Little Anse had established its own school in 1912-1913 in the home of Walter D. Samson. In 1918 it was moved to the home of Willie H. Samson at Samson’s Cove, and then back to Little Anse to Vicky Clannon’s home.
In 1945 a one-room Little Anse-Samson’s Cove consolidated school was built. Five years later, this building was expanded; one room instructed Grades 1 to 3, and the other, Grades 4 to 10.
Some of the teachers were Mary Martell, Clara Hureau, Margaret Forest, Catherine MacDonald, Evelyn Pertus, Jeannette Hureau, Joe Daigle, Violet Britten, Claire Babin, Nazaire Samson, Rose-Ann LeBlanc, Zena Langlois, Evelyn Boudreau, Louise Samson, and Carl Boudreau. At one point, the secretary and trustees were Jimmy Samson, Cyprien Samson, Hughie Clannon Sr., Johnny Samson, Sylvester Samson, Willie H. Samson, and Steven Samson.
In 1936, the school came to public attention when newspaper articles outlined the innovative work of teacher Louise Samson of L’Ardoise. Daily she had 65 pupils, too many to handle at one time, so the older children came in the morning and the younger ones in the afternoon. Her curriculum allowed for practical skills, as well as academic ones. The school had its own loom; girls were taught to crochet, knit and do fancy work. Boys were instructed in working in wood and tin, enabling them to make useful articles.
In September of 1936 Miss Samson entered her students’ work in the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition in Halifax. In addition, she carried on special night classes for adults who wanted to learn to read, write, and calculate. In 1967 the school was lost to fire, and the communities became part of the Petit de Grat catchment area.
On the north side of Isle Madame, D’Escousse formed the base of fishing operations on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. As the village grew, a priest was established there by 1824, and with the introduction of a public school system in 1811, residents sought educational opportunities for their children.
In 1824, Laurence Kavanagh found 40 families with 30 school-age children who were being taught by “a kind of French teacher.”
A familiar theme developed in D’Escousse regarding education; Anglophone teachers instructing Acadian pupils. An 1825 report cited 85 per cent of school-age children as Acadian, but the first public school record for D’Escousse was submitted in 1827 by Thomas Culliton and it was he who reported again in 1829.
An Irishman from Wicklow, Culliton was the first schoolmaster at D’Escousse. Having been shipwrecked at St. Pierre et Miquelon, he took passage to Boston with Captain Desire Boudrot from Arichat. During a stopover at D’Escousse in the 1820s, he was persuaded to stay in the village and set up a school. This he did below the lower road. Culliton died in 1863.
Other early teachers who submitted school reports from D’Escousse were Stephen Bruton who taught from 1845 to 1847. He previously taught at Arichat from 1828 to 1832, and again in Arichat in 1836. B.G.G. Potts submitted a School Report in 1847. Charles Martel taught in 1848 and 1849. Dennis Sweeney taught from 1849 to 1850.
Little Anse had established its own school in 1912-1913 in the home of Walter D. Samson. In 1918 it was moved to the home of Willie H. Samson at Samson’s Cove, and then back to Little Anse to Vicky Clannon’s home.
In 1945 a one-room Little Anse-Samson’s Cove consolidated school was built. Five years later, this building was expanded; one room instructed Grades 1 to 3, and the other, Grades 4 to 10.
Some of the teachers were Mary Martell, Clara Hureau, Margaret Forest, Catherine MacDonald, Evelyn Pertus, Jeannette Hureau, Joe Daigle, Violet Britten, Claire Babin, Nazaire Samson, Rose-Ann LeBlanc, Zena Langlois, Evelyn Boudreau, Louise Samson, and Carl Boudreau. At one point, the secretary and trustees were Jimmy Samson, Cyprien Samson, Hughie Clannon Sr., Johnny Samson, Sylvester Samson, Willie H. Samson, and Steven Samson.
In 1936, the school came to public attention when newspaper articles outlined the innovative work of teacher Louise Samson of L’Ardoise. Daily she had 65 pupils, too many to handle at one time, so the older children came in the morning and the younger ones in the afternoon. Her curriculum allowed for practical skills, as well as academic ones. The school had its own loom; girls were taught to crochet, knit and do fancy work. Boys were instructed in working in wood and tin, enabling them to make useful articles.
In September of 1936 Miss Samson entered her students’ work in the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition in Halifax. In addition, she carried on special night classes for adults who wanted to learn to read, write, and calculate. In 1967 the school was lost to fire, and the communities became part of the Petit de Grat catchment area.
On the north side of Isle Madame, D’Escousse formed the base of fishing operations on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. As the village grew, a priest was established there by 1824, and with the introduction of a public school system in 1811, residents sought educational opportunities for their children.
In 1824, Laurence Kavanagh found 40 families with 30 school-age children who were being taught by “a kind of French teacher.”
A familiar theme developed in D’Escousse regarding education; Anglophone teachers instructing Acadian pupils. An 1825 report cited 85 per cent of school-age children as Acadian, but the first public school record for D’Escousse was submitted in 1827 by Thomas Culliton and it was he who reported again in 1829.
An Irishman from Wicklow, Culliton was the first schoolmaster at D’Escousse. Having been shipwrecked at St. Pierre et Miquelon, he took passage to Boston with Captain Desire Boudrot from Arichat. During a stopover at D’Escousse in the 1820s, he was persuaded to stay in the village and set up a school. This he did below the lower road. Culliton died in 1863.
Other early teachers who submitted school reports from D’Escousse were Stephen Bruton who taught from 1845 to 1847. He previously taught at Arichat from 1828 to 1832, and again in Arichat in 1836. B.G.G. Potts submitted a School Report in 1847. Charles Martel taught in 1848 and 1849. Dennis Sweeney taught from 1849 to 1850.