The arrival of Fathers Blanche and Morin

Fathers Gustave Blanche and Aimé Morin responded to Archbishop O'Brien's call and arrived at Baie Sainte-Marie in September 1890. Upon their arrival, they were immediately assigned the Church Point and Saulnierville parishes and Father Blanche was designated Superior of the future College. The Fathers' task in Church Point was not an easy one considering that everything had to be created and with little or no means to do it. Despite the lack of ressources, the College's construction started without any delay and was completed for the opening of the next school year in September 1891.

Exterior aspects of the College during Blanche's mandate

The construction of the College started October 13, 1890, and concluded at the end of the summer of 1891. The building had a basement, a ground floor, a second storey, and an attic. In the autumn of 1891, the College opened its doors to students. Local people tended to call the College, Collège Sigogne, however its official name was Collège Sainte-Anne. The error was easily made since the institution was built in memory of the Father Jean-Mandé Sigogne.

In May 1892, Father Sigogne's remains were transported from the cemetery to the front of the College where a monument had been erected to honor his memory.

The first presbytery was destroyed by fire on November 11, 1893.

After the loss of the presbytery, it was decided to build a junvenate-presbytery to lodge future priests and candidates to the congregation. These young men followed the same courses as the other College students.

The Fathers adapt to the area

During the first years at Collège Sainte-Anne, the Fathers endured many hardships. Archives of the period do not reveal difficulties suffered by the students but rather the miseries of livelihood in general.

It was difficult for these Fathers who were incompetent in practical fields, to adapt to their new way of life. In order to improve the poverty situation at Sainte-Anne, they dealt with the immediate needs by improvising. To improve their financial situation, the College faculty planted a small farm. Since there was no money to travel, the priests and students had to find hobbies to occupy themselves on site. They also benefitted by assigning responsibilities to the students instead of paying a competent employee. It was humiliating for the Fathers to depend on local charity.

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