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Students Music
In 1930, the school prospectus stated, “Students of the pianoforte are prepared either for the 'Toronto Conservatory' or 'The Associated Board of the Royal Academy', London, England. Terms per month $6.00, use of the pianoforte for daily practice $2.00 extra.” The fees increased, but the participation in the Conservatory system did not. Medals, and later pins, were given out for accomplishments, and serious students were known to practice three hours a day. Science
The Sisters encouraged the girls to explore the sciences, in times when women were directed away from such pursuits. They made a point of involving the girls in chemistry labs. Botany was taught in the abundant gardens. Biology was also offered. One Sister was attempting to teach the concept of “exosmosis” to her class one day, for which she needed to give a demonstration with materials she didn’t have. She mentioned that a pig’s bladder would have worked, mostly as a joke, as she didn’t think one would be available. On Friday afternoon, a girl came to class with a brown paper bag, with a pig’s bladder inside. The Sister thanked the student and put the package into her desk, forgetting it over the weekend. No one could figure out what the horrible, rotten smell was in the classroom on Monday morning! Click here for more on St. Ann's Students
Contact
St. Anns Academy at stanns.academy@gems2.gov.bc.ca
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student once remarked that she thought all the Sisters at St. Ann’s
could sing, and she was not far off. Music had a special place in
the daily routine of the Sisters and their students. There was at
least one-half hour of singing every day, with special songs for
holy days. Trained organists would be brought in to play in the
chapel, and Gregorian chants were performed by special visitors,
while the Novices were often called upon to use their voices. Sister
Mary Noreen’s choir began a unique programme, unusual for schools
at the time, where a choir of 12 girls would record songs for play
on CJVI, a local radio station, each week. In 1934, the St. Ann’s
girls won a prize for their singing and took the Festival Cup for
the Campfire Choir.