Today’s post kicks off a new feature as I am proud to unveil a new category, The Bob Baillargeon collection. Bob who’s now a Windsor ex-pat, grew up down here, and spent many years as a photo journalist. Bob has been slowly going though his vast photographic collection, and has recently been spending some quality time with his scanner. These photos were shot in the Winter of 1974-1975.
Today, Bob sends along a few photos of St. Mary’s Academy to add to the collection.
Photo © Bob Baillargeon
A view of the exterior of St. Mary’s
Photo © Bob Baillargeon
An interior view of the staircase
Photo © Bob Baillargeon
A view of the Foyer
Many thanks to Bob, for sending along these great photos!
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Now there’s a building I would have liked to have had the opportunity to tour. Great photos!
This is a repeat >>>”
I remember as a student in the mid 1960`s…marching up three flights of stairs to the classrooms… all hardwood floors … oak staircases…stained glass windows…the 4th floor housed the student residence…& some retired clergy…we`d hang out in the “Grotto” (usually to smoke) at noon & recesses or wonder around the two courtyards or the orchards , hoping the Assumption boys would dare drive around the grounds & leer at the St Mary girls … on occasion some of our duties as day students included dusting the parlors on the main floor in preparation for a funeral service for a nun (“sister”)…or the annual “mother & daughter tea”…there was a grand auditorium for the theatrical events the students put on …wonderful old stage with “practice” rooms (i.e. piano) surrounding it…the locker rooms & lunch rooms were in the stone basement… there was an old “cage” type elevator we`d sneak rides on (or press the button to pull an unsuspecting passenger (usually a “sister”) back down…the Chapel was beautiful ( the only part of the building salvaged )…we`d wear our “beanies” for services…What a sin that this building was not treated as heritage !!!”
Looking at todays picture give me the chills… it`s like waiting for the building to explode !!!
I *love* that description of student life at the school. Unfortunate that the building was not re-purposed.
When I was a young boy we lived at the end of the 3200 block of Morris Drive, I looked out our living room window and could see this amazing building any time I wanted…. we played baseball, flew kites, and caught frogs in the field in front of the Academy (all houses now where that field was) — I recall many Sundays walking the Academy grounds with my father – we often played in the apple orchard climbing the trees, and would get chased off the grounds by the nuns, (there was always the story about some ‘guy’ with a rock salt gun that would hunt you down if you were in the orchard, i never saw the guy, ever)….. the grotto was a strange, spooky place, candles burning, and all the dark and dingy craggy rock going up the staircase to the ‘lookout window’…. While in grades 4 & 5 I studied private art lessons every Wednesday after school, Sr. Jerome was the teacher… and yes, I recall the sad day they razed the building – I attended the yard sale, and the final auction of all the goods…. i bought a couple small things.
Too many questions still loom as to where did all that interior woodwork go?, and WHY they had to tear down such a beautiful piece of Architecture? – I recall hearing of a report stating the building was in ill repair… in 1975, this building was only about 50 years old, was it not!?! How could a structure be in bad condition in that short length of time?? There are buildings that are 500+ years old in Europe, still standing!!
Thanks for posting these pix Bob, and Andrew.
My memories are from Grade 1 & 2 as at that time it was co-ed.
The most memorable experience was the visit of Cardinal Leger 1956.As I was the smallest boy, I was the first in line as His Eminence entered the school.
That was quite place.
St. Mary’s was an amazing place to attend school. Our gr.10 teacher Sr. Jacqueline took us on a tour to the 4th floor where the boarders used to live. The beds and cloth dividers were still up and this was 1970-71 – the boarders had been gone for many years. She then took us all up on the roof. A wonderful view of South Windsor and beyond.
The building was old but well kept. Not sure how it could go from housing a girls school to condemned in 2 years. The sisters asked the public not to stand in the way of the sale and it became a done deal. Unfortunately a building that size would cost mega dollars for upkeep and retro fitting. The day the Academy was imploded was a very sad day for all us South Windsor kids that grew up in it’s shadow.
sweet!
Such a shame that a grand building like this one was demolished…it always intrigued me..never been inside… would like to see more pictures of the interior if anyone has them !
There are some kitchen cabinets from St. Mary’s at Willistead Manor on the 2nd floor. They are huge … I am not sure if they are from this structure, of the former one downtown (or perhaps both) .. but these cabinets truly show the grandeur
how sad was this to see come down. i sat on the roof of our home on morris drive when this beautiful building came down with dynamite.i will always remember when my dad used to sit having a coffee or a beer looking out the big bay window of the house at the huge St.Mary’s Academey tower in his view.i remember my dad telling me how sad it was for the city to destroy a beautiful heritage building like this.
why did they take it down?
Mike….to make 3 or 4 short streets and a handful of average houses.
My father, Joseph, may he rest in peace, tried desparately to save St. Mary’s Academy from being demolished. He came home from work, in Detroit, one night, and proceeded to the Caboto Club where he was a lone picketer of the visiting Premier of Ontario–Bill Davis–trying to get political intervention to declare St. Mary’s as a building of historic and architectural significance.
The builders of that tiny sudivision of houses had said that they would leave the original gates standing (hence the name of the tiny subdivision as “St. Mary’s Gates”)but then went back on their word and demolished those majestic gates replacing them with a small pile of bricks unworthy of notice.
I Attended St Marys from 1942 until 1947.. My 3rd Course Sister was Sister Louise, Sister Rose Alberta—- I was the President of the 3rd course.. Many fond memories of my being a boarder .. Learned many things about independence, honesty and christian beliefs. Also many good things from the nuns about table manners, etiquette,etc.
Joann Zuk Liefer, we now live in Marquette Michigan.
So sad that the photos have been removed. I am sure many of us who attended St. Mary’s would greatly appreciate seeing them. I spent many happy hours there,such a beautiful chapel,lots of rolling hardwood floors, hanging ferns,gorgeous antiques.I can still remember the sisters packing us in the buses at night,we felt like sardnies.We were always curious about the floor the sisters lived on,but it was off limits,so we used our imaginations.Who could forget those black dress with the plastic collar and cuffs….so modest. (But we did look very nice in a parade)I felt very priviliged to attend such a wonderful school,and I thank my parents for the sacrifices they made to send me there.
Wow, so sad indeed to not share these memories. I fortunately stumbled upon International Metropolis while these photos were still on the site. To the owner of the copyrights of these photos: I first hand know how special these photos are for memory sake. My father worked at The Academy, our home was built on their property in the 40’s, my siblings and I went to school there and we also looked at alot of these nuns as family. Unfortunately my father became critically ill in the 60’s and we were forced to move. These memories you are hoarding from people…..why and what benefit does it give you in return? This site isn’t prospering finacially because of them. Please rethink this and know in your heart of hearts that your decision is hurtful to those who just want to reach into the past for some comfort and memories. I’m speaking on behalf of alot of people.Please allow these pictures back, for not only our generation but for those who have no knowledge of what St. Marys Academy truly stood for and out of respect for The Sisters and Priests that so loved this place and all that walked through her grand doors!
P.S. type in The Windsor Star from the vault and you will see pics of St. Marys Academy. Enjoy!!! To the owner of this blog, thank you so much, please keep up the good work!
The owner of this site, Andrew, is a true class act. He knows first hand copyright infringements as he has had that happen to him.
It’s nice to know that some peoplestill have integrity.
Dear readers; as excellent a site as this is, I thought I would mention to St. Mary’s Academy fans that they now have a site on facebook. You just type in St. Mary’s Academy on your facebook. Excellent, photos and reuniting conversations. :):)