From Stadacona to the REM · Drawing 05 of 36
Montréal’s First School
1658
In 1658, Marguerite Bourgeoys opened a school in Montréal in a former stone stable. Children came to learn reading, writing and counting. A building once used for animals became a place to learn!
Look together
Which child is raising a hand?
An idea to try
Turn a corner of the house into a school of long ago: a bench, a slate or a sheet of paper, a three-word lesson. Your child teaches the class to a stuffed animal.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
On April 30, 1658, Marguerite Bourgeoys opened her school in a disused stone stable. The Congrégation de Notre-Dame describes religious teaching alongside reading, writing, arithmetic and practical work. Children attended without fees.
The four pupils are imaginary: their number and identities do not reconstruct the first class. Compare the benches and slate with objects in your child’s school.
Sources and illustration notes (3)
Stable-school as an evocation; Marguerite Bourgeoys and the pupils are not portrayed.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Congrégation de Notre-Dame — Ouverture de la première école de Montréal (in French)School opened on April 30, 1658, in a stone stable.
- Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec — Marguerite Bourgeoys (in French)Arrived in 1653; founded the Congrégation de Notre-Dame; her role as a teacher.
- Congrégation de Notre-Dame — History of the Congrégation de Notre-DameSchool opened on April 30, 1658, in a stone stable; free schooling that was both religious and practical.
Page prepared on September 19, 2026. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.
This drawing is from the book Québec’s Great Moments to Colour
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