Mr. Norman Hooper on the choice of a school and the influence of the priest
Grade 10 class at St-Patrice Academy in 1944-1945. Norman Hooper est encerclé en rouge. Source: Magog Historical Society, Research files, Vitrine-Les Classes\IN2\C.10.61.
Interview with Norman Hooper, a former student at the Saint- Patrice Academy, by Louis-Charles Cloutier Blain (Magog Historical Society) 16 August 2018:
Norman Hooper: “The question of going to school, as I just said. I […] couldn’t go to the High School because it was Protestant. They threatened to excommunicate us.”
L-C Cloutier Blain (MHS): “Who, then? But who issued the threat?”
Norman Hooper: “Well […] the priest who was in charge at that time. I think it was Father Bouhier. I don’t know if it was him or the one before him.”
L-C Cloutier Blain (MHS): “Was it Father Brassard?”
Norman Hooper: “Maybe Father Brassard.”
L-C Cloutier Blain (MHS): “Ok. Brassard or Bouhier you say?”
Norman Hooper: “Well, I do[n’t] know which years Bouhier was there . . .”
L-C Cloutier Blain (MHS): “In any case, the priest in charge at that time threatened your parents with excommunication?”
Norman Hooper: “Didn’t threaten. They just simply said that they were ready to excommunicate them if they […] sent me to an English school.”
L-C Cloutier Blain (MHS): “Hey, that’s pretty powerful, that.”
Norman Hooper: “Yes. It’s strong. It’s very strong.”
L-C Cloutier Blain (MHS): “Because, basically, your parents, wanted to send you to the High School?”
Norman Hooper: “Yes. My father wanted to send me there so that I could learn English since I didn’t speak English very well at all at the time.”
L-C Cloutier Blain (MHS): “So, for fear of excommunication, your parents preferred to send you to Saint-Patrice College?”
Norman Hooper: “Yes.”
L-C Cloutier Blain (MHS): “Wow. Amazing.”
Norman Hooper: “Yes.”