Richard de St. Croix
6473 Second Line Road S.
RR#1, KARS, Ontario
K0A 2E0 Canada

November 6, 1998

Blanche de St. Croix-The First Ninety Years

• Blanche spent most of her school years in Bathurst N.B living away from home.
  

• She graduated from the Provincial Normal School in Fredericton in 1927. That is the year that Blanche gave me my first bath.
  
• After graduating, she taught school in seven different places in New Brunswick and Quebec. One of the schools was in Delson, Quebec where we lived at the time. Blanche taught a total of 44 pupils in grades five to eight. One of the pupils was our brother Austin.
  
• After spending two summers in Camp Leadership Training, Blanche started her camp career at Camp Chapleau as Director of the girl's section in 1937. This lasted until 1949.
  
• In the fall of 1937, instead of teaching, Blanche started working at the Iverley Community Centre in Montreal where she worked until 1950.
  
• In 1943 Blanche had started taking courses at Sir George Williams College and in 1954 she graduated with a BA degree in Social Work.
  
• In 1950 Blanche started a new social work career with the Montreal Social Agencies. When she retired in 1973 she was in charge of the Social Service Index of Montreal. The Montreal Gazette published a wonderful article when Blanche retired and I have made some extra copies for you.
  
• In 1954 a home, that we are all familiar with, was bought on O'Bryan Avenue and Blanche and Francis lived there until 1989 when they moved to North Gower.
  
• This past summer Blanche sold the home in North Gower and moved to the Bayfield Manor in Kemptville. Here she continues to be the same helpful person by pushing some of the people who need wheelchairs to the dining room.
  
• Blanche has received some letters and cards today with many sentiments that I would have trouble reading to you.
  
• They all say: Blanche you are a wonderful kind person and we love you.