Little Flower Academy Convent
by Breanna Di Pasquale
The convent that once stood at Little Flower Academy was a symbol to the tenaciousness of the Sisters of St. Ann in their establishment of an elite school that provides a high quality of education to young women. Often forgotten and commonly unheard of when discussing the significant historical sites that played a role in the formation of Vancouver, the Convent was a modest building that took part in the establishment of one of Vancouver’s most esteemed catholic schools. Although it is no longer standing, thanks to the commemorative efforts of Little Flower Academy it still remains part of the school itself.
A History of the Sisters of St. Ann
The Sisters of St. Ann were founded by Esther Sureau-Blondin who taught in Vaudreuil yet sought to found an institution to teach Sisters. Not long after she decided to fulfill her personal aspiration the Sisters of St. Ann were formally established. Unfortunately, though, Esther Sureau-Blondin, referred to as Mother Mary Ann, faded into obscurity following a conflict with Bishop Bouret in which she was requested to resign. Nevertheless this did not faze the Sisters and it was simply reasoned that “a chosen soul was sacrificed for the greater good of a sublime work” (Sister of Saint Ann 1958). It is because of Mother Mary Ann that the Sisters of St. Ann were able to flourish, leaving their mark across Canada; one example being Little Flower Academy and its historic Convent (Sister of Saint Ann 1958).
Only eight years after the founding of the Sisters of St. Ann were they invited to Vancouver Island by Bishop Demers. Their arrival occurred during June of 1858, when the gold rush was in full force, following its decline in California and hence the migration of miners and entrepreneurs from the South (Barman 1995). One of the Sisters remarked, in her accounts published in the 1958 book documenting the Sisters of St. Ann’s journey, how what was described as a small settlement was suddenly, in the course of a couple month voyage, transformed into a town. She described two hundred houses surrounding the Victoria settlement followed by a sea of tents (Sister of Saint Ann 1958).
Following the establishment of schools on Vancouver Island, the Sisters gradually expanded to Alaska, Yukon, Alberta and British Columbia and in 1928 came to establish Little Flower Academy (Sister of Saint Ann 1958). Non-catholic families also supported the Sisters of St. Ann, seeing as there were very few public schools available at this time (Gresko 2007).
Only eight years after the founding of the Sisters of St. Ann were they invited to Vancouver Island by Bishop Demers. Their arrival occurred during June of 1858, when the gold rush was in full force, following its decline in California and hence the migration of miners and entrepreneurs from the South (Barman 1995). One of the Sisters remarked, in her accounts published in the 1958 book documenting the Sisters of St. Ann’s journey, how what was described as a small settlement was suddenly, in the course of a couple month voyage, transformed into a town. She described two hundred houses surrounding the Victoria settlement followed by a sea of tents (Sister of Saint Ann 1958).
Following the establishment of schools on Vancouver Island, the Sisters gradually expanded to Alaska, Yukon, Alberta and British Columbia and in 1928 came to establish Little Flower Academy (Sister of Saint Ann 1958). Non-catholic families also supported the Sisters of St. Ann, seeing as there were very few public schools available at this time (Gresko 2007).
Little Flower Academy and the Convent
It was in 1910 that the Sisters of St. Ann purchased ten acres of land in Shaughnessy and the following year that the Convent was built (Little Flower Academy 2008).Establishing Little Flower Academy, though, was no easy feat even considering the hardships already endured by the Sisters of St. Ann’s during their many previous accomplishments (in reference to the various educational and health care facilities established across the west coast). One obstacle they had to overcome was the conflict that occurred with the Archbishop of Vancouver, Neil McNeil. The Archbishop wanted to bring in Sisters, whose establishment was headed in France, to launch an elite catholic school in Vancouver and to put the Sisters of St. Ann on salary as parochial teachers. The Sisters of St. Ann did comply to a degree and hired paid parochial school staff, but they insisted on continuing to run school boards in various other cities (Gresko 2007).
Another problem encountered during the founding of Little Flower Academy also involved the Archbishop of Vancouver. In 1913, the Convent, only two years after being built, was commandeered by the Archbishop as a personal residence. The Sisters of St. Ann, in a desperate plea to get their convent back, prayed to St. Theresa that they may regain possession of their school. After thirteen years of patiently waiting and persistently praying to St. Theresa the Sisters recovered their convent. Due to their overwhelming gratefulness to the Saint that granted their prayers, the Sisters named their school after her; the Little Flower Academy of Jesus (Little Flower Academy 2008, Davis 1997).
Little Flower Academy of Jesus, run out of the Convent, started off as coeducational and taught forty one boys and girls. Not only was it a building for education, but it also served as a home to the Sisters and the student boarders. It wasn’t until 1931 that the Convent was no longer able to fully fulfill the needs of the Sister leading to Foundress Hall being built in order to accommodate the increase in students (LFA). The school was also soon turned into a high school solely for girls and offered courses in music, fine and applied arts, and crafts, alongside the other academic and religious courses (Anonymous 1941).
Another problem encountered during the founding of Little Flower Academy also involved the Archbishop of Vancouver. In 1913, the Convent, only two years after being built, was commandeered by the Archbishop as a personal residence. The Sisters of St. Ann, in a desperate plea to get their convent back, prayed to St. Theresa that they may regain possession of their school. After thirteen years of patiently waiting and persistently praying to St. Theresa the Sisters recovered their convent. Due to their overwhelming gratefulness to the Saint that granted their prayers, the Sisters named their school after her; the Little Flower Academy of Jesus (Little Flower Academy 2008, Davis 1997).
Little Flower Academy of Jesus, run out of the Convent, started off as coeducational and taught forty one boys and girls. Not only was it a building for education, but it also served as a home to the Sisters and the student boarders. It wasn’t until 1931 that the Convent was no longer able to fully fulfill the needs of the Sister leading to Foundress Hall being built in order to accommodate the increase in students (LFA). The school was also soon turned into a high school solely for girls and offered courses in music, fine and applied arts, and crafts, alongside the other academic and religious courses (Anonymous 1941).
Demolition of LFA’s Convent
Although the Convent had quite an extensive history, in the early twenty-first century it seemed like its days were numbered. It had been decided that the Convent, and Foundress Hall, would be demolished in order to make room for a new school wing (Little Flower Academy 2004). This decision, however, was not met without its fair share of resistance. People believed that the convent was “still beautiful and functional” and hence should not be demolished (Meen 2004). As is particularly true with the case of the LFA Convent, people knew that “buildings aren’t just physical objects that exist without memory or emotion. They Embody the Values of their builders, their residence and their larger communities” (Meen 2004).The Convent embodied the Sisters of St. Ann and their legacy of contribution to education. The Sisters designed that building and in it fulfilled their hopes of providing elite schooling to young women. To demolish the convent was to demolish “the very symbol of what the school stands for” (Meen 2004).
These opinions didn’t deter the schools plans for demolition, set to begin in 2005. Before the convent was to be demolished, however, LFA sent out an open invitation to take part in a tour of the convent. It was during this tour that most people realized the lack of functionality of the building. The Sisters had understandably been very economical in the construction of the convent, which unfortunately made it unable to be utilized as a modern teaching facility (Little Flower Academy 2004).
The demolition of the convent was done very meticulously in order to preserve as many remnants from the building as possible. This including, but was not limited to, numerous stain glass windows, wood flooring, fire places, and stone work,. Currently these items are displayed throughout the school. The stain glass windows adorn the walls throughout the school, the wood floors were incorporated into the new wing, and the tiles were elegantly utilized in the building of a grotto in commemoration of the Sisters of St. Ann. The Convent has made a lasting impression on Vancouver and very fortunately continues to be a part of Little Flower Academy.
These opinions didn’t deter the schools plans for demolition, set to begin in 2005. Before the convent was to be demolished, however, LFA sent out an open invitation to take part in a tour of the convent. It was during this tour that most people realized the lack of functionality of the building. The Sisters had understandably been very economical in the construction of the convent, which unfortunately made it unable to be utilized as a modern teaching facility (Little Flower Academy 2004).
The demolition of the convent was done very meticulously in order to preserve as many remnants from the building as possible. This including, but was not limited to, numerous stain glass windows, wood flooring, fire places, and stone work,. Currently these items are displayed throughout the school. The stain glass windows adorn the walls throughout the school, the wood floors were incorporated into the new wing, and the tiles were elegantly utilized in the building of a grotto in commemoration of the Sisters of St. Ann. The Convent has made a lasting impression on Vancouver and very fortunately continues to be a part of Little Flower Academy.
Conclusion
Little Flower Academy’s Convent was a significant site in Vancouver and one that should be remember as contributing to the formation of Vancouver’s history. It stood for many years as a symbol of the Sisters of St. Ann. It was through their determination the Little Flower Academy is in existence. Although the Convent is no longer standing, the memory of what the building stood for lives on in its remnants displayed throughout the school.
For More Information:
Dearden, Diana, Leah Povey, and Natalie Schlogl The Sister’s of St.Ann: The First Ten Years. ed. Vol. 2013, University Of Victoria, Victoria, BC.
Little Flower Academy Little Flower Academy: Sisters of St. Ann. ed. Vol. 2013, Little Flower Academy, Vancouver, BC.
For More Information:
Dearden, Diana, Leah Povey, and Natalie Schlogl The Sister’s of St.Ann: The First Ten Years. ed. Vol. 2013, University Of Victoria, Victoria, BC.
Little Flower Academy Little Flower Academy: Sisters of St. Ann. ed. Vol. 2013, Little Flower Academy, Vancouver, BC.
References
Anonymous 1941 Academy Offers Special Courses. Newspaper Article ed. (Retrieved from Vancouver Archives. Major Matthew's Clipping Collection. Schools-Private. Access number: MS 14-137.)
Barman, Jean 1995 The Emergence of Educational Structures in Nineteenth-Century British Columbia. In Children, Teachers & Schools, edited by Jean Barman, Neil Sutherland and Donald Wilson, pp. 15. Detselig, Calgary, BC.
Davis, Chuck 1997 The Greater Vancouver Book: An Urban Encyclopedia. Linkman Press, Surrey, BC.
Gresko, Jacqueline 2007 Gender and Mission: The Sisters of Saint Ann in British Columbia. In Changing Habits: Women's Religious Orders in Canada, edited by Elizabeth Smyth, pp. 274. Novalis, Ottawa, BC.
Little Flower Academy 2004 Little Flower Academy Capital Campaign. Little Flower Academy Archives ed. Vancouver, BC.
Little Flower Academy 2008 The Sisters of St. Ann: 150 Years in the West. Little Flower Academy Archives ed. Vancouver, BC.
Meen, Sharon 2004 Schools & our Heritage Soul. 7th ed. Vol. 13, Vancouver Heritage Newsletter, Vancouver, BC.
Sister of Saint Ann 1958 The Sisters of St. Ann in British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska, 1858-1958. Sisters of Saint Ann, Victoria, BC.
Barman, Jean 1995 The Emergence of Educational Structures in Nineteenth-Century British Columbia. In Children, Teachers & Schools, edited by Jean Barman, Neil Sutherland and Donald Wilson, pp. 15. Detselig, Calgary, BC.
Davis, Chuck 1997 The Greater Vancouver Book: An Urban Encyclopedia. Linkman Press, Surrey, BC.
Gresko, Jacqueline 2007 Gender and Mission: The Sisters of Saint Ann in British Columbia. In Changing Habits: Women's Religious Orders in Canada, edited by Elizabeth Smyth, pp. 274. Novalis, Ottawa, BC.
Little Flower Academy 2004 Little Flower Academy Capital Campaign. Little Flower Academy Archives ed. Vancouver, BC.
Little Flower Academy 2008 The Sisters of St. Ann: 150 Years in the West. Little Flower Academy Archives ed. Vancouver, BC.
Meen, Sharon 2004 Schools & our Heritage Soul. 7th ed. Vol. 13, Vancouver Heritage Newsletter, Vancouver, BC.
Sister of Saint Ann 1958 The Sisters of St. Ann in British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska, 1858-1958. Sisters of Saint Ann, Victoria, BC.