As early as 1824 a functioning school existed in Arichat under the tutelage of John Walsh who instructed 30 to 40 aspiring scholars.
By 1834, the school faced insurmountable financial difficulties, and as a result, the creditors, primarily John Tyrrell, a prominent Arichat merchant, foreclosed on the property and took it over, but instead of closing it, Tyrrell hired two lay teachers who instructed in English, French, Greek, Latin, history, geography, navigation, mathematics, logic, and rhetoric. This continued until 1842 when the school was closed for want of a teacher.
In the summer of 1860, Les Freres des Ecoles Chretiennes began teaching the boys of Arichat Academy. Soon 157 students were enrolled at the new school plus 28 mature students who took courses in the evening.
In 1865 the provincial government passed an act which designated the Brothers’ school and the convent as high schools. This meant that all teachers were required to take examinations in English. The brothers refused to submit to this. They resigned and were replaced by lay teachers, one of whom was Remi Benoit.
The following are taken from the registers of Arichat Academy 1924-35:
Student number 46 to student number 92 were in the Intermediate section taught by Sr. Cecile Marie
Year Gr. Name Parent Attendance
46. 1925 5 Ulysse LeBlanc Godfrey 174/196
47. 1925 5 Conrad Boutin Guillaume 186.5/196
48. 1925 5 Eddie Edwards Phillipe 172.5/196
49. 1925 5 Earl Bourinot Bertram 169/196
50. 1925 5 Francis Young Frank 119.5/196
51. 1925 5 Mark Maloney Wallace 116/196
52. 1925 5 Lila Young Frank 178.5/196
53. 1925 5 Edna Boudreau Daniel 190/196
54. 1925 5 Marion MacD. James Power 183.5/196
55. 1925 5 Marie Benoit Joseph 183.5/196
56. 1925 5 Eva Rancon Charles 181.5/196
57. 1925 5 Catherine Boucher Albert 161/196
58. 1925 4 Amedee Goyetche Alcide 91/196
59. 1925 4 Napoleon Benoit Joseph 171.5/196
60. 1925 4 Walter Petitpas Walter 170/196
61. 1925 4 Raymond Richard Pierre 167.5/196
62. 1925 4 Jean Leblanc Edouard 121/196
63. 1925 4 Hilford Burton Arthur 103/196
64. 1925 4 Marcella Wilson Daniel 191/196
65. 1925 4 Helene Mombourquette Simon 169.5/196
66. 1925 4 Cecilia Wilson Daniel 133.5/196
67. 1925 5 Germaine Goyetche Alcid 180.5/196
68. 1925 3 Gustave Benoit Joseph 173/196
69. 1925 4 Xavier Bouchard Samuel Boucher 193.5/196
70. 1925 4 Wallace Martel Joseph 89/196
71. 1925 3 Joseph Richard Pierre 177.5/196
72. 1925 3 Woodrow Wilson Daniel 136.5/196
73. 1925 3 Wilbert Stone Charles 19/196
74. 1925 3 Carl Burton Bertran 153/196
75. 1925 4 Freddie Thurgood Albert 167/196
76. 1925 3 Alexander Boucher Albert 163/196
77. 1925 3 Harold Maloney Wallace 143.5/196
78. 1925 3 Edouard LeBlanc Andre 176.5/196
79. 1925 3 Thelma MacDonald James Power 189/196
80. 1925 3 Agathe LeBlanc Godfrey 163/196
81. 1925 3 Anna Boucher Samuel 192/196
82. 1925 3 Emilie Boudreau David (C.A.) 176/196
83. 1925 3 Dorothy Young Frank 179.5/196
84. 1925 3 Bernadette Richard Pierre 166/196
85. 1925 3 Georgina LeBlanc Casimir 12/196