DELINQUENTS--THE “GOOD SHEPHERD”--THE GIRLS’ COTTAGE INDUSTRIAL
SCHOOL--BOY DELINQUENTS--ECOLE DE REFORME--SHAWBRIDGE
BOYS’ FARM--THE JUVENILE COURT--THE CHILDREN’S AID
SOCIETY--THE MONTREAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND
CHILDREN--CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO
ANIMALS. NOTE: COURT COMMITTALS.
The care of fallen women was early tentatively engaged in by
Madame d’Youville before British rule. Doubtless this was also
desultorily undertaken at a later period by her companions and
other religious communities of women, but it was not specifically
and regularly undertaken as a special work until Madame Jetté
founded her work which is perpetuated in the Hôpital de la
Miséricorde.
THE HOPITAL DE LA MISERICORDE
The Hôpital La Miséricorde owes its origin to Mgr. Ignace
Bourget, to whom so many of the Catholic works of charity and
education of the city owe their inspiration and encouragement
during his thirty-six years in the episcopate, from 1840 to 1876.
His name is written in indelible characters in this city. In
the year 1845, after having long thought of means of founding
some establishment for fallen girls he called to his aid a
pious widow, Madame Jetté, who had been engaged in much private
charity in helping unfortunate girls, and invited her to found a
community to perpetuate the good already commenced by her. The
first home, opened with one “penitent,” was called the Hospice
Ste. Pélagie, a garret reached by a ladder above a dilapidated
wooden building on St. Simon Street, in the tenement now numbered
208 St. George Street. Her family thought her demented and said
that she was disgracing them, and there were not wanting the
criticisms and sarcasm of the cynics. Madame Jetté was joined
on July 20th by another devoted widow, Madame Raymond, who had
worked towards the founding of the Good Shepherd Institution in
Montreal. A more comfortable building was shortly secured on
Wolfe Street (now numbered 207 and 209). More penitents were able
to be received.
By 1846 there were five workers and in July, 1846, Bishop Bourget
gave a “rule” to the Congregation de Sainte Pélagie. On April
26, 1847, they moved into another house at the corner of St.
Catherine and St. André Street, today a common restaurant. On
January 16, 1848, the little group of women was erected into
a canonical body under the title of “Sœurs de Miséricorde”
(Sisters of Mercy). Madame Jetté, the foundress, became Sister
de la Nativité and Madame Galipeau, Sister St. Jeanne Chantal,
was appointed superior. In 1848 the number of penitents reached
eighty-seven and in 1851 it increased to ninety-seven. During the
first six years the institution saved the lives of 390 new born
infants. In 1851 the community moved to the corner of Campeau and
Lagauchetière streets, the site where the present mother house
now stands. New buildings were ready in October, 1854. By 1862
further ground had been purchased to extend to St. Hubert Street.
On April 5, 1864, the foundress, Mother de la Nativité, died.
But the work progressed. At the end of 1872 there were fifty-six
professed sister, ten novices, 323 penitents were received and
there were 230 births in the hospital. In 1876 the west wing was
completed. On April 26, 1887, the present maternity hospital,
fronting St. Hubert Street, was dedicated. Up to 1889 the
children born in the hospital had been transferred to the Grey
Nuns. These Sisters now found themselves in this year unable to
accept the children and the infant asylum in the rear of the
Mother House was consequently built and entered into about 1898.
At present the children born in the hospital are kept there until
three months old, when they are sent to the country crèche at
Sault au Récollet. At this establishment they are taken care of
until six years of age, when they are placed, if possible, with
responsible parties.
THE SHELTERING HOME
The next important development for fallen women was the founding
of the Sheltering Home by Protestants.
Late in the ’50s, perhaps about 1858, work was instituted in
Montreal by some of the officers of the regiments stationed
here and by prominent men of the city, for fallen girls, mostly
maternity cases, one of the leaders of this movement being T.M.
Taylor. This home was called the “Magdalene” and continued for
a number of years, disbanding, however, after the regiments
left Montreal. On the 2d of March, 1868, the home on Seigneurs
Street, a direct outgrowth of the previous disbanded Magdalene,
was established for the reception of destitute and fallen girls.
Major General Russell and Captain Malan were among the principal
promoters and Mrs. T.M. Taylor and T.J. Claxton were trustees.
This was called the “Female Home Society.” Mr. and Mrs. Taylor
had general charge of the work, the former being president.
In 1878 Miss Barber, who had been closely connected with the
work, was asked by the matron of the jail to visit a woman who,
in company with her husband, had been imprisoned for theft. Miss
Barber tried to find a home or place of employment for the
woman, but was not successful, and finally she took her to the
“Female Home” which, though crowded at the time, made a place
for her. This incident brought to Miss Barber’s notice the need
of a shelter for released prisoners, and at once she began a
department of work in connection with the Home to cover that
need. In May, 1885, owing to lack of funds, the board of trustees
believed it necessary to close the Home, but Miss Barber, knowing
the value of the work being done, begged for its continuance,
stating that if they would give her the house and one year in
which to continue it, she would take full charge and raise the
funds to carry on the work for that length of time. This was
permitted, and during the year 1885 she was responsible for the
money.
At the end of that time when a meeting was held and her report
given, she stated that the Home was too far from the centre of
the city, where most of her work lay, and she asked the board
to sell the property on Seigneurs Street and with the money
thus acquired purchase another nearer the centre of the city.
In 1885 Mrs. Frost became secretary of the Society, with Miss
Barber continuing as its manager. The old property was sold for
$9,000 and after all outstanding debts were paid, there was
given over about $800 to Miss Barber and invested $8,000, the
interest from which was to be used in carrying on the work.
Two adjoining houses, in order to classify the inmates, were
taken on Dorchester Street. The advisory board, chosen by Miss
Barber, consisted of Mrs. M.H. Gault, Mrs. A.F. Gault, Mrs.
S. Finley, Mrs. Aiken, Mrs. H. Botterell and Mrs. E. Frost,
secretary-treasurer. By 1891 it was proved that the Home was in a
good locality for the furtherance of its work, but as the street
was to be widened about that time, the buildings were to be sold
and it was again necessary to search for a home. The present
location on St. Urbain Street was found and as the house was for
rent Miss Barber called the old original trustees together and,
making her report, placed the matter before them. It was decided
to turn over the $8,000 invested to Miss Barber, with which she
purchased the permanent home on St. Urbain Street. The house was
remodelled and work has been carried on ever since.
The classes of inmates who are assisted are as follows:
1. Discharged prisoners and those whom the Recorder wishes to be
placed in a home rather than imprisoned.
2. Inebriates, many of whom apply for shelter while others are
placed by friends.
3. Girls from the streets and houses of infamy.
4. Maternity cases, many of whom are more sinned against than
sinning.
5. What is called the “floating” class--patients discharged from
hospitals before strong enough to work; the weak in body and
mind; incompetent, idle girls, who, not vicious, would, however,
if allowed, sink to the abandoned class.
The Sheltering Home was incorporated on the 29th of September,
1898, the incorporators being Mrs. Sarah Hibbard, Mrs. Enoch
Frost, Mrs. John Murray Smith, Mrs. Ebenezer E. Shelton, Mrs.
Matthew Hamilton Gault, Mrs. Robert Ward Shepherd, Mrs. George
B. Burland, Mrs. James Day, Mrs. Joseph Savage, John Dillon,
Herbert B. Ames, Seth P. Leet, Walter Drake, Samuel Finley, Hugh
McLennan, Albert A. Ayer, Charles Alexander and George Hague.
GIRL DELINQUENTS
The work for girl delinquents was taken up by the Good Shepherd
Nuns in 1870.
The Community of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of
the Good Shepherd in Montreal is an offshoot of the original
body founded in Caen, Normandy, in 1641, by Jean Eudes, founder
of the Eudistes Fathers. June 11, 1844, marks the arrival of
the four first sisters in Montreal from Angers, Mesdames Marie
Fisson, Eliza Chaffaux, Alice Ward and Andrews. Their first
home was on Brock Street in the Quebec suburbs. On July 25th
they took possession of a fine stone convent of four stories
built on ground given by Madame D. B. Viger. Their work was: (1)
receive women penitents, (2) Magdalens from the first class, who,
however, may never join the order itself, and (3) the education
of young girls. The work of the Magdalens began in 1864 and that
of the preservation of the “penitents” began in 1847.
The work of the reformation of young Catholic girl delinquents
was inaugurated on May 3, 1870, with twenty subjects. These now
are sent by the court or placed by their parents under a useful
training in industrial works. In 1893 the industrial school was
transferred to Laval des Rapids, near Montreal. In addition to
the above work these Sisters have the direction of the female
jail on Fullum Street.
THE GIRLS’ COTTAGE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
A recent effort by Montreal ladies to supply the need for the
special treatment of young girl delinquents between the ages
of twelve and sixteen, otherwise than in the Female Jail,
hitherto their only harbour, was crystalized in the opening,
in September, 1911, of a Girls’ “Cottage” Industrial School at
Outremont, which, however, was shortly removed to Front Street,
St. Lambert’s, in healthy and pleasant surroundings. It was
incorporated by government in 1913. The work is carried on in
connection with the juvenile court, but it is also open to
friendless and destitute girls, being supported by voluntary
subscriptions, and some government assistance. It has been
placed under government inspection. Very useful lessons have
been the outcome of this experiment. It has been shown that most
of those “committed” by the law are the victims of the _moron_
type of mental defectiveness and retarded intelligence and that
others are the victims of a carelessly trained childhood and
vicious environment. It has been found that the best method to
rehabilitate these cases is by building up their health and by
concentrating at present the educational part of their training
upon domestic lines, to make them good housewives and able to
support themselves hereafter. The “Cottage” system with its
possibilities of homelike and industrial training is claimed to
effect better cures than the cold and formal methods of the usual
government reformatory. The presidents of the school have been:
1911, Mrs. F.H. Waycott; 1912, Mrs. J. Macnaughton; 1913-14, Miss
Beatrice Hickson.
BOY DELINQUENTS
Modern reformatory work for boys began in Montreal in 1865. In
1858 a reformatory school for juvenile criminals was established
at Isle aux Noix, near the frontier and at the head of the
Richelieu river. Being an old military post it was again deemed
necessary to occupy it and the reformatory was removed to St.
Vincent de Paul, near Montreal, in 1861. In 1863 there were about
fifty inmates in the institution.
The name of M. Berthelet and the Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul
now became connected with this work. The latter Congregation
was founded in Belgium, in 1807, by Rev. P. Priest, a Canon of
the Diocese of Ghent, shortly after the French revolution, to
care for the sick and poor, the aged and orphans left destitute
through the expulsion of the religious orders.
Canada heard of their eminent services abroad. At the time,
there was in Montreal a gentleman, named Berthelet, and relief
of the poor seemed to be the goal of his ambition. In fact, M.
Berthelet’s happiness consisted in relieving their wants. He,
too, heard of the Brothers’ good work, and he begged Bishop
Bourget to invite them out to Canada. They accepted the kind
invitation and accepted the charge of a home for old people and
neglected children of the city, at the Asile St. Antoine provided
by M. Berthelet on Labelle Street. Four Brothers of Charity of
St. Vincent de Paul arrived on February 22, 1865, but moved to
a larger home on Dorchester Street, opposite the Convent of La
Miséricorde, on May 10, 1865. From there they moved to the new
home built by M. Berthelet on Mignonne Street, now De Montigny,
taking possession of it on February 19, 1868. The same work was
continued but with doubtful success, till it found its present
vocation as an industrial school, in 1873.
In 1870, the Government of the Province of Quebec had founded a
reformatory for youthful delinquents and incorrigible children.
Recognizing that happier results would be obtained, if it was
under the supervision of a religious body, familiar with the
work, the Government made overtures to the superior of the
Brothers, but it was only in 1872 that matters were definitely
arranged to the satisfaction of both parties. The Brothers
have been in charge ever since. The reformatory is a blessing
in disguise for many a family and for the community at large.
Hundreds of its inmates are today honorable and law-abiding
citizens with trades in their possession or equipped for a
livelihood. They would have always been so had their parents or
guardians done their duty by them and given them the example of
an industrious, sober, honest and Christ-like life.
The four Brothers have now grown to 150. In addition, since 1874
they have founded off shoots of their Community in Canada and the
United States.
SHAWBRIDGE BOYS’ FARM
Reformation work for non-Catholic boys is conducted at Shawbridge
in the Laurentian Mountains.
As told elsewhere the “Boys’ Farm and Training School” at
Shawbridge owes its first active steps to the farm committee of
1906 of the “Corporation of the Boys’ Home,” and its immediate
inception to the board of nine directors of the “Boys’ Farm and
Training School,” chosen out of the board of fifteen governors of
the “Boys’ Home” in accordance with the reconstituted amendments
granted in March, 1909, to the original charter, these amendments
having been prepared by Mr. J.S. Buchan, K.C., to provide for
the twin corporations of the Boys’ Home and the Boys’ Farm, the
latter, however, being a distinct but subsidiary corporation.
The first board of directors of the Boys’ Farm were J.R. Dougall,
Rev. Dr. Eagan Hill, J.C. Holden, S.M. Baylis, C.S.J. Phillips,
J.S. Buchan, K.C., F. Hague, F.S. Todd and G.W. Stephens. This
board elected as their officers the following: President, J.S.
Buchan, K.C.; vice president, S.M. Baylis; honorary secretary,
F. Hague; honorary treasurer, C.S.J. Phillips. Mr. J.R. Dougall
shortly became president on the resignation of Mr. Buchan. The
reformatory is conducted on the cottage system, the prison
atmosphere being carefully eliminated, so that it is rather a
country farm home school than anything else, although the pupils
are those committed thither by the courts of justice. Everything
at the farm makes for health, virtue and hope, and is a good
demonstration of the modern view of juvenile reformation.
THE JUVENILE COURT AND THE CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY OF MONTREAL
The Juvenile Court, which of recent years has been established
to treat younger delinquents than those already mentioned, was
largely the effort of the promotion of the Children’s Aid Society
of Montreal.
This association developed out of a movement inaugurated by
the Montreal Women’s Club, which, in 1905, formed a committee
having as its object the establishment of reforms in the methods
then in use in dealing with the children of the city who had
offended against the law. The members of the club had become
convinced from personal observation during the course of their
charitable work that, not only was juvenile crime increasing to
an alarming extent in Montreal, but also that the existing legal
machinery was very badly adapted to cope with the situation.
The “Juvenile Court” committee, therefore, began by collecting
information regarding the methods in use in children’s courts and
the probation system in various cities of the American continent
and Europe, and interviewed many public men in Montreal in
the interests of reform. Of these the first to offer definite
encouragement and assurance of personal support was Judge F.X.
Choquet, who, in an interview with some members of the committee
on the 28th February, 1907, expressed his opinion that complete
reformation of the law respecting juvenile offenders was urgently
needed, and that a juvenile court with a special magistrate and
officials was over-due in Montreal, in order that children’s
cases might be promptly and efficiently dealt with, the
circumstances and family history of the cases being investigated
before sentence should be pronounced. It was recommended to
the committee as their first step that a petition should be
framed and sent to the Minister of Justice asking for a new law
regulating the treatment of children’s cases before the courts.
Another public official to whom credit must be accorded for
encouragement given in the initial stages of this reform is
Governor Vallée of the Montreal jail, who stated as the result
of personal experience that the greatest wrong was being done to
the youth of the city by the system then in vogue; that he was
familiar with the juvenile court methods, and heartily in favour
of their introduction in Montreal.
A petition was prepared and was subsequently sent to the
different branches of the Legislature bearing the signatures of
over five thousand citizens. Public interest was increased in the
movement by an address given by Mr. W.L. Scott, president of the
Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa, before the Montreal Women’s
Club, in the autumn of 1907, on juvenile courts and probation
officers, and as a result of this address the club undertook to
defray the cost of supporting a probation officer, for a time,
provided the magistrates would sanction the innovation. Approval
and promise of co-operation having been obtained from Judge
Choquet, Mr. Recorder Weir, and Mr. Recorder Dupuis, a French
lady, Mlle. Maria Clément, was engaged to fill the position.
It was now thought that the growth and prospects of the movement
warranted the formation of a Children’s Aid Society, and the
first meeting of ladies and gentlemen to form the executive
board of such an association was assembled at the residence of
Senator and Mme. Beïque on Sherbrooke Street, February 1, 1908,
with Judge Eugène Lafontaine in the chair. Although the probation
officer had only been at work during a few weeks it was stated at
this meeting that her services had already proved of much value.
Judge Choquet explained the purposes and need of the proposed
society, whose officers were elected as follows: President, Judge
F.X. Choquet; vice presidents, Mme. Beïque, Mme. Choquet, Judge
Lafontaine, Miss Ferguson, president of the Montreal Women’s
Club, Reverend Dr. Symonds, Mrs. Waycott, Mr. J.M. Wilson;
secretaries, Mrs. Weller, Dr. St. Jacques; treasurer, Mr. F.
Beïque.
By kind permission of the Protestant Board of School
Commissioners, the meetings of the council of the Children’s
Aid Society were subsequently held in the board room of the
Protestant High School on Peel Street.
The members of the juvenile court committee of the Women’s Club
were incorporated with the council of the new society, and
subsequently, until the official organization of the juvenile
court, held meetings twice a month with the probation officer at
the home of Mme. Beïque in order to assist with the probation
work.
In June, 1908, the Juvenile Delinquents Act was passed by the
Dominion Parliament, and at the meeting of the Children’s Aid
Society in September of that year a letter was read from Mr.
W.L. Scott, one of the original framers of the bill, in which
he stated that, “the success of the Juvenile Delinquents Bill
has been due in great measure to your Society, and particularly
to your having secured the interest of Senator Beïque and Mr.
Bickerdike.”
The Society next exerted its effort towards having the act
proclaimed by the Provincial Parliament as a preliminary to
its being put into force in the province. To this end a public
meeting was arranged, which was addressed by the Chief Justice,
Sir Charles Fitzpatrick, and by Mr. J.J. Kelso, the originator of
the juvenile court system in Toronto.
During the following year the Society continued to co-operate
with the probation work, and endeavoured to effect regulation of
newspaper selling on the streets by small children and girls, and
to secure suppression of the deleterious features of the moving
picture shows, which were just beginning to overrun the city.
In 1910, the Juvenile Delinquents’ Act was formally proclaimed
by the provincial authorities, and arrangements as to division
of expenses, etc., having been adjusted between the province and
the municipality, a house at No. 209 Champ de Mars Street, was
acquired and fitted up by the city for use as a detention home,
the formal opening taking place on the 22d March, 1912.
In accordance with the provisions of the Juvenile Delinquents Act
two Juvenile Court committees were appointed from the membership
of the Children’s Aid Society, consisting of the following
persons:
For the Catholic Juvenile Court Committee:--Madame Beïque, Lady
Hingston, Mesdames Crevier, Moreau, Ethier, Miss Quigley, Miss
Murphy, Mlle. Marie Mignault, Rev. Canon Gauthier.
For the Protestant Juvenile Court Committee:--Rev. F.R. Griffin,
Reverend Doctor Symonds, Messrs. Owen Dawson, K.J. Hollingshead,
Lyon Cohen, Maxwell Goldstein, Mesdames F.H. Waycott, H.W.
Weller, W.S. Maxwell.
The society sent in a unanimous request to the provincial
authorities for the appointment of Judge F.X. Choquet as judge
of the Juvenile Court, for Mr. O.C. Dawson as clerk, and for the
retention of acting probation officers, Mlle. Clément, and Mrs.
Henderson, in a permanent capacity, and all of these appointments
were made, as asked for.
In 1912 the Children’s Aid Society cooperated with the executive
of the Child Welfare Exhibit by taking charge of the subsection
of that exhibit dealing with delinquent and dependent children.
MONTREAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN
An association which has done very effective work since 1882
among the sufferers at the hands of the delinquent classes is
the Montreal Society for the Protection of Women and Children.
Its work is largely preventative and has succeeded in the
protection of women and children from every kind of wrong, abuse
and cruelty, arising from nonsupport, wife beating, desertion,
assaults, child cruelty and miscellaneous causes. The society
has steadily pursued the aim of reform regarding prison labour
wages in favour of those who suffer from the incarceration of the
delinquent husband, the breadwinner.
THE CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
The following movement may be chronicled sufficiently
appropriately here among the charities for unfortunates:
The Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was
incorporated in 1868, its charter being granted at the request of
Thomas Workman, M.P., H.J. Joseph, Henry Bulmer, T.J. Claxton,
E.A. Prentice, H.L. Boulter, J.J.C. Abbott, James Ferrier, Jr.,
R. Mowat, A.M. Foster, T. Mackenzie, George Stephens, James
Hutton, G.W. Weaver, Jesse Joseph and others.
In 1898 a woman’s auxiliary was formed with Mrs. W.R. Miller as
its first president.
The above association was the first in Canada. It is the head
office of the Province of Quebec, having several branches in
other towns. For the first twenty years progress was slow, but in
1913, as many as six thousand cases came to the association.
COURT COMMITTALS
The statistics for the year 1913 regarding the children committed
to industrial schools by the City of Montreal is as follows:
Number of applications 1,227
These applications were accepted or refused as follows:
Committals accepted 330
Committals refused 216
Recommittals accepted 397
Recommittals refused 53
Committals accepted by the Government 4
Recommittals accepted by the Government 5
Applications discontinued 100
Applications for release 126
Children in industrial schools[A] on the 31st of December, 1912:
At the expense of the city 747
Half at the expense of the Government 68
-----
Total 815
Committed during the year 1913:--
At the expense of the city 330
Half at the expense of the Government 4
Recommitted during the year 1913:--
At the expense of the city 397
Half at the expense of the Government 5
-----
Total 736
-----
Grand total 1,551
Released, discharged, etc., during the year 1913:--
At the expense of the city 732
Half at the expense of the Government 13
-----
Total 745
In industrial schools on the 31st December, 1913:--
At the expense of the city 752
Half at the expense of the government 54
-----
Total 806
[A] It is now desired to change the charter so that Reformatory
schools should be renamed Industrial schools and former
Industrial schools be renamed Trades and Labour schools.
Of the 806 Montreal children confined in the industrial schools
on the 31st of December, 1913, 463 were Catholic boys committed
to the Montfort Orphanage, 422 at the expense of the city and
41 at the joint expense of the city and Government, 290 were
Catholic girls confided to the care of the Good Shepherd Nuns,
277 at the expense of the city and 13 at the joint expense of the
city and Government, and 53 were Protestant children (33 boys and
20 girls) placed in the Ladies’ Benevolent Institution, Berthelet
Street, Montreal.
Number of boys 496
Number of girls 310
The expenditure in connection with the maintenance of uncared
for juveniles amounted to $69,450.15 in 1913, or an increase of
$2,582.49 as compared with 1912.
V
VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR THE HANDICAPPED
DEAF MUTES: BOYS (CLERICS OF ST. VIATEUR)--GIRLS (SISTERS OF
PROVIDENCE)--THE MACKAY INSTITUTE FOR PROTESTANT DEAF MUTES AND
BLIND--THE INSTITUT DES AVEUGLES--MONTREAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
BLIND--SCHOOL FOR CRIPPLES (CHILDREN’S MEMORIAL HOSPITAL).
In a separate chapter we have treated of education only in the
old sense of the term, vocational training as such also being
treated in the notice on the technical schools of the city. The
origins of that for physically handicapped children, the deaf,
the blind and the crippled, have now to be recorded. There is
as yet no provision for the mentally handicapped in the city or
province though the subject is being at present promoted. This
section is, therefore, placed here rather than in the educational
chapter since the institutions it deals with are as yet conducted
on sociological and volunteer lines rather than as an established
part of the recognized educational systems of the city.
There are at present in Canada seven institutions for deaf mutes.
1. The Catholic Institution of “Sourds Muets,” deaf mutes, boys,
founded in 1848 and now conducted under the direction of the
Clerics of St. Viateur at 1941 St. Dominique Street, Montreal. 2.
The Catholic Institution of “Sourdes Muettes,” girl deaf mutes,
founded in 1851 under the direction of the Sisters of Providence,
595 St. Denis Street, Montreal. 3. The Mackay Institute, for
girls and boys, founded in 1870. 4. The Institution at Halifax,
Nova Scotia, founded in 1857. 5. That at Belleville, founded in
1858. 6. Winnipeg, in 1888. 7. St. John, New Brunswick, in 1903.
THE CATHOLIC INSTITUTE FOR DEAF-MUTE BOYS
Montreal, therefore, might claim at present the lead in this
great educational work. Quebec, however, opened a school for deaf
mutes in 1831 under Mr. Macdonald, a lawyer who had studied at
Hartford, Connecticut, under the direction of M. Laurent Clerc,
a pupil of the Abbé Sicard, who had learnt under the famous
Abbé de l’Epée. In 1817 Laurent Clerc came to Hartford to found
under M.H. Gallaudet, the first institution for deaf mutes on
the American continent. The school established by Macdonald
was unfortunately closed in 1836, owing to the withdrawal of
subsidy by government. The Abbé Prince, afterwards bishop of St.
Hyacinthe, endeavoured to support a school under the direction
of the young Caron, a pupil of Macdonald, but through want of
funds it closed in 1840. Later the Abbé Lagorce, of St. Charles
on the Richelieu, attempted to teach the deaf mutes of his
parish by pictures. In 1848 he was invited by Bishop Bourget to
establish a school for deaf mutes at Hochelaga, in the hospice
of St. Jérome-Emilien (the old house of the Good Shepherd) on
Brock Street in the Quebec suburbs. He was assisted by a young
man named Reeves, a deaf mute and a pupil of Caron. The school
was afterwards transferred to a house on Dufresne Street, given
by M. Dufresne. In May, 1850, it was transferred to a building
on Coteau St. Louis (Mile End) on a piece of land given by
Dr. P. Beaubien. It was closed temporarily in May, 1851, on
account of a visit made by the Abbé Lagorce to France for the
purpose of study. He returned to Canada in October, 1852, and
was installed at Joliette. In 1853 he returned to the house at
Coteau St. Louis. There he remained till January, 1856, when he
relinquished his work in favour of Brother J.M. Young, a cleric
of St. Viateur. The latter, himself a deaf mute, had been invited
by Bishop Bourget on his return from Rome in 1854, when he found
M. Young a professor at the Forestier Institute in Lyons. M.
Young entered the novitiate of the Clercs de St. Viateur at
Vourles on the 15th of October, 1854, and after pronouncing his
vows on October 21, 1855, embarked for Montreal, arriving in
December. In view of his advent the classes had not recommenced
in September but were again opened January 7, 1856. After the
vacation of 1856, the establishment was removed to Chambly but,
not succeeding, it was definitely reinstated in Coteau St. Louis
after the vacation of 1857. Meanwhile, in 1856 Brother Young was
joined by Father Bélanger. To him are due the many important
developments, such as the opening in 1865 of the first workshops
for printing, binding and shoemaking. In 1878 he added two
stores to the principal house and in 1881 joined the workshops
to it by a viaduct. In 1870, after a year’s study in Europe, he
introduced teaching by words and again in 1880 the purely oral
method. In 1883 he was forced to take a rest till 1895, but in
1900, he definitely retired, being succeeded by the Rev. Father
Cadieux, of the Clerics of St. Viateur. The establishment gives a
complete education to the pupils in its vast halls and workshops,
where, besides printing, binding and shoemaking, other trades
are taught, such as tailoring, sadlering, joinery, wheelwright’s
work, painting, blacksmithing, etc. English Catholic children are
also admitted.
THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR DEAF-MUTE GIRLS
The next school, for girl deaf mutes, was established in 1851
at the time when that for boys was in a precarious condition.
Its home was first at Longue Pointe and it was opened, under
the auspices of Mother Gamelin, the foundress of the Sisters of
Providence, by Sister Marie de Bonsecours (Albina Gadbois) on
February 19th, with two pupils. The work for the unfortunate
children was not then understood in Canada, being even thought
useless. In 1852 there were four pupils, in 1857, thirty-two.
The school which had then become too small was transferred to
the hospice St. Joseph in Montreal. In 1864, the institution was
definitely established upon its present site on St. Denis Street.
Its first buildings have been gradually enlarged. The first
teachers studied for a year at Joliette under the Abbé Lagorce.
In 1853 they went to New York to study under the celebrated Isaac
Peet, director of the Institute for Deaf Mutes in New York.
Two years later they returned thither for further instruction.
In 1870 they went to Europe to familiarize themselves in the
oral method, but it was not till 1879 that the intuitive pure
oral method, replacing signs and imitation, was applied in
its entirety. In this they were greatly assisted by the Abbé
Trepanier, honorary canon of the Cathedral of Montreal, who was
for eighteen years attached to the institution of the deaf mutes
on St. Denis Street. In 1912 the establishment numbered 260 girl
pupils and fifty-four religious.
THE MACKAY INSTITUTION FOR PROTESTANT DEAF-MUTES AND THE BLIND
Prior to the establishment of the institution known as the Mackay
Institution for Protestant Deaf Mutes and the Blind, there was
no school among the Protestant community for the unfortunates
who might be either blind or deaf. During the year 1868 the
subject was being agitated and on the 7th of January, 1869, a
public meeting of those interested in this work was held and the
following prominent citizens formed themselves into a society to
establish an institution for Protestant deaf mutes and the blind
in the Province of Quebec, then better known as Lower Canada:
Mr. Charles Alexander, Thomas Cramp, Frederick Mackenzie, Thomas
Workman, John Dougall of the Montreal Witness, William Lunn,
G. Moffatt, J.A. Mathewson, J.H.R. Molson, Hon. J.J.C. Abbott,
Edward Carter, Q.C., P.D. Browne, John Leeming, W.H. Benyon, J.F.
Barnard, S.J. Lyman; and the following ladies:
Mesdames Andrew Allan, R. Redpath, J.W. Dawson, Major, Bond,
Cramp, Fleet, Moffatt, Brydges, Brown and Workman.
The following officers were elected: Mr. Charles Alexander,
president; Thomas Cramp, vice president; Frederick Mackenzie,
secretary-treasurer; Thomas Widd, principal; Mrs. Widd, matron.
On the 19th of January, 1869, another meeting was held at
which it was announced that the sum of nearly $6,000 had been
subscribed, and more promised. The members worked vigorously to
raise sufficient funds.
The work of the honorable secretary-treasurer was no sinecure.
He sent out hundreds of circulars to ministers in all parts of
the province to obtain the names, age, sex and circumstances
of all Protestant deaf mutes in the province. On the 26th of
January, 250 circulars to Protestant ministers had brought only
23 replies, reporting 5 deaf mutes and 5 blind.
On the 10th of March, 112 replies had been received, reporting 38
deaf mutes, 8 of school age, and 34 blind, of whom only 5 were
of school age. On April 30th, 210 replies had been received,
reporting 57 deaf mutes, 35 males and 22 females; eligible for
school, 8 males and 5 females.
On the 4th of May, another meeting of the committee was held
and it was decided that Mr. Widd should look out for a suitable
house and grounds to open school for September. A house and ample
grounds were found in Côte St. Antoine at an annual rental of
$400 with an option to purchase in five years for $8,000. The
house contained accommodation for about twenty pupils but very
scant provision for teachers.
The doors were opened on the 15th of September, 1870, and 11
pupils admitted, 9 boys and 2 girls. Six paid full fees of $90
for the scholastic year and 5 were free. The number in attendance
was later increased to 16; 13 boys and 3 girls, one of the latter
being deaf, dumb and blind.
The institution had a hard struggle for existence for many years,
especially about 1876, which was a year of great financial
depression; but with the help of kind friends it was kept open
and attracted the attention of the late Mr. Joseph Mackay, who
finally bought a piece of ground in Notre Dame de Grâce and
erected thereon a handsome building capable of accommodating
about eighty pupils and their teachers, and the name was then
changed to the “Mackay Institution for Protestant Deaf Mutes and
the Blind.”
Mr. Widd retired from the principalship about 1882 and was
succeeded by Miss Harriet E. McGann as superintendent, who later
married a most talented teacher, Mr. John I. Ashcroft, and after
his death carried the superintendentship alone to the present
date.
There are now about seventy pupils of whom eleven are in the
blind class. The subjects taught the blind are the ordinary
English branches, music, typewriting, raffia work, knitting,
plain sewing, chair caning and piano tuning. For the deaf the
Masterson method is used in the kindergarten classes, dressmaking
and domestic economy, besides the ordinary public school course.
In the industrial department the boys acquire a good knowledge
of carpentry, wood carving, cabinet making, shoemaking and chair
caning.
THE INSTITUT DES AVEUGLES
The “Institut des Aveugles,” or the Institute for the Blind,
at “Nazareth,” St. Catherine Street, the first established
in Canada, was founded in Montreal in 1860 by the Rev. V.B.
Rousselot, a Sulpician, who sacrificed his private fortune for
the work of his predeliction. The course given aims at providing
a classical and religious education and follows the practical
methods adopted in Paris at the Institution National for the
young blind. Music is especially cultivated. In 1892 the Grey
Sisters, who have charge of the institution, added an Institut
Opthalmique. Eye diseases are also treated at the Hôtel Dieu and
Notre Dame Hospital.
THE MONTREAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND
The latest development is now being enterprised by the
non-Catholics under the foregoing name.
In response to a circular letter sent out by a blind citizen,
Mr. P.E. Layton, inviting personal friends and others to meet at
his residence on Tuesday evening, April 21, 1908, about fifteen
blind men and their friends responded. The meeting having been
arranged by Mr. Layton, it was unanimously agreed that he should
take the chair. In a few well-considered words the chairman set
forth what he considered to be a pressing need in our community,
the establishment of an association to promote the interests of
the English-speaking blind in the Province of Quebec. He was
of the opinion that an up-to-date school for the blind was an
urgent necessity and that in connection with this, workshops
for blind adults should be established so that the non-seeing
might by instruction and training become self-supporting. In
the discussion which followed it was unanimously decided that
such an association should be formed, having the aforesaid
objects as its ultimate aim. The officers of the society were
then elected as follows: Dr. A. Fisher, honorary president; Mr.
C.W. Lindsay, president; Mr. W. Stewart, vice president; Mr.
P.E. Layton, treasurer; and Mr. S. Fraser, secretary. The above
officers, with the addition of Messrs. H. Baker and T. Stewart,
formed an executive committee of management. At a subsequent
meeting Messrs. A. Ross and I. Mullhollin were added to this
committee. By the end of the first year $12,608.48 had been
realized from subscriptions.
[Illustration: MONTREAL SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND]
[Illustration: MONTREAL DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTE]
[Illustration: NAZARETH ASYLUM FOR THE BLIND]
[Illustration: MACKAY INSTITUTION FOR THE PROTESTANT DEAF-MUTES
AND THE BLIND]
A library of books in the raised type has been established. A
workshop for the training of blind adults in broom-making was
opened on December 1, 1908.
On June 4, 1910, an act to incorporate “The Montreal Association
for the Blind” was passed by the provincial legislature. The
principal incorporators were Sir Edward Clouston, Baronet; Sir
Thomas Shaughnessy, K.C.V.O.; Sir Melbourne Tait; Sir William
Macdonald; Sir Hugh Graham; W.M. Aitken; George Smithers; Charles
W. Lindsay; Philip E. Layton; H.F. Armstrong; E.B. Busteed, K.C.;
Septimus Fraser, and other persons.
During the next four years Mr. and Mrs. Layton were actively
engaged as treasurer and secretary of the society in collecting
funds for the erection of a school for the English-speaking blind
and a sum sufficient for the purpose was raised. A piece of land
8½ acres in extent was purchased at Sherbrooke Street, at the
corner of Notre Dame de Grâce, in 1910, and in 1912 the school
was built and opened for the admission of pupils in October of
that year. It was almost entirely furnished by donations of
friends. The official opening by the Premier of the Province, Sir
Lomer Gouin, took place in October, 1913. Thirty-two pupils have
been enrolled since that date. Funds have been raised during the
present year, 1914, for the erection on the school grounds of an
industrial home for the adult blind, and the building is now in
progress and will be ready for occupation on March 1, 1915. This
building will accommodate about twenty-five to thirty adults.
Various trades will be taught and the boarding accommodations
will be a great boon to the sightless workmen.
THE SCHOOL FOR CRIPPLES
(Children’s Memorial Hospital)
The Montreal movement for a school for cripples is of especial
sociological interest as a further instance of the trend of
modern educational impulse.
Less than a year after the founding of the Children’s Memorial
Hospital, in 1904, the members of the committee of that
institution realized the dire ignorance of most of the little
patients who were brought to the hospital for treatment, some
having never attended school, others having attended school
during but short and broken periods of their young lives.
A school was shortly organized in connection with the hospital
for the young patients in the temporary quarters, 500 Guy Street.
The scholars studied reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic,
grammar and geography; in one or two instances shorthand,
typewriting and music have been commenced. Some of these pupils
could sew, knit, crochet embroidery and make bead chains.
The aim of the committee of the Children’s Memorial Hospital
after the removal of the patients in 1909 to the new hospital
has been to have a separate school building on its grounds on
Cedar Avenue, which school would be not only the school for the
resident patients but also the school to which the crippled and
deformed children of Montreal and the surrounding vicinities
would be brought every morning in special conveyances, and there
receive instruction which would fit them to become independent
and useful citizens as they grew to manhood and womanhood. The
children would receive their mid-day lunch at the school and
later in the afternoon be conveyed to their respective homes.
The first step taken was in approaching the Protestant School
Commissioners, who gave permission for a collection to be taken
by children in their schools for the School for Cripples.
The second step was that of forming a committee and having
collecting cards printed. After the gracious permission was
accorded by the Protestant School Board of Montreal, and that of
Westmount, upwards of twenty thousand of these collecting cards
were distributed to the scholars attending the schools under the
control of these respective boards. The school inspectors of the
Province of Quebec rendered valuable assistance, also supplying
lists with the names of the schools and the teachers under their
inspectorates. These schools were supplied with collecting cards
also, together with a number of private schools and academies
in Montreal and the surrounding districts. As a result of the
efforts of the school children of the province and the kind
supervision of the principals and teachers, a very large sum was
collected.
The committee for the organization of the School for Cripples
held its first meeting in February, 1910. At the last meeting
which was held in May, a deputation, composed of the following
members of the committee: Mr. C.J. Binmore, Mr. W.D. Lighthall,
His Honor Mr. Recorder Weir, D.C.L., Doctor Rexford,--was
appointed to attend a meeting of the committee of the Children’s
Memorial Hospital, which was held the week after. At this meeting
the following report, read by Mr. C.J. Binmore, recommended that
provision should be made for three distinct divisions of children.
1. The inmates of the hospital who are able to go from the wards
to the class-rooms.
2. The pupils who may be brought daily to the school from their
homes.
3. The children resident in the hospital who are either
temporarily or permanently unable to leave their cots.
The school has at last, in September, 1914, been completed in the
grounds of the Children’s Memorial Hospital at the foot of the
hill adjoining Cedar Avenue, and is ready for formal opening. It
will have two departments, one for the hospital crippled children
and the other for the same unfortunate class from the city. It
will be taught on the same efficient lines as those employed in
the city schools. But special vocational training will be added
to equip the handicapped children for the battle of life.
The board of management, separate from that of the hospital, is
as follows: President, McKenzie Forbes, M.D.; vice president,
Rev. Herbert Symonds, D.D.; Mr. C.J. Binmore, treasurer; Miss
Sarah Tyndale, and Mr. W.D. Lighthall, K.C., honorary solicitor.
VI
IMMIGRATION WORK
EARLY ACTIVITIES--YEAR OF CHOLERA--DOMINION AGENCY--THE WOMEN’S
NATIONAL IMMIGRATION SOCIETY--CATHOLIC IMMIGRATION HOME.
Writing in 1839 Mr. Newton Bosworth, in “Hochelaga Depicta,”
says that “the citizens of Montreal are distinguished by one
feature which is highly honourable to them, standing out as
it does in pleasing and strong relief--and that is a habit
of active benevolence. Perhaps there is no place where in
proportion to the number and wealth of the inhabitants more has
been done to relieve the wretched and support the weak by deeds
of real charity than in this city--and this not by thoughtless
and indiscriminate profusion, but in the exercise of cautious
and painstaking administration.” As an illustration of this
fact he quotes, “On the authority of Nathaniel Gould, Esq.,
London, a warm and steady friend to Canada, that the Montreal
Emigrant Society during the past year (1832) forwarded to
their destination, or otherwise relieved, 10,744 of these poor
creatures at an expense of £2,126 11s 4d. Too much praise cannot
be bestowed on the exertions of those pure philanthropists, who
during a season of much distress and danger gave up their time,
money and health to so worthy a purpose.” The last quoted writer
is speaking of the year of the cholera epidemic of 1832.
THE DOMINION IMMIGRATION AGENCY
But immigration from the institutional point of view may be
dated at about 1834, when the national societies, as recorded
elsewhere, arose to safeguard the interests of their own country
people coming to the city. These societies either had houses such
as the St. Andrew’s Home or St. George’s Home to receive them, or
they did it by providing them lodging and care otherwise.
The Dominion Government has long had its immigration agency in
the city. Its home is now at 150 St. Antoine Street, where the
new building with its detention hospital was publicly opened on
May 1, 1914. Its previous locations were 306 St. Antoine Street,
the late one, the former residence of a former mayor, C.S.
Rodier; then 219 Cathedral Street; before that 183 Common Street;
517 St. James Street; then at a point opposite the Grand Trunk
Station (St. Bonaventure) and at Point St. Charles, etc. The
present agent, Mr. John Hoolahan, was appointed in 1893 and he
was preceded by Mr. Daly, father and son.
THE WOMEN’S NATIONAL IMMIGRATION SOCIETY
An important philanthropic movement was started in 1882 under
the title of the Women’s Protective Society, which was changed
some years later to its present name, “The Women’s National
Immigration Society.” Its first president was Mrs. Gillespie, who
was succeeded at her death in 1913 by Mrs. H. Vincent Meridith.
As Montreal is a port of importance, the sociological value of
the movement is apparent.
As Montreal is a port of importance the sociological value of
this movement is apparent.
The home of the society situated at 87 Osborne Street is
recognized as a government receiving home for the Dominion of
Canada, where all newly arrived women immigrants are given
twenty-four hours free board and lodging. It has no business
connection with any employment agency in Great Britain or Canada.
The object of the society is the receiving and protecting
of newly arrived immigrant women irrespective of creed or
nationality. Should they remain in Montreal they can board in the
home at a low charge and assistance is given to them in every way
possible to obtain employment. If they are going further afield
help is given them in preparing for their journey and they are
seen safely onto the trains.
From the foundation of the society in 1882 to December, 1913,
11,366 newly arrived immigrants have been registered on the
books. In the first two years of the society’s existence those
registered totaled 459, as compared with the figures for the last
two years, 1,697. A comparison of these figures will show how
greatly the work has increased.
An outstanding feature of the work is the receiving and assisting
of large parties of immigrants brought out under the auspices
of the “British Women’s Emigration Society” of London, England.
These parties traveling under the care of experienced matrons
have been coming to the home for the past twenty-four years and
have grown rapidly of late years both in frequency of arrival and
numbers. At the present time they usually consist of from forty
to fifty persons, though on one day of August, 1912, a party
of over ninety was received and catered for at the home, while
waiting for trains for different points in the country.
Individual passengers are met by request at the steamers and
trains and assisted with their arrangements for their further
journeys. These form a very large class annually and as they
usually prefer to go forward with as little delay as possible
they are generally taken direct to the stations and are thus not
included in the above totals which only cover those newly arrived
immigrants registered at the home.
THE CATHOLIC IMMIGRATION HOME
A similar work to that of the last named association is now being
performed by the Catholic Immigration Home at 450 Lagauchetière
Street.
On April 10, 1913, their property was purchased, but numerous
alterations had to be made to make it suitable for immigration
work.
The Home has become very popular with the young women, strangers
in a strange land, who look upon it as their home where they are
well looked after by a competent matron.
On Saturday, June 28, 1913, the Home was officially opened for
the reception of the immigrants. Among those present were the
following: His Grace the Archbishop of Montreal; Hon. J.J.
Guerin, John Hoolihan, dominion immigration agent; E. Marquette,
provincial immigration agent; Denis Tansey, M.L. A.; Mr. E.
Dufault, deputy minister of colonization, Quebec Government; J.B.
Lambkin, dominion agent for the suppression of white slavery;
W.G. Kennedy, president of St. Patrick’s Society; J.L.D. Mason,
M.D.
Representatives of the Home meet the incoming steamers and
trains, and assist the immigrants, both male and female, arriving
in the city. The young women are protected at the Home, and saved
from the evil of white slavery while employment is secured for
them. It is managed by a board of life governors with a chaplain,
the Rev. F.J. Singleton of St. Patrick’s Church. It has a matron
and staff for the internal government.
Among other immigration activities may be mentioned the National
Societies, Union Nationale Francaise de Montreal, St. Anthony’s
Villa.
VII
HUMANITARIAN MOVEMENTS FOR BOYS
THE BOYS’ HOME--THE PATRONAGE DE ST. JOSEPH--THE BOY
SCOUTS--PARKS AND PLAY GROUNDS ASSOCIATION.
THE BOYS’ HOME.
Among the striking developments of humanitarian efforts for boys
there are several which stand out conspicuously.
The Boys’ Home of Montreal is a logical and lineal descendant of
the “Infant School Association,” which established a schoolhouse
on Barre Street in 1868 in connection with Zion Congregational
Church, Mr. Charles Alexander, James Baylis, J. Dougall, Fred
Perry and others being associated with the work.
On the Protestant School Commissioners taking up infant teaching,
as the charter of the above association permitted other
charitable work, by a resolution of May 5, 1870, in the Mechanics
Hall, it was utilized for the promotion of work for waifs and
strays, and in 1871 the association changed its name to the Boys’
Home of Montreal and established itself in the building erected
by Mr. Charles Alexander, on Mountain Street, known as the
Shaftesbury Hall, after the model of the Lord Shaftesbury homes
in England. The work commenced on February 1, 1871, with twelve
boys, to whom were added six others next day. They were street
boys of all religions and each boy paid ten cents for supper,
bed and breakfast. These were a rough lot and it caused Mr. John
Ritchie, the first superintendent, some trouble to handle them.
Still the work progressed. Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Dick took charge of
the boys about 1882 and have continued in this work till today.
The growth of this home from such humble beginnings is best told
by its buildings. In 1886 the present centre building, costing
$13,000, was built; in 1893 the north building for educational
purposes; and in 1904 the new Alexander wing, costing $30,000,
including gymnasium, swimming bath, etc., replaced the old
Shaftesbury Hall. The work has overflowed so that the home was
instrumental in fathering the Shawbridge Boys’ Farm. This had
long been projected through the efforts of Mr. Alexander, the
president, who had desired to accomplish some betterment of the
miserable conditions, officially acknowledged, attaching to the
care and reform of the Protestant juvenile delinquent in the
Sherbrooke reformatory, which was nothing more than a part of
the Sherbrooke jail. As early as 1902 the matter was brought
before the board by Mr. J. R. Dick. In 1906 it was again urged
that the Boys’ Home board was the right corporation to bring
about the reform so long required, through the establishment of
an industrial farm, which eventually opened its doors to the
fourteen boys from Sherbrooke Reformatory on March 31, 1909, the
contract with the government having been concluded on March 8,
1909. The first immediate step, however, was taken in 1906 by the
corporation of the Boys’ Home through its farm committee under
Mr. J.S. Buchan, with Messrs. S.M. Bayliss, Frederick Hague and
C.S.J. Phillipps. In 1907 the Goodfellow Farm of 300 acres and
cattle was purchased at Shawbridge, forty miles from the city
on the Nominique Division of the Canadian Pacific Railway. It
has a station also on the Canadian Northern Quebec Railway, the
farm being conveniently situated about a mile from the city.
Its grounds were laid out under the direction of Professor
Nobbs and Mr. F. Todd, with Mr. Cecil Burgess as the building
architect. A simple inauguration was held in December, when
the work was commenced. Mr. G.W. Mathews, late of the Kibble
Institute, Paisley, Scotland, arrived in March, 1908, to take
the position of superintendent on May 1st, when the farm came
into the possession of the corporation. The formal opening of the
Boys’ Farm took place on October 26, 1908. Its subsequent history
belongs to the section on “Reformation.” The Boys’ Home, which
still retains its original character, has merited the good will
of the citizens. Since 1868 it has had only two presidents, Mr.
Charles Alexander, who died on November 6, 1905, and Mr. J.E.
Dougall, his successor.
PATRONAGE DE ST. JOSEPH
Although there are numberless forms of charity among the
French-speaking population it was not till 1892 that young orphan
boys of the apprentice class were specially catered for, when, on
September 8th, the Patronage de St. Joseph was opened for such
at the southeast corner of Dorchester Street and St. Charles
Borromeo. The idea was conceived by the conference St. Laurent
of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, under the direction
of its president, M. Sénécal, and its chaplain, the Rev. M.
Hébert. Shortly after six months the location was removed by an
offer of land from the Seminary of St. Sulpice to the corner of
Lagauchetière and St. George streets. The new dwelling was even
still too small for the growing number of apprentices and through
the generous assistance of M. Froidevaux great enlargements were
added within four months to the first building. Two years later,
in 1895, a third building was commenced, but was not utilized
till May, 1897, by the act of the Rev. M. Colin, superior of the
Seminary, who has made it possible by furnishing the necessary
funds.
The work has given asylum since its twenty-two years of existence
to more than fifteen hundred young boys learning their trades,
either in the Brothers’ workshops or in the town, returning to
the Patronage at night. At present ninety apprentices are housed
and only inadequate means prevents more from being served.
Other activities for boys beyond these two representative
institutions are connected with the churches and social works
of the city with numerous clubs for mental, moral and physical
uplift.
THE BOY SCOUTS
The scout movement, founded in England by Lieut.-Gen. Sir Robert
S.S. Baden-Powell, for building boys into strong, virile manhood,
is really organized clubdom for boys, bringing to them physical,
moral and intellectual training. It was intended at first by the
founder to be used by existing boys’ organizations, such as the
Y.M.C.A., Boys’ Brigade, School and Cadet Corps, but it grew
beyond those bounds.
The first permanent work in connection with the Boy Scout
organization in Montreal was undertaken by Mr. Nigel Young
during the winter and summer of 1910. On September 2, 1910,
Lieut.-Gen. Sir R.S.S. Baden-Powell, the Chief Scout and founder
of the movement, visited Montreal and addressed a meeting of
the citizens in the arena with the mayor, Doctor Guerin, in the
chair. On the following day he reviewed the troop of the city
and addressed the scoutmasters. The Chief Scout was accompanied
by Lieutenant-Colonel Burland, who had the previous day been
appointed commissioner for the Province of Quebec.
In July, 1912, eleven scouts and three scoutmasters were present
at the rally and review held by His Majesty at Windsor during the
coronation events. The whole Canadian contingent, numbering in
all 136, was commanded by Lieut.-Col. Minden Cole, chairman of
the Montreal council.
In the autumn of 1911 Mr. David Evans was appointed assistant
commissioner and secretary for the province, since which time two
others have held that office, Mr. Russell Patterson, in 1912-13,
and Mr. Lordly, in 1914.
During the winter of 1911, through the efforts of the late
Lieutenant-Colonel Whitehead, honorary treasurer of the Montreal
Scout Council, a tract of land 300 acres in extent, with two fine
lakes, was purchased in the Laurentian Mountains for a permanent
camping ground for the scouts of the province. This has been
improved and a new up-to-date men’s hall has been erected. A full
equipment of tents, boats, etc., was supplied to accommodate 175
scouts at one time.
In September, 1914, Lieut.-Col. J. Burland resigned the
commissionership of the province and his place has been taken
by Lieutenant-Colonel Starke, appointed by H.R.H. the Duke of
Connaught, chief scout for Canada.
At the present time there are in Montreal 12 local associations,
54 scout troops, 53 scoutmasters, 49 assistant scoutmasters,
1,423 scouts, 23 king scouts, and 3 silver cross scouts.
PARKS AND PLAY GROUNDS ASSOCIATION
A most important factor in the life of a city is the provision
of open spaces and breathing places for the working classes,
and especially for the children. In the winter of 1895-6 a few
ladies founded the Parks’ Protective Association. Its first
executive committee was: Mrs. N. Peterson, president; Mrs. Hugh
Graham, Mrs. N.V. Meredith, Mrs. Frank Redpath, Mrs. John Cox,
Mrs. Charles Hope, Mrs. F. Walton, Mrs. Kenneth Macpherson, Mrs.
Charles Whitehead and Miss Edith Watt, honorary secretary. In
April, 1900, its scope was enlarged by a larger association being
formed, with men admitted to committee work, to carry on its
work under the title of the “Parks and Playgrounds Association.”
A special object of the new association is to promote public
playgrounds for the children and urge the city authorities to do
this. The association was incorporated in 1904. Its presidents
have been: Sir William Hingston, Sir George Drummond and Sir
Alexander Lacoste. It has fostered a growing sentiment in favour
of public playgrounds and in 1913 it had seven of these under
proper supervision. Admirable modern playing apparatus has been
installed during the last two years. The movement has public
favour and the association’s slogan of 1912 for “$1,000,000 for
playgrounds” as the extent of a grant desired from the city
hall, has had the result of urging the city to purchase a great
quantity of land for definite further playground expansion. The
city has now also undertaken the care and management of its
own public playground property and the association at present
confines itself to its own playgrounds at Hibernia Road, and
two others. Its record is very creditable as a voluntary public
service.
VIII
HEBREW SOCIAL WORKS
BARON DE HIRSCH INSTITUTE--LADIES’ BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATIONS--OTHER
SOCIETIES.
The social work of the Hebrew as such may be treated separately
as an indication of social endeavour on racial lines.
The philanthropic institutions of the Hebrews of Montreal have
become numerous. The most important one is the “Baron de Hirsch
Institute,” which was founded in 1863 under the name of “The
Young Men’s Hebrew Benevolent Society.” When afterwards the late
Baron de Hirsch sent them large sums as a fund for assisting in
the onerous work which had fallen on this society through the
large influx of Jews from Eastern Europe in the ’80s they changed
the name to “Baron de Hirsch Institute and Hebrew Benevolent
Society.” Among its founders were Lawrence L. Levy, who was its
first president, Isidor Ascher, Tucker David, Charles Levy,
Lawrence Cohen, M. Gutman, Moise Schwob and S.E. Moss. Among its
presidents have been Jacob L. Samuel, Lyon Silverman, Jacob G.
Ascher, Lewis A. Hart, N. Friedman, Harris Vineberg, David A.
Ansell, Mortimer Davis, Lyon Cohen and Samuel W. Jacobs, K.C.
Mr. Ansell held office for fourteen years. It was during his
administration that the large building on Bleury Street, now
occupied by the institute was acquired. He was a very active
worker in the cause of education and his name will always be
especially identified with that branch of the work of the Baron
de Hirsch Institute. He also was Consul General for Mexico. Each
of the above-mentioned presidents in turn did yeoman service for
the advancement of the institute, which has grown in importance
from year to year.
The Ladies’ Hebrew Benevolent Society, founded in 1877, is
the oldest and most important of the Hebrew women’s charity
organizations. The Hebrew Free Loan Society, which was founded
some years ago, largely through the efforts of Z. Fineberg,
does splendid work in making loans to those requiring aid who
refuse to take charity and who pay back the loans thus made
as their condition improves. The Herzl Free Dispensary, the
Hebrew Sheltering Home, the Hebrew Sick Benefit Association, the
Hebrew Young Ladies’ Sewing Society all do noble work in their
separate branches, and there are a large number of other equally
meritorious Hebrew organizations doing work in every field of
philanthropy.
IX
COOPERATIVE MOVEMENTS
WOMEN’S WORK--THE MONTREAL WOMEN’S CLUB--THE LOCAL COUNCIL
OF WOMEN--LA FEDERATION NATIONALE--THE MONTREAL SUFFRAGE
ASSOCIATION--THE CITY IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE--THE CITIZENS’
ASSOCIATION--THE CHILD WELFARE EXHIBITION--ITS LESSONS--THE MILK
STATION MOVEMENT.
Up to 1892 charitable and social work was conducted busily and
self-sacrificingly, but often without sufficient inter-relation
between the workers of the various institutions and bodies and
churches. Accordingly the movements for cooperation which now
began mark the beginning of a most fruitful epoch. The first
signs of the new period were manifested by the foundation of the
Montreal Women’s Club in 1892 and that of the local Council of
Women in 1893, to be followed by La Fédération Nationale in 1907.
Lengthy notices are given of the women’s movements, for
historically the period we are now in is peculiarly theirs. It is
also indirectly a summing up of the very large part played by the
women of Montreal in the charitable and humanitarian work of this
city, as this chapter amply testifies.
THE MONTREAL WOMEN’S CLUB
The Montreal Women’s Club was founded by Mrs. Robert Reid,
December 7, 1892--the object of the club being to promote
agreeable and useful relations between women of artistic,
literary, scientific and philanthropic tastes. The legal
incorporation of this club was secured on April 4, 1893. The
weekly programme, at first used as a means of personal culture,
soon became an important factor in the life of its members,
revealing to them abuses to be abolished or reforms to be
instituted. To-day, like so many modern clubs of women originally
of a literary origin, this club also is trying to assist in
solving some of the many complex problems which affect childhood
and womanhood, as regards industrial, educational, economic,
civic and home conditions. The necessities soon arose for
specialized efforts, hence the formation of the many standing
committees, the success of whose work has brought credit to the
club and much benefit to Montreal, through reforms promoted or
actually initiated through the committees attached to departments
bearing on “Home and Education,” “Social Science” and “Art and
Literature.”
The first Social Science Committee, Medical Inspection of Schools
(1902), laboured for four years, educating public opinion, and
influencing other organizations whose consent was necessary
before a system of medical inspection could be established.
The Hygiene Committee provides educative reports and
recommendations along civic and natural lines of hygienic
conditions.
The Moral and Social Reform Committee (1909) has given educative
reports on the moral problem. This committee has been acquiring
information, distributing literature, and through the publicity
of the press seeking to make the public realize conditions as
they are to-day in Montreal, caused by the influx of foreigners,
overcrowding of tenements, poor wages, and lack of compulsory
education.
The Forestry Committee (1908)--now Conservation--shows that the
club has a national outlook.
The Juvenile Court Committee (1904) began its work by directing
the movement in Montreal to assist in securing the passage of the
Dominion Act, which established children’s courts (passed June,
1908). With the financial support of the club, this committee was
the nucleus of the Children’s Aid Society of Montreal, formed
in February, 1908. Subsequently when the Provincial Legislature
adopted the Dominion Act, the City of Montreal agreed to its
provisions, and then purchased and furnished the necessary
detention home.
The Child Labour Committee (1906) took a very important part in
the Child Welfare Exhibit of 1912.
The Civics Committee (1906) secured the placing of
“anti-spitting” notices on street corners, and during 1912-1913
worked to secure the abolishment of the smoke nuisance, as well
as for the suppression of noises caused by milk and coal carts,
and by defective car wheels.
The efforts of The Industrial Committee (1906) were principally
directed to the continuance of the work of the Mary Laura
Ferguson Girls’ Club.
The establishment in the city of a Consumers’ League has been
promoted through this committee.
It also organizes lectures on its main subjects of intellectual
and artistic culture. On the social side it has committees of
courtesy, library and hospitality. In general it cooperates with
all civic movements to make Montreal a better place in which to
live.
The gifts to philanthropic work included grants to the relief
funds of the Royal Edward Institute and the Victorian Order of
Nurses.
The club is affiliated with the Local Council of Women, the Civic
Improvement League and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs,
and is represented by delegates to the Parks and Playgrounds
Association, and to the Child Welfare Moving Pictures Committee.
The club, this year attained its majority and celebrated
the auspicious occasion by the usual Charter Day luncheon,
entertaining as guests, the distinguished women of the National
Council, in convention here. The felicitations and congratulations
received, prove that the work, worth and earnest endeavours of
the club have richly justified its existence.
The presidents of the club have been:
Mrs. Robert Reid 1892-02
Miss Eglaugh 1902-03
Mrs. F.H. Waycott 1903-06
Miss Mary Ferguson 1906-09
Mrs. Alfred Ross Grafton 1909-11
Mrs. Ninian C. Smillie 1911-13
Madame Héliodore Fortier 1913--
THE MONTREAL LOCAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN
The Local Council of Women was organized as a component part
of the National Council of Women, which was founded by Lady
Aberdeen, the wife of the Governor-General of the time. As the
aims of the Montreal Local Council of Women are modelled on
those of the National Council, the following preamble to the
constitution of the latter will illustrate the spirit of the
local phase of the same movement:
“We, Women of Canada, sincerely believing that the best good of
our homes and nation will be advanced by our own greater unity
of thought, sympathy and purpose, and that an organized movement
of women will best conserve the highest good of the Family and
the State, do hereby band ourselves together to further the
application of the Golden Rule to society, custom and law.”
The general policy is thus stated:
“This Council is organized in the interest of no one propaganda,
and has no power over the organizations which constitute it,
beyond that of suggestion and sympathy; therefore, no Society
voting to enter this Council shall render itself liable to
be interfered with in respect to its complete organic unity,
independence or methods of work, or be committed to any principle
or method of any other Society, or to any act or utterance of
the Council itself, beyond compliance with the terms of this
Constitution.”
In 1893 the Local Council of Women of Montreal was founded on
a similar basis in relation to the many separate associations,
which, in its turn it should hope to draw together.
It is therefore an organization which aims to secure the united
action, of both men and women and all existing organizations
of women, into closer relations through organized effort. Each
society entering the Local Council preserves its own independence
in aim or method, and is not committed to any principle or method
of any other society in the council, the object of which is to
serve as a medium of communication and a means of prosecuting any
work of common interest.
Believing, therefore, that the more intimate knowledge of one
another’s work would result in larger mutual sympathy and greater
unity of thought, and therefore in more effective action,
the various women’s associations interested in philanthropy,
religion, education, literature, art and social reform thus
formed a local council, its date of organization being November
30, 1893. Thirty societies united at first, the majority of which
still adhere. There are now fifty societies affiliated with the
local council. The first president was Lady Drummond, who is
still active in the work of the body. The first board consisted
of the following officers, in addition to the president: Madame
Thibaudeau, vice president; ex-officio vice president, president
of all affiliated societies; Miss Fairley, late principal of
Trafalgar Institute, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Clarke Murray,
recording secretary; Mrs. Carus Wilson, associate secretary; and
Mrs. Wurtele, treasurer. Subsequent presidents have been Mrs.
John Cox (deceased), Mrs. Bovey, Miss Carrie M. Derick and Dr.
Ritchie England, now presiding.
Among those who served either on the presidential board or as
officers for many years after the establishment of the local
council were: Mrs. H.C. Scott, who was early elected secretary
and served for several years; Mrs. William MacNaughton, Mrs.
Robert Reed, Mrs. Learmont, Mrs. John Cox, Mrs. Frank Redpath,
Mme. Gérin-LaJoie, Mme. Beïgue, Mme. Dandurand, Mrs. Warwick
Chipman and Mrs. John Savage. Mrs. William MacNaughton, Mrs.
Plumptre, Mrs. Walton and Miss Helen Reed served as chairman of
the presidential board when this body conducted affairs instead
of a president. The following names have also appeared on the
roll of officers during the early years, for long or short terms:
Lady Hingston, Mrs. A.D. Durnford, Mrs. E. McNutt, Mrs. F.
McLennan, Mrs. E. Hanson, Mrs. Gillespie, Mrs. John McDougall,
Miss Galt, Mrs. Hugh Allan, Mrs. Wolferston Thomas, Mrs. J.F.
Stevenson, Mrs. DeSola and Mrs. Leo.
The present officers are: Dr. Ritchie England, president; Mrs.
Warwick Chipman, Mrs. N.C. Smillie and Mrs. J. Henderson, vice
presidents; Mrs. Walter Lyman, corresponding secretary; Miss
Eleanor Tatley, recording secretary; and Mrs. A.K. Fiske,
treasurer.
Individual local members represent the local council of Montreal
in the National Assembly on committees such as laws for the
better protection of women and children, the custodial care
of feeble-minded women, work for dependent classes, finance,
immigration, press, vacation schools and supervised play grounds,
the equal moral standard and the prevention of traffic in women,
on peace and arbitration, on public health, on education,
covering problems of childhood.
It may be mentioned that the National Council was federated to
the International Council in 1897. The value of this threefold
relation established by so many women’s societies of Montreal
makes their work likely to be very universally useful, for many
questions suggested first at international or national meetings
have been taken up locally and _vice versa_.
The publication of the many phases of the work that the Local
Council of Women and the affiliated societies have enterprised
in the civic life of Montreal, especially in the last twenty-one
years, would fill many pages, but as there is no doubt that
in the story of Montreal the action of women in every sphere
of civic activity has done much for the uplift of the people,
credit and notice must be given to this very important outlook
on Montreal’s growth. Some of the particular activities of the
council, therefore, may be recorded.
Its patriotic efforts have been of a two-fold nature, racial and
imperial. Work for peace and arbitration was begun in 1894, and
has continued as part of the work of the National Council. During
the Boer War it gave aid to the volunteers and their families,
and during the present war of 1914 it has worked in connection
with the Canadian Patriotic Fund, the Canadian Women’s Fund, the
Red Cross Society and work for unemployed.
It has worked to obtain reports, and has recommended local
action, in regard to hygiene, education, labour, laws affecting
women and children, the equal moral standard and prevention of
traffic in women.
Since 1894 the council has promoted progressive reform in
nursing facilities leading up to the establishment of the
Victorian Order of Nurses. It has engaged actively in the crusade
against infantile mortality and that which led to the Pure Milk
League, out of which grew the movement for milk stations, which
finally received subsidies from the city. It engaged in the
preliminary anti-tuberculosis movements which finally ended in
the establishment of the Royal Edward Institute in 1909, and
subsequent institutions.
The local council has dealt in all matters which affect civic
life, even in municipal government. It has entered into various
departments of civic government, such as public baths, clean
streets, eradication of the smoke nuisance, inspection of
schools, the civic hospital for contagious diseases, etc.
One of the first committees established to obtain the appointment
of women on the school boards was that of the council, but this
plan never reached fruition. Many investigations and petitions
were made by the council regarding training of teachers, the
further extension of domestic science and manual training, school
hours, home lessons, etc., and reports on these subjects were
carefully made out and submitted. The Home Reading Union was
established by the council and for some years was carried on as a
part of this body.
The Aberdeen Association, to supply literature to people living
far from larger centres, had its inception through the council,
which has worked efficiently for the promotion of art, music and
literature. It was instrumental in introducing band concerts in
the public squares, has succeeded in obtaining public days at
the Art Gallery, and has cooperated with the Natural History
Society in matters of hygienic education.
The local council has done much to encourage Canadian
handicrafts, having started through the attempt to help the
Doukhabours. This work then passed from the council’s committee
to the Women’s Art Society, and is now carried on by the Canadian
Handicraft Guild, established for this purpose.
In 1896 a committee of the local council began to hold lectures
on sex hygiene and advocated the suppression of impure literature,
which work they still continue very effectively.
The Social Study Club, established between 1898 and 1902, which
led up to the formation of the University Settlement, owes its
existence to the Local Council, and as early as 1894 the latter
body was considering the question of industrial education.
Investigations into industrial conditions were made and reports
presented to the Royal Commission. Laws affecting women and
children, and labour conditions, have been promoted so that women
factory inspectors and the amended shop act were obtained, and
many other ameliorations for the women workers.
It has made careful study of the questions relating to special
treatment of mentally defective children and the segregation of
feeble-minded women of child-bearing age, while the matter of
segregation of male defectives has also been considered.
The education of mentally defective children in the province
has been studied and recommendations given to the provincial
government, while another important matter which it has
endeavoured to promote is compulsory education. Great interest
has been taken in the recreational and social side of education,
notably in the supervision of play grounds. At a meeting held
under the auspices of the local council an outgrowth was the
resolution to form a larger movement which developed from the
already existing Parks Protective Association into a Parks and
Playgrounds Association, as the new organization became in name,
having the addition of women on its board.
Among other social reforms the council has secured the
registration of births since 1899. Various jail and reformatory
ameliorations, such as police matrons and assistance for
discharged prisoners, have been accomplished, and the movement
promoted which, through the efforts of the Montreal Women’s Club,
led to the formation of the Children’s Aid Society, the chief
result of which has been the establishment of the Juvenile Court.
The preliminary agitation which ended in the formation of the
Charity Organization Society was conducted by the local council,
seven members of its executive becoming members of the first
board of directors of the Charity Organization Society.
The cause of temperance has received careful attention from the
council, in conjunction with the Fédération Nationale, so that
70,000 signatures were signed in favour of an amendment to the
license law, the suggestion being adopted by Government.
Notably, since 1910, the local council with the Fédération
Nationale and other women’s societies have cooperated with the
Citizens’ Association and other bodies working for municipal
reform. A large proportion of the 8,000 women voters of the city
registered at the polls, showing the success of the new movement,
which has been continued to 1914.
In 1912 the Child Welfare Exhibition found the local council from
the first one of the coordinate cooperating societies organizing
and carrying out the exhibition. In this the women’s societies
of Montreal, French and English, took charge of the sections
relating to their special aptitudes and previous experience. The
council were represented on the executive and beyond special
work in the exhibition, undertook the charge of the “Explainers”
committee in English and Yiddish.
In aid of the combined women’s charities of Montreal the Local
Council has cooperated with the Fédération Nationale in holding
two successful tag days.
The council has also taken interest in the subject of immigration
and suggested useful ameliorations.
The latest movement has been the promotion of the movement which
led to the formation of the Montreal Suffrage Exhibition early in
the same year.
The first concrete formation of the movement for women suffrage
through the peaceful means of an educational campaign, took
place on April 24, 1913, when at a meeting in the Stevenson
Hall the officers for the Montreal Suffrage Association were
elected as follows: President, Prof. Carrie M. Derick; vice
presidents, Dean Walton, Mrs. C.B. Gordon, Reverend Dr. Symonds;
corresponding secretary, Mrs. Oliver Smith; recording secretary,
Mrs. John Scott; treasurer, Mrs. George Lyman; convenors of
committees--legislative, Mr. C.M. Holt, K.C.; press, Mrs. F.
Minden Cole; literature, Mrs. H.W. Weller; with an executive of
Mrs. Walter Lyman, Miss Cartwright, Mrs. Alister Mitchell, Doctor
Guthrie, Mrs. Macnaughton, Reverend Mr. Dickie, Mrs. Fenwick
Williams, Mrs. Hayter Reed and Mrs. Rufus Smith.
Among the first to respond to the war call in the last days of
August, 1914, was the Local Council of Women, which summoned its
workers of the affiliated societies from their vacation homes to
form together for the organization of the relief committees taken
up in connection with the general patriotic fund of the Dominion.
LA FEDERATION NATIONALE
A second council of French-speaking women has since adopted
similar methods for combined action in social work.
La Fédération Nationale St. Jean Baptiste is the name which
a section of the ladies already connected with the St. Jean
Baptiste Association took in 1907 with the idea of federating a
number of existent women associations among the French-Canadians
which arose in the winter of 1906-7 to meet various social
problems peculiarly affecting women. While leaving to each
association its own autonomy, a central board of delegates from
each organization was formed with its central office in the
Monument National. The association obtained a special charter
in 1912 (3 George V) with a special seal “Vers La Justice par
la Charité.” It still works, however, in union with the Men’s
Association of St. Jean Baptiste. This union has been productive
of great value for the life of the French-Canadian women in
Montreal. It has made them study the principal obstacles to
social, moral and intellectual progress in the various classes
and callings in woman’s sphere.
The works undertaken by committees from the associations
federated, such as those of the office employèes, shop workers,
telephone operators, factory workers, the teachers and others,
are divided into three classes, charitable, economical and
educational. The _charitable_ works are those which had the
relief and aid of the neighbor as their goal, and thus their
committees are engaged on church, hospital and social betterment
bodies. The _economical_ are those which develop the women’s
interest in bettering their material conditions, while the
_educational_ are those which aim at the uplift and development
of the individual. The movement is sanely progressive. It has
effected many reforms in social conditions; it has attacked the
evil of alcoholism and it has opposed movements destructive
of the home life; while it has fostered all it builds up its
well-being. In the great Child Welfare Exhibition of Montreal in
1912 it played a conspicuous part. Imitating other modern women’s
movements it has held its congresses at regular intervals and it
has gathered around the movement a body of writers and social
experts well able to be of great value to the development of
French-Canadian womanhood. The transactions of its congresses are
printed, as well as those of its various committees in the annual
reports of the works of the federated association.
It has an official organ called “La Bonne Parole,” issued
monthly, which began in February, 1913. Among its chief writers
is Madame Gérin Lajoie, its editor, and one of the most vigorous
organizers of the fédération acting as its first secretary, with
Madame Beïque as its first president. Madame Gérin Lajoie is now
its president. The administration of the association is conducted
by an executive committee with an inner “bureau de direction.”
The executive includes the delegates of the various associations
who elect the board of directors who control the organization.
The following list of officers published in the report of 1911
may be reproduced as showing the constitution and personnel of
this modern woman’s movement:
_Déléguées des œuvres fédérées_:
_Dames patronnesses de l’Hôpital Notre-Dame_: Mme Fitzpatrick,
Mme D. Rolland.
_Dames patronnesses des Sourdes Muettes_: Mme Globensky, Mme O.
Rolland.
_Dames patronnesses de la Crêche de la Miséricorde_: Mme J.L.
Archambault, Mme Hénault.
_Dames patronnesses de Nazareth_: Mme Vaillancourt, Mme L.D.
Mignault.
_Dames patronnesses de l’Hôpital Ste-Justine_: Mme L. de G.
Beaubien, Mlle Rolland.
_Dames de charité de l’Hospice St.-Vincent de Paul_: Mlle
Renauld, Mme Giroux.
_Dames de l’Assistance Publique_: Mme Tessier, Mme Lamoureux.
_Le Foyer_: Mlle Bonneville, Mlle Frappier.
_Association des Institutrices_: Mlle Bibaud, Mlle Bélanger.
_Patronage d’Youville_: Mlle Auclair, Mlle Vaillancourt.
_Section française, société Aberdeen_: Mme Terroux, Mlle
Desjardins.
_Association des Employées de manufacture_: Mlle Robert, Mlle
Vauthier.
_Ass. des Employées de magasins_: Mlle Marin, Mlle Simoneau.
_Ass. des Employées de Bureau_: Mlle Joubert, Mlle Godbout.
_Ass. des Employées de téléphone_: Mlle Longtin, Mlle Meunier.
_Cercle des demoiselles de St. Pierre_: Mlle L. Bélanger, Mlle N.
Paquette.
_Les écoles ménagères_: Mme Mackay, Mlle Anctil.
_Association Artistique_: Mlle Idola St-Jean, Mme Baril.
_Cercle Notre-Dame_: Mlle M. Gérin-Lajoie, Mlle LeMoyne.
_Cour de l’Immaculée Conception_: Mme H. Papineau, Mme Lacombe.
_Les Aides Ménagères_: Mlle Leblanc, Mme Brossard.
THE CITY IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE
We have recorded movements of concentrated efforts through the
cooperation of women associations; the year 1909 saw similar
efforts mostly by men, viz., the organization of the City
Improvement League and the Citizens’ Association. Both arose
through dissatisfaction among the citizens with the municipal
government, the former endeavouring to assist in promoting better
hygienic, æsthetic and civic progress.
The City Improvement League of Montreal was founded on March
9, 1909, at a meeting held in the medico-chirurgical rooms.
It grew directly out of the success of the anti-tuberculosis
crusade held in the city shortly before, and its object, in the
words of its original constitution, was “to unite the efforts
of all who are trying to improve and to cultivate the spirit of
right citizenship in order to make Montreal clean, healthful and
beautiful.”
The league was designed to effect this, by becoming a central
clearing house and bureau of intercommunication for existing
city betterment societies, or for individual citizens anxious to
assist the city, so that by economizing energy, time, money, by
federation, by surveying the whole field of municipal activities,
by the prevention of overlapping and by filling up of gaps and
by judicious dovetailing of effort, a central and solid unifying
organization might be found to put the force of all the societies
behind any particular one or individual cause, and thus to make
the strongest possible appeal when needed to the authorities and
to public opinion.
The league was formally inaugurated at the Board of Trade
assembly rooms on April 12th, being presided over by His
Excellency the Governor-General.
The audience and the speakers were widely representative of
cosmopolitan city life. All present hailed the new movement as
likely to be of permanent value in uplifting the city which had
long been suffering from a lowness of civic probity in high
places, consequent upon a supine apathy and neglect of civic
pride in the people generally, so that many scandals flourished
openly unchallenged and unchecked.
The league seemed to provide the antidote for the hour by an
appeal for the increased cultivation of an enlightened civic
consciousness of responsibility in the citizens, and met with an
immediate and warm welcome, notably in the press.
The league has since promoted and carried out useful reforms.
Its especial successes have been the establishment of the
Metropolitan Parks Commission, and the initiation and the call of
the Child Welfare Exhibition, which came from the league, which,
on January 27, 1910, discussed the matter, at the suggestion of
Mrs. J.B. Learmont, and by resolution encouraged the secretary to
proceed to New York to visit the first Child Welfare Exhibition
then being held there, and to report concerning the possibility
of some adaptable form for the conditions in Montreal. On
February 17th, on a favorable demonstration of its feasibility,
the secretary was thereupon empowered to call a meeting of the
betterment associations for the city. On May 24th a meeting of
delegates of sixty societies approved the holding of a Child
Welfare Exhibition in the course of 1912. A joint meeting was
held on April 25th of English and French-speaking organizations,
called in the rooms of the St. Jean Baptiste Association, when
Dr. J.G. Adami, Mr. Olivar Asselin and Dr. W.H. Atherton were
appointed to draw up a scheme to suit the English and French
communities of Montreal. This was placed before the latter on May
16th in the Monument Nationale. The scheme was adopted and the
patrons, honorary presidents and vice presidents and the active
executive board were elected.
Finally the Child Welfare Exhibition was carried out in October,
1912, by the special cooperation of coordinate associations of
women, notably those of the Local Council of Women, La Fédération
Nationale and the many associations affiliated with each of these.
The League has led the van in the city planning and better
housing movements for the working classes and as an offshoot the
Greater Montreal City Planning and Housing Association arose
in 1912 to further promote these desired reforms. It initiated
the City Cleaning Day adopted by the municipality in 1911 and
1912 and with the Montreal Publicity Association organized
the larger “Clean-up Week” of 1913. The league has cooperated
with many business, national, civic and women’s societies for
municipal reform and general city progress, and has largely
helped to develop the sense of combined citizenship in common
causes throughout the various sections of the cosmopolitan city
of today, and to foster a common civic pride. The league has had
a wide outlook and has worked for a league of city improvement
associations of Canada. At the International City Planning
Congress, held in Toronto in 1914, it advocated the establishment
of a Dominion town planning and housing bureau, which has already
been partially established. Among its officers have been, since
1909: President, J. G, Adami, M.D., D. Sc.; vice presidents,
Mrs. J.B. Learmont, Madame Archer, Madame Beïque, Prof. Leigh
R. Gregor, Hon. J.J. Guerin, M.D., Messrs. U.H. Dandurand, J.V.
Desaulniers, Farquhar Robertson; honorary secretaries, Prof. J.A.
Dale, M.A., Messrs. Olivar Asselin, A. Lesage, M.D., J.U. Emard,
K.C., C.H. Gould; honorary treasurers, Farquhar Robertson, J.F.
Boulais, N.P., and the executive secretary, W.H. Atherton, Ph. D.
THE CITIZENS’ ASSOCIATION
The “Citizens’ Association,” which was organized in 1909 by the
best and most representative citizens of Montreal, was a sequent
of the various other associations then either existent, moribund
or actually dead, among business men in the past whose aims were
to seek charter reform for better municipal government. It arose
out of the dissatisfactory state of municipal politics at this
date.
Its lines are along those of civic vigilance and it aims at
the suppression of attempts at corruption or malversation at
the city hall by watching the conduct of those responsible and
by seeing to it that future candidates coming up for municipal
election should be honest and respected citizens. Its earliest
work was the promotion of the amended charter which established
the Board of Control system and of securing a “clean slate” at
the election of 1910, as already told. It has also promoted
reforms for the better regulation of public utilities and for
better city management and administrative progress. It has
endeavoured to act as a clearing house for other associations
having a civic political tendency. In 1913, it sought to promote
a simplification of the ward system and at the beginning of 1914
to secure a good representative slate in the municipal elections,
but without the dramatic success of 1910. The career of such an
organization is necessarily chequered, but good men stand by
organized effort for the public good. While its activities should
primarily be placed in the constitutional or municipal sections
of this history, yet as sociological progress depends so much on
good municipal government, it deserves record here as an adjunct
of the bodies enumerated.
One gratifying aspect of the movements of late years has been the
growth of the spirit of civic cooperation through the central
representative associations of a now complex city life.
CHILD WELFARE EXHIBITION
References have been made to the great Child Welfare Exhibition
of 1912. This took place in the Drill Hall on Craig Street,
opposite the Champ de Mars, on October 8th and lasted for a
fortnight. It was the work of all the social workers acting for
their institutions of every class--national or religious--in the
city. The movement arose out of a desire to combat, by a dramatic
object lesson, the evils of infantile mortality, then becoming
to be realized more and more in an ever-growing and congested
city. But the welfare of the older child or the young person
under tutelage was also illustrated by charts and lectures and
living demonstrations of what was being done along progressive
educational lines at home as well as abroad. It was practically
an exhibition of modern social endeavour centering around the
home of the children, in their city environment. While it was
modelled on a similar exhibition in New York in 1910, it had a
peculiar Montreal aspect, as it was conducted largely on local
lines and embraced the phases of local endeavour. It had lessons,
however, for the Dominion, in bringing to the attention the need
of regard for human conservation as well as that of our forest
and animal resources. The municipal, provincial and federal
governments by gifts of $5,000 each, assisted local subscribers
in the organization of the exhibition so that it was able to be
thrown open to the public for a fortnight free of charge, with
the result that as a public educative movement it surpassed
anything previously attempted, at least, in Canada. Thousands
of parents crowded the immense hall and annexes daily, as well
as large numbers of civic officials, teachers, medical and
professional men, clergymen and religious men and women in their
habits. It has been the most notable public exhibition in the
history of the city and was marked by the spirit of universal
cooperation in a degree very gratifying to the promoters.
The exhibition paved the way to the immediate success of many
forward movements already existing, notably those for better
library and playground accommodations for the city, and the
establishment of milk stations or gouttes de lait. As this latter
was among the primary by-products of the main thesis of the
exhibition which sought to lessen the dangers of infantile life,
productive of infantile mortality, this may be now specially
noticed. In 1913, from May 11th to the 13th, there was held the
first convention of the French “Gouttes de lait,” which outlined
hygienic ameliorations through organized educational campaigns
that will be of great future value to the virility of our
people. Similar movements were initiated or continued among the
English-speaking sections.
To mark its approbation of the movement the municipal authorities
largely came to the rescue by subsidizing the efforts of the
social organizations of the city.
MILK STATION MOVEMENT
The following table of results obtained at
each (subsidized) milk depot in 1913 may fitly sum up this notice:
Average Consulta-
Milk Depots Infants Deaths death rate tions
M.L.C. of Women 466 10 2% 3,222
St. Peter Parish 230 11 5% 252
St. Joseph Parish 204 11 5% 2,041
Mothers’ Clinic 161 4 3% 13,320
St. Arsène Parish 153 18 12% 1,440
St Cunégonde Parish 150 5 3% 480
St. Justine Hospital 147 8 5% 5,816
St. Henry St. Zotique Parishes 146 12 8% 285
St. Enfant-Jésus Parish 123 8 6½% 539
St. Brigide Parish 112 12 10% 481
St. Edouard Parish 109 4 4% 608
Iverley Settlement 102 9 9% 462
St. Clothilde Parish 85 8 9% 166
St. Jean-Baptiste Parish 80 8 10% 452
Mtl. Babies Hospital 72 0 124
University Settlement 71 2 3% 720
Hochelaga Parish 66 7 10% 130
Babies Dispensary (Emard Ward) 61 12 20% 185
St.-Jean Berchmans Parish 60 3 5% 174
St. Helen Parish 53 1 2% 659
Chalmer’s House Settlement 33 0 78
St. James Parish 25 2 4% 75
Bonsecours Parish 20 1 5% 80
----- --- ---- ------
23 Milk Depots 2,729 156 6% 31,789
Pints of
Milk Depots Outdoor milk dis- Pds of ice
visits tributed distributed
M.L.C. of Women 3,045 78,048 24,210
St. Peter Parish 2,776
St. Joseph Parish 245 1,477 2,000
Mothers’ Clinic 10,749
St. Arsène Parish 160 1,666
St Cunégonde Parish 340 1,000
St. Justine Hospital 10,986
St. Henry St. Zotique Parishes 60 1,326
St. Enfant-Jésus Parish 20 3,953
St. Brigide Parish 631 4,388
St. Edouard Parish 5 913
Iverly Settlement 462 4,500
St. Clothilde Parish 297
St. Jean-Baptiste Parish 3,174
Mtl. Babies Hospital 1,042 100
University Settlement 770 8,110
Hochelaga Parish 20
Babies Dispensary (Emard Ward) 30 4,500 1,500
St.-Jean Berchmans Parish 3,111
St. Helen Parish 218 908
Chalmer’s House Settlement 110 9,126 200
St. James Parish 15 1,506
Bonsecours Parish 1,433
----- ------- ------
23 Milk Depots 5,966 154,692 28,010
Milk Depots Receipts Expenditure Subsidy
M.L.C. of Women $5,165.81 $5,149.56 $900.00
St. Peter Parish 290.00 289.15 350.00[A]
St. Joseph Parish 966.07 888.28 900.00[A]
Mothers’ Clinic 3,928.31 3,909.55 500.00
St. Arsène Parish 515.00 604.00 400.00
St Cunégonde Parish 632.00 638.00 600.00
St. Justine Hospital 1,699.12 1,659.42 1,000.00
St. Henry St. Zotique Parishes 566.33 508.99 600.00
St. Enfant-Jésus Parish 996.77 874.09 700.00
St. Brigide Parish 700.00 692.39 700.00
St. Edouard Parish 530.00 523.87 500.00
Iverly Settlement 362.17 362.47 300.00
St. Clothilde Parish 500.00 495.47 300.00
St. Jean-Baptiste Parish 847.03 766.72 700.00
Mtl. Babies Hospital 200.00 200.00 200.00
University Settlement 1,206.89 955.17 450.00
Hochelaga Parish 300.00 278.84 400.00[A]
Babies Dispensary (Emard Ward) 400.00 400.00 400.00
St.-Jean Berchmans Parish 567.86 621.16 400.00
St. Helen Parish 467.11 413.22 400.00
Chalmer’s House Settlement 300.00 255.50 300.00[A]
St. James Parish 410.00 387.56 400.00
Bonsecours Parish 165.00 127.80 100.00
---------- ---------- ----------
23 Milk Depots $21,715.77 $21,001.21 $11,700.00[B]
----------
[A] A sum of $524.38 voted was returned in part as follows:
St Joseph Parish, $60.00; St. Peter Parish, $60.00; Hochelaga
Parish, $100.00; Chalmer’s House, $100.00; Convention of French
Gouttes de lait, $64.38.
[B] In addition the French Gouttes de lait Convention received
$1,000.00.
X
MOVEMENTS FOR SAILORS AND SOLDIERS
THE MONTREAL SAILORS’ INSTITUTE--THE CATHOLIC SAILORS’ CLUB--THE
SOLDIERS’ WIVES’ LEAGUE--THE DAUGHTERS OF THE EMPIRE--THE “LAST
POST” IMPERIAL NAVAL AND MILITARY CONTINGENCY FUND.
MONTREAL SAILORS’ INSTITUTE
Montreal is well equipped in its seamen’s charities, having two
institutions which supplement one another harmoniously in helping
the seamen.
Philanthropic work among the sailors coming to Montreal can
be traced back to the year 1836-7. “Rev. Father” Osgoode, a
representative of the American Seamen’s Friends’ Society, who had
associated with him, among others, Mr. J.A. Mathewson and Mr.
J.T. Dutton, started the work in a little building called “The
Bethel,” situated at the entrance to the canal at the foot of
McGill Street.
Father Osgoode dying in 1850, the work was continued by the
Rev. Samuel Massey and the Y.M.C.A., until in 1862 the Montreal
Sailors’ Institute was organized with Mr. Hugh Allan as
president. Among the founders were Messrs. J.P. Clarke, P.S.
Ross, Charles Alexander, John Ritchie and others. Rooms were
engaged on McGill Street and Mr. David Linton was installed as
superintendent. These rooms served the purposes of the institute
only for a few years when larger premises were secured on St.
Paul Street, where the institute was housed until 1875.
In 1869 the Montreal Sailors’ Institute was incorporated by
special act of the Quebec Legislature, with the following
officers: President, Mr. Andrew Allan; vice presidents, Messrs.
George Moffatt and John McLennan; treasurer, Mr. John Rankin;
secretary, Mr. P.S. Ross; and a board of management of twenty
gentlemen, prominent in shipping circles.
The rooms on McGill Street having been outgrown, in 1875 the two
upper flats of Boyer’s Block, corner of Commissioners Street and
Custom House Square, were rented and Mr. John Ritchie engaged as
manager.
Upon the death of Mr. Ritchie in 1888, Mr. J. Ritchie Bell was
appointed manager. The need of a building suitably situated
and specially adapted for the purposes of the work had been
constantly kept in mind from the beginning and many attempts
had been made to secure such. In 1897 this was accomplished.
The institute purchased the “Montreal House” an hotel which had
been famous in the early days. This was rebuilt and in May,
1898, the institute moved into its own home. Continued growth
of the shipping of the port made it necessary to enlarge the
premises. This was done in 1907 when the adjoining property
was purchased and the accommodation doubled, so that today the
Sailors’ Institute has a building in which to carry on its work,
conveniently situated on the water front, with an equipment which
compares favourably with that of most of the great seaports of
the world.
THE CATHOLIC SAILORS’ CLUB
The second activity for seamen is that carried on by the Catholic
Sailors’ Club at 51 Common Street, a large building at the corner
of St. Peter and Common streets. Its first home was in a humble
garret at 300 St. Paul Street, close to the wharf. Its inception
in 1893 was due to a Men’s Catholic Truth Society, formed by the
Rev. E.J. Devine, S.J., in 1892. These, notably a Mr. J.J. Walsh,
Mr. J.A. Feeley and Mr. H.C. Codd, approached Lady Hingston
and Miss A.T. Sadlier and a joint association of ladies and
gentlemen resulted for work for Catholic seamen. Lady Hingston
became from the first the president of the ladies’ committee. In
1897 the Catholic Truth Society board had retired and the annual
report gives the following officers for the club: President,
Lady Hingston; vice president, Mrs. F.B. McNamee; second vice
president, Mr. J.P.B. Casgrain; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. S.R.
Thomson. In 1896, the present building was purchased and the
mortgage paid in 1913. In 1900, the club was incorporated and two
boards were again instituted, the ladies board, continuing with
Lady Hingston as president till today, and Mr. F.B. McNamee as
president of the general board.
The presidents have been as follows:
1900 Mr. F.B. McNamee
1901 Mr. Patrick Wright
1902 Mr. F.B. McNamee
1907 Mr. Felix Casey
1909 Mr. Charles F. Smith
1911 Commander J.T. Walsh, R.N.R.
In 1908, Mr. W.H. Atherton, Ph. D., entered into the life of the
club as its first manager. The chaplains of the club have been
distinguished Jesuits, among whom the present one, the Rev. E.J.
Devine, has served three terms of varying lengths.
The club has had among its advisory board many prominent Catholic
citizens and of the board of life governors, besides those
mentioned, there are several who have been with the club from the
inception, including the honorary treasurer, Mr. Bernard McNally;
the honorary secretary, Mr. Arthur Phelan; Dr. F.J. Hackett, vice
president, and the following ladies actively interested in the
internal management: Lady Hingston, Mrs. Robert Archer, Mrs. J.B.
Casgrain, Mrs. J. Cochrane, Miss K. Coleman, Mrs. P.S. Doyle,
Mrs. Charles F. Smith, Mrs. F.B. McNamee, Miss L. O’Connell, Mrs.
W.J. Tabb, Mrs. S.R. Thomson, and Mrs. J.T. Walsh.
THE SOLDIERS’ WIVES’ LEAGUE
On the outbreak of the Boer War in 1899, Lady Hutton founded the
first branch of the Soldiers’ Wives’ League in Montreal, assisted
by a small group of Montreal women. So urgent was the need of
such an organization that it rapidly spread throughout all the
military districts in Canada.
The aim of the league as defined in the constitution is “to bring
the wives and relatives of all soldiers, whether of officers,
non-commissioned officers or men of the staff, permanent corps
and active militia of Canada, into closer touch and sympathy with
one another so that whether in sickness or in health they may be
able mutually to aid and assist one another and their families in
times of difficulty, trouble or distress.”
It will readily be seen that at the present time there is
pressing need for the active work of the league. The military
authorities at Ottawa have always recognized the standing of the
Soldiers’ Wives’ League. At the time of the Boer War the funds
raised for the soldiers’ families were distributed in Montreal
through the league by voluntary workers to the satisfaction of
all concerned. At the military conference in Ottawa two years
ago, the Montreal league was invited to send representatives.
In 1914, the league is repeating its useful services.
The present officers of the league are: Honorary president, Mrs.
Denison; president, Mrs. Busteed; recording secretary, Mrs.
Woodburn; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Minden Cole; treasurer,
Mme. Ostell. Executives: Mrs. J.G. Ross, Mrs. Gibsone, Mrs.
Fages, Mrs. Stewart, Mrs. Anderson, Mme. LeDuc, Mrs. Molson
Crawford, Mrs. Gunn, Mrs. Carson, Mrs. Cooper, Mrs. Sadler, Mrs.
Bridges, Mrs. Lacey Johnson, Mrs. Creelman, Mme. Labelle, Mme.
des Trois Maisons, and Mrs. Kippen.
There is also a Westmount branch of the League.
THE DAUGHTERS OF THE EMPIRE
The Daughters of the Empire and the Children of the Empire, a
junior branch, was formed in Montreal February 10, 1900, by
Mrs. Clark Murray, with the motto “Pro regina et patria.” Its
object was to stimulate and give expression to the sentiment of
patriotism which bound the women of the Empire around the throne
and person of their gracious and beloved sovereign. It was also
to provide an efficient organization by which prompt and united
action might be taken by the women of the Empire when such action
was deemed necessary. It was promoted vigorously in Australia,
South Africa, India, England and Scotland, and is now all over
Canada as a great activity of chapter work. The movement is very
warm in Canada. Toronto has become the head office. A journal
entitled “Echoes” chronicles the doings of the chapters. There is
a municipal chapter for each large town and a provincial chapter
in the capital of each province, and individual chapters adopt
patriotic names chosen from events in the history of the Empire.
Imperial education in the schools, stimulated by prizes given
for essays on imperial subjects, is one form of carrying out the
object of this association. The occasion of the present war is
just one of those special emergencies foreseen for the activity
of the chapters of the Daughters of the Empire and they are
busily engaged in all the charitable works required in connection
with the patriotic movement for the welfare of the soldiers and
their families.
THE “LAST POST” IMPERIAL NAVAL AND MILITARY CONTINGENCY FUND
In 1909, an association, sadly unique in the British Empire, was
founded in Montreal under the name of the “Last Post” Imperial
Naval and Military Contingency Fund under the viceregal patronage
of Earl Grey. Its main object is to give honorable burial to any
soldier or sailor who has served under the colours in the regular
or auxiliary forces and has fallen into destitution in the
Province of Quebec. It is also empowered to extend its operations
to other parts. It is a voluntary association unsupported as yet
by an Imperial grant or patriotic fund. When the association
was formed, it received letters of commendation from the
chief military authorities of the Empire, who were deeply in
sympathy with the patriotic movement, which is an obvious need
as a tribute of gratitude to the Empire’s defenders and at the
same time they expressed surprise that it has been overlooked
in the economy of the Imperial services. The first trustees of
the fund were: Brig.-Gen. L. Buchan, C.V.O., C.M.G.; Commander
J.T. Walsh, R.N.R., and the Rev. Canon Almond, who was also the
first chairman. The first treasurer was Mr. Lucien C. Vallée and
Mr. Arthur H.D. Hair, its secretary, was the original promoter.
Among its vice presidents have been Col. C.E. Paterson and W.H.
Atherton. Since its inception men who possessed medals gained in
most of the campaigns of modern times have been interred with
military honours in the Protestant and Catholic cemeteries of the
city, through the auspices of the Fund.
XI
TEMPERANCE MOVEMENTS
SOCIETY FOR “PROMOTION OF TEMPERANCE”--THE YOUNG MEN’S TEMPERANCE
SOCIETY--MONTREAL TEMPERANCE SOCIETY--ST. PATRICK’S TOTAL
ABSTINENCE SOCIETY--THE SOCIETE DE TEMPERANCE DU DIOCESE DE
MONTREAL--OTHER SOCIETIES.
The author of “Hochelaga Depicta,” writing in 1839, describes the
temperance movement of his date, as follows:
“The increasing prevalence of drunkenness, and the awful
consequences thence arising, have induced a general desire among
the sober and virtuous part of the community to stay the progress
of so fearful an evil. Temperance societies have been formed,
with this express view, both in Europe and America, and have been
productive of the happiest effects. Thousands of drunkards have
been reclaimed from their destructive habits.”
A society for the “Promotion of Temperance” was formed in this
city on the 9th of June, 1828, at the suggestion of the Rev.
J.S. Christmas; the declaration was against the use of distilled
spirits only.
The Young Men’s Temperance Society was formed on the 29th
November, 1831. The two were afterwards united.
On the 27th of February, 1834, an executive committee was
appointed by a convention then held, which continued to act
till the formation of the Montreal Society for the Promotion of
Temperance on the 22d of October, 1835.
This society had the two pledges of abstinence from ardent
spirits, and total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors. On
the 1st of September, 1837, the society was remodelled on the
total abstinence principle alone under the name of the Montreal
Temperance Society.
St. Patrick’s Total Abstinence Society was established on the 23d
of February, 1840, by the Rev. Patrick Phelan and organized on
the 12th of February, 1854, by the Rev. J.F. Connolly.
The Société de Temperance du Diocése de Montreal was established
in the city on January 5, 1841, by His Grace, the Bishop of
Nancy, and canonically erected by Mgr. Ignatius Bourget on
January 25, 1842, when the patronal name of St. Jean Baptiste
was given it. This society was established in various sectional
branches.
Other movements have followed and Montreal has profited by
them. Among the present societies working in the city today
are: Missionaries of Temperance, La Ligue, Anti-Alcoolique de
Montreal, the Temperance Committee of La Fédération Nationale St.
Jean Baptiste, the Dominion Alliance (Montreal branch), Catholic
Total Abstinence Union (Canadian), St. Ann’s Total Abstinence and
Benevolent Society, St. Ann’s Juvenile Temperance Society, St.
Gabriel’s, St Patrick’s, organized in 1854, St. Aloysius Society,
Société de Temperance de l’Eglise de St. Pierre and the society
organized by the Franciscan Fathers, etc.
The city has houses for inebriates as follows:
House of Good Shepherd, 64 Sherbrooke Street (women), and St.
Benoit Joseph Asylum (men).
XII
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE CONDITION OF WORKERS
EARLY ASSOCIATIONS OF WORKERS--PROTESTANT INDUSTRIAL ROOMS--THE
LABOUR MOVEMENT--THE Y.M.C.A.--THE Y.W.C.A.--LE FOYER--THE
CATHOLIC GIRLS’ CLUB, ETC.
EARLY ASSOCIATIONS FOR WORKERS
This chapter will record those movements which have tended to
safeguard the varied economical and educational interests of the
working classes. By consulting Mr. Huguet-Latour’s “Annuaire
de Ville Marie” records of early bodies of a mutual benefit
association character among French-Canadians will be found as
follows:
In 1848, the Société St. Blandine was founded for domestic
servant girls.
Then came the era of mutual benefit associations for working
people, viz.: “Union St. Joseph,” founded March 22, 1852, by
Louis Leclaire, and incorporated July 11, 1856.
Société de St. François Xavier, founded in 1853, by Rev. E.
Picard, a Sulpician, and incorporated May 13, 1863.
Société Bienveillante de Notre Dame de Sécours, founded July 1,
1853, and incorporated May 30, 1855.
Société Canadienne des Carpentiers et Menuisiers, founded
December 6, 1853, by Antoine Mayer, George Rivet and Edouard F.
Duncan. Incorporated July 24, 1858.
Association St. Antoine, founded May 2, 1856, by Rev. E. Picard,
a Sulpician, and incorporated April 10, 1861.
Union St. Pierre, founded April 19, 1859.
Union St. Jean Baptiste, founded May 18, 1861, by P. Cerat, A.
Normandin, F.X. Caron and Charles Bourque. Incorporated May 5,
1863.
Union St. Louis (Coteau St. Louis), founded March 24, 1862, by
Ignace Boucher and Dominique Dupré (fils).
St. Patrick’s Benevolent Society, founded on September 7, 1862,
by Mr. Thomas Brennan, and incorporated on May 5, 1863.
Association de Bienveillance de Bouchers Canadiens-Francais,
founded June 2, 1863.
Union St. Jacques, founded March 1, 1863.
Caisse de la Section St. Joseph de la Société de Tempérance,
founded September 6, 1863.
The following provident movements for inculcating prevision and
thrift may be recorded as follows:
Caisse d’Economie des Instituteurs, December 22, 1856.
Caisse d’Epargnes des Petites Servants de Pauvres (a lay
association), founded February 6, 1859, by Rev. E. Picard.
Caisse d’Economie de la Congrégation St. Michel, founded March 6,
1859.
Of late years there has been founded in the Province of Quebec
the Caisse Populaire, of which the Children’s Savings Banks in
the Immaculate Conception and the Infant Jesus parishes, and that
of the general _caisse_ in the Immaculate Conception and St.
Eusebe parishes are examples.
The numerous modern institutions of mutual assurance, public
employment agencies and the helping associations for servants
and workers which have arisen of late years need not be treated
historically.
THE PROTESTANT INDUSTRIAL ROOMS
One of the best principles in all social amelioration in the
condition of workers is to help the poor to help themselves. As
an instance of this the history of the movement of the Protestant
Industrial Rooms of Montreal, which is now more than half a
century old, is rightly in place here. Sixty years ago Miss
Hervey, who founded the Hervey Institute, did a wise and kind
act when she opened a “Repository” for giving out to deserving
females the surplus work of families, so creating the “Protestant
Industrial Rooms” of Montreal, which has grown up observing the
same fundamental principles. The first start was made in 1862 in
the rooms of the Hervey Institute, then on Lagauchetière Street,
and shortly a transfer was made to St. Antoine Street, then one
of the principal streets. In 1864 the Home of Industry and Refuge
was built on Dorchester Street and the governors invited the
ladies to take up quarters there. Until 1900 the kind offer was
accepted. The work of providing sewing work to be done at home
by poor but respectable women is now carried on at 57 Metcalfe
Street.
THE LABOUR MOVEMENT
French-Canadians began to learn the use of trade unions before
1836, when they had commenced to migrate to New England
countries. In this year the first union was founded in Quebec,
known as the Association Typographique de Quebec. About the
same time there was founded at Montreal, the Shoemakers’ Union
which was followed, in 1844, by the Stone Cutters’ Association.
Little by little the work of organization developed and became so
general that, at the time the movement of the Knights of Labour
arose, numerous lodges in the cities of Montreal and Quebec were
formed. But, in 1886, the order of the Knights of Labour were
taken to task by the majority of the clergy with the result that
all the lodges were broken up within a short time.
On the ruins of the Knights of Labour there arose the
International Union of Cigar Makers, which concentrated for
a certain time all the strength of the international labour
movement and was the first one to inaugurate the celebration of
Labour Day in Montreal.