Individual Swiss Private Schools: Villa Saint Jean--The School

Figure 1.--This is the 3rd class (Classe de quatrième) at the Villa Saint Jean. The photograph was taken in 1941. It was taken at the front door of the school. The "Concierge", Mrs. Verdon, would receive visitors there. The boys wear a variety of short pants, knickers, and long pants suits. All these boys were French.

The Villa Saint Jean was a private Catholic school. It was founded by Les Marianistes--a Catholic order. Apparently the Marianistes were expelled from France in 1903 by the secular French Republic. The Marianistes as a result established a boarding school in nearby Switzerland. The school was a secondary school for boys beginning about 12years old. The oldest boys look to be about 18 years old.

French Text

An internet site about the school reports, "Vers la fin 1904, les locaux des Pérolles étaient à peu près terminés. Les élèves s'y installèrent donc. Les jeunes religieux venant du scolasticat secondaire de Besançon, après un séjour de quelques mois à Martigny, y trouèrent aussi un logis. La nouvelle institution était officiellement rattachée au collège cantonal Saint-Michel : elle en devenait la << section français >>. Là encore, on renouait avec le passé. Avant le Sonderbund, les occupé aujourd'hui par le grand séminaire diocésain, un contingent important d'élèves français. Masi, plus favorisés que leurs aînés, les nouveaux élèves allaient trouver un régime d'études adapté aux programmes français En s'installant dans les nouveaux bâtiments, placés sous la protection de l'apôtre sain Jean, le P. Kieffer réalisait une expérience pédagogique qui lui était chère : la vie de famille au collège. Sa grande famille d'environ deux cents personnes était divisée en trois sections réparties en << pavillons >> : La Sapinière pour les grands, Les Ormes pour les moyens et Gallia pour les petits. Dans de vastes espaces de verdure, chacune de ces sections avait son cadre matériel propre et formait un ensemble distinct, adapté aux besoins et aux caractères particuliers, des différents âges. Des animateurs multipliaient les réunions intimes, religieuses et profanes ; le sport était à l'honneur. Au lieu d'être perdu dans l'anonymat, chaque élève vivait à l'aise dans un milieu où il se sentait comme dans sa famille. C'est ainsi que de nombreuses générations d'étudiants trouvèrent à la Villa Saint-Jean le cadre idéal pour parfaire leur formation religieuse, intellectuelle et physique. Le P. Kieffer publia ses expériences pédagogiques en 1916 dans un ouvrage qui connut onze éditions et deux traductions (espagnole et polonaise) : L'autorité dans la famille et à l'école. (Paris, Beauchesne, 1916, 489 pages) La guerre de 1939-1945 faillit mettre en cause l'existence de la Villa Saint-Jean. Elle survécut cependant à cette épreuve et retrouva sa prospérité matérielle. Mas le manque de personnel religieux ne lui permit pas de correspondre suffisamment aux vues de son fondateur. D'autre part, les marianistes de France se voyaient dans la nécessité de se regrouper. C'est pourquoi, en placèrent par des marianistes des Etats-Unis qui firent de la Villa Saint-Jean une High School américaine destinée aux jeunes gens de langue anglaise. Huit ans plus tard, la Société de Marie abandonna cette oeuvre. Au printemps 1971, l'Etat de Fribourg acheta la Villa Saint-Jean en vue de construire de nouveau bâtiments et d'y transférer certaines sections du collège cantonal Saint-Michel. "

English Text

We would tanslate this as somethibg like, "Towards the end 1904, the various rooms of Pérolles' building were about finished. The pupils thus settled there. The young monks coming from the secondary theological college of Besançon, after a stay of a few months in the town of Martigny, also found a home there. The new institution was officially attached to the cantonal college Saint-Michel and thus became its < French section > . [HBC note: I think this maens that there was also a German section.] So once again there was a link to past history . However, more favoured than their elder, the new pupils were going to find a mode of studies adapted to the French programs. While moving into the new buildings, placed under the protection of the apostle Saint Jean, father Kieffer carried out a teaching experience that was important to him: family life in a college. Its great family of approximately two hundred people was divided into three sections lodged in their own houses: The "Sapinière" for the elder ones, "Les Ormes" for the means and "Gallia" for the youngest. In vast spaces of greenery, each one of these sections had its own material framework and formed a distinct unit, adapted to the needs and specific characters ofthe various ages. Animators multiplied the intimate, religious and profane meetings; sport was in evidence. Instead of being lost in anonymity, each pupil lived at ease in an environment where it felt as in his family. Thus, many generations of students found the Villa St. Jean the ideal framework to perfect their religious, intellectual and physical formation.Father Kieffer published his teaching experiments in 1916 in a work which knew eleven editions and two translations (Spanish and Polish): Authority in the family and at the school. (Paris, Beauchesne, 1916, 489 pages) The war of 1939-1945 nearly ruined the existence of Villa St Jean. It survived this test however and found its material prosperity. However, due to the religious staff shortage, the actual intents of its founder were not achieved. In addition, the marianists of France saw themselves in the need for gathering. This is why, they were repaced by marianists of the United States which made of Villa St Jean an american high school intended for young people of English language. Eight years later, the Company of Marie gave up this work. In spring 1971, the State of Fribourg bought Villa St Jean in order to erect new buildings where to transfer some sections of the Saint-Michel cantonal college.

Created: December 1, 2003
Last updated: December 2, 2003