“When you are thirsty, it's too late to dig a well.”
| History of RND |
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Page 2 of 3 Notre Dame Convent
In his will, Bishop Macdonell had bequeathed to the CND his residence on the corner of Bagot and Johnson streets, a site now incorporated into Kingston Public Library. The sisters took possession of it in 1846 and remained there for the next 123 years. In 1867 the Sisters took over Hawthorne Cottage on King on King St. W. as a boarding school. However, because it was "too far out of the city", it did not prove feasible; the Sisters of Providence later took over property, and it is now the east section of St. Mary's of the Lake Hospital. The 1890's brought major developments for the Congregation. The Ontario Department of Education set higher professional standards for teachers and provided summer courses to enable current teachers to obtain the necessary qualifications. The Notre Dame Sisters were among the first to take advantage of this development, many of them receiving degrees through Queen's Summer School. Secondly, with their new qualifications, they established a complete high school (to grade 12). Thirdly, because of drastic overcrowding, they built an extension on their Bagot St. building, south along Johnson St. But almost immediately the school was overcrowded. In 1914 another wing was added, providing classrooms, a library and auditorium. The availability of full high school courses attracted a larger influx of boarders from around the diocese, along with the city girls. In 1916 Notre Dame added Grade 13. In 1951 the Cathedral School was opened to accommodate Grades 7-10 for the City. It was staffed by Notre Dame Sisters, too. This relieved the congestion in their own high school by siphoning off the grade 9 and 10 girls. By 1961 the CND decided to close their boarding school because of declining enrolment and deterioration of facilities.
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