1937, this location was part of the Notre Dame du Rosaire parish and the parish priest was Father Alvarez Blanchard, O.P.

NEW RESIDENCES FOR THE SISTERS
In 1978, the school board needed the entire building for the pupils then enrolled.. The sisters thus moved into a house on St. Anne Street, not far from the school. They travelled back and forth morning, noon and night.
On August 29, 1881, the sisters moved again, this time to a house on St. Hyacinthe Street, near the cathedral.

FOUNDERS
Sister St. François d'Assise (Rose-de-Lima Dansereau)
Sister St. Laurent (Laura Mélançon)
Sister St. Rosalie (Aloysia Coderre)
Sister St. Paul de la Croix (Caroline Robert)
Sister St. Rose de Lima (Blanchette Pratte)
set out for the school, on Monday, September 5, 1904.

PURCHASE OF A HOUSE AND ANOTHER MOVE
On March 18, 1974, Sister Catherine Farmer, superior general, visited a house on Crevier Street, near the school, and made an offer to buy it. After some repairs and renovations to make the house more functional, the sisters moved into this house on June 27, 1974.

DEPARTURE
The sisters left La Providence for good after 71 years of being present and involved in educational and apostolic activities. However, they still own the house on Crevier Street which is now used for community business.

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