COLUMN: Carillon Flashback May 31, 1995 – Artist adds name to mural at St Pierre-Jolys school

As parents and students cheered, Real Berard picked up a paint brush to put the finishing touches to a huge wall mural at the school, which bears his name in St Pierre-Jolys.

Politicians praised the community’s efforts to further French education for their children, students presented skits, and the school choir and band performed, as the well-known Manitoba artist joined dignitaries for the official opening of Ecole Communautaire Real Berard.

The new elementary school at St Pierre-Jolys presented its new name, a new motto, and a new coat-of-arms and colours during outdoor ceremonies under sunny skies, the last week in May, to mark the first year of Manitoba’s French school division, Division Scolaire Franco-Manitobaine.

MLA Frank Pitura, representing Education Minister Linda McIntosh, said he was pleased to participate in the ceremony marking the beginning of a new period in French language education in St Pierre-Jolys.

The new French school division is keenly interested in presenting a sound education for francophone youth, he said. Strong parental input, a dedicated staff and community support are ingredients that will ensure success.

The choice of the name for the school reflects the community’s approach of ensuring the preservation and enhancement of French-Canadian and bilingual character, Pitura said.

“Real Berard is a down-to-earth person, has a great respect for his heritage and is guided by Christian principles. He expresses common sense and love of the French Canadian culture with artistic flair.”

School principal Daniel Faucher explained the mural on the west wall of the elementary school is the creation of Berard, with help from students and parents. Students were asked to draw small pictures of what they thought their community represented and these were presented to Berard as ideas.

The artist created an eight-inch by 32-inch scale painting, which hangs in the hallway at the school. The picture was projected onto eight-foot-high panels and students and parents began the arduous task of recreating the mural for the outside of the school.

The history of education and the community are blended in a collage of images ranging from Louis Riel and the old St Pierre-Jolys Catholic Church to musical instruments and letters depicting the earliest of French lessons for young students.