Prior to 1970, teachers for the English Catholic schools of Quebec were prepared within the structure of the French Catholic system of teacher education. For many years training for women teachers took place in English sections of normal schools operated by nuns; a major initiative for the training of men teachers occurred in 1939 with the opening of an English section of the Jacques Cartier Normal School in Montreal.An important advance took place with the opening of the St. Joseph Teachers College in 1955 as a separate government-operated teachers college for the preparation of English men and women teachers. The enrolment expanded from 100 students in 1956 to around 500 in 1968; students followed a two-year post-secondary program, a four-year bachelor of education program (with the degree granted by the Université de Montréal) or a one-year program for university graduates. In addition, a range of part-time and summer courses were offered to help practicing teachers improve their qualifications. Sections of the College were opened in Quebec city and Gaspé .As part of the education reforms of the 1960s, the government decided to abolish normal schools and integrate their programs into the newly created CEGEPs or into the universities. By 1967 it had become clear that the government’s intention was to establish on Faculty of Education in Montreal for all English teachers, Protestant and Catholic.In 1969, an agreement was signed by the Minister of Education, The St. Joseph Teachers College, and the McGill Board of Governors for the integration of programs, staff, and students. In 1970, a “new” McGill Faculty of Education began operations in a new $4 million building on the main campus. The two education traditions melded successfully as staff worked together on new programs and policies to meet the common challenges facing teacher education.For more information:
Norman Henchey, The St. Joseph Teachers College Joins McGill: A View From the Other Side. In Aspects of Education (25th Anniversary, McGill Faculty of Education), Margaret Gillett and Ann Beer (co-editors). McGill Faculty of Education, 1991. Pp. 29-44.