TRANSCRIPT

In 1952, I had just completed three years of study at the Ursulines' teacher training school - the École normale du Christ-Roi. I received my teaching degree. I was seventeen years old at the time and could begin teaching. My first job was in a schoolhouse in the country, where I taught children from grades 1 to 7, all in the same classroom. I had to teach every subject to all these children at the same time. I did this for three years. I slept alone in the school. There was no telephone and the room was heated by a woodstove. Then I joined the Ursulines. I taught first grade, then fifth. Finally, I taught Greek as well as Latin elements and versification in the classical studies programme. I didn't stay at the college long because I returned to school in 1964 to study biology. These studies were supposed to prepare me to teach biology in CMI's classical studies programme, but by the time I finished, the system had changed and classical studies had been removed from the curriculum. It was the new era of cégeps and universities. So I began teaching at the University of Québec in Trois-Riviéres. I retired in the year 2000.

Sister Estelle Lacoursière
Teacher at CMI from 1956 to 1964