Collège François-de-Laval

Collège François-de-Laval (French pronunciation: [kɔlɛʒ fʁɑ̃swa də laval]), previously known as the Petit Séminaire de Québec ([pəti seminɛʁ də kebɛk]), is a private French-language Catholic secondary school in Vieux-Québec, Quebec City, Quebec. Origins and current status The school was founded in 1668, as part of the Séminaire de Québec. Until 1970, the Superior of the Seminary was also the Rector of Université Laval, which was originally an offshoot of it. In 1985, the seminary transferred the secondary school to a new secular not-for-profit organization, "le Collège François-de-Laval", which was given the right to use the "Petit Séminaire de Québec" name. Another school, Le Petit Séminaire de Québec, campus de l'Outaouais was founded as a branch of the school in the Outaouais area of western Quebec. A separate organization with a similar name, the Petit séminaire diocésain de Québec, is a residential school for boys considering the Roman Catholic priesthood, managed by the Séminaire de Québec. Background Many French-Canadian clergy of the 18th and 19th century, as well as innumerable academics, went through the Petit Séminaire before higher education became widely accessible. Of 867 students who lived at the Petit Séminaire during the French period, 198 graduated. Of these, 118 became priests or brothers, and 80 chose other occupations, according to research by historian Mgr Amédée Gosselin. Notable graduates Pierre-Stanislas Bédard, lawyer, journalist, judge, member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada Amable Berthelot, member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada and the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada Michel-Amable Berthelot Dartigny, member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada; lawyer and notary Jean Blanchet (physician), member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada and the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada; physician René-Édouard Caron, lawyer, judge, politician, and second Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau (1829–1837), first Premier of Quebec Paul Fiset, microbiologist and developer of the Q fever vaccine Jean-François Hubert, Bishop of Quebec, 1788–1797 Thomas Lee (notary), notary and member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada Jean-Marie Mondelet, notary and political figure in Lower Canada Augustin-Norbert Morin, journalist, lawyer, politician, and Patriote in Lower Canada Denis-Benjamin Papineau, Lower Canada politician, co-premier of the Province of Canada Louis-Joseph Papineau, Lower Canada politician, lawyer, seigneur, and Patriote leader Étienne Parent, Lower Canada journalist, politician, and public servant Joseph-François Perrault, businessman and member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada Joseph-Xavier Perrault, educator, businessman, and member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada Louis Plamondon (lawyer), Lower Canada lawyer and bon vivant Étienne-Paschal Taché, doctor, Patriote, Joint-premier of the Province of Canada, Father of Confederation References Further reading Bureau, Gilles (2008). "Le Petit Séminaire de Québec 1668-2008". L'Abeille. 55 (2). Québec: Amicale du Petit Séminaire de Québec: 17–20. External links Official website Petit séminaire diocésain de Québec