Athol Murray College of Notre Dame is a private, co-educational boarding high school located in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was founded by the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis in 1920 as St. Augustine school when they established Notre Dame of the Prairies Convent. The school was later renamed to honor Father Athol Murray. In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that Athol Murray College of Notre Dame is situated on the traditional lands referred to as Treaty 4 Territory. These are the territories of the Cree, Ojibwe, Saulteaux, Dakota, Nakota, Lakota and on the homeland of the Metis/Michif Nation.
History
In 1920, the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis opened the Notre Dame of the Prairies Convent and St. Augustine's residential elementary and high school for boys and girls at Wilcox, Saskatchewan—a small town on the Canadian prairies south of Regina.
Father Athol Murray was appointed to St. Augustine's parish in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, in 1927. The institution's name was eventually changed to honor his contributions.
In the beginning, the college had no running water or central heating. In 1930, fees were $18 per month, but many students couldn't afford to pay. Murray accepted students on the basis that they desired an education, not on their ability to pay. A side of beef, a chicken, a bucket of coal and produce were often accepted instead of money. Students came from everywhere and from every type of social, cultural and religious background.
Murray was assisted by Sister Mary Edith McCullough, whose teaching career spanned 30 years at Wilcox. McCullough ran the elementary and high schools while Murray spent most of his time with the students in the Arts programs. In 1933, Père Murray succeeded in obtaining an official affiliation with the University of Ottawa.
The Institute for Stained Glass in Canada has documented the stained glass at the school, which include windows dedicated sixty-seven ex-students of Notre Dame College who served and died during World War II. The stained glass window by Colonial Studios, Ottawa, circa 1948 depicts St. Augustine.
Archives Museum
The Archives Museum established in 1993 includes a replica of the office of Father Athol Murray, a rare books vault, and a display of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Athletics
In addition to its academic programs, the college has many sports teams that the students play on. The most notable are the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's Notre Dame Hounds. There are also a number of minor ice hockey teams affiliated with Hockey Saskatchewan, and as members of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL). Notre Dame currently fields three midget 'AAA' teams: two male teams (the Hounds and the Argos), and one female team (the Hounds). The Notre Dame Hounds are five time Telus Cup Champions and most recently won in 2018.
Former Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Vincent Lecavalier and Brad Richards played together in the school's AAA Bantam program, while numerous others have gone on to be drafted into the NHL.
Notre Dame also runs high school athletics programs in basketball, rugby, football, soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball, track and field and wrestling.
Notable alumni
Gordon Currie 1943 (Order Of Canada) Clément Chartier, a Métis Canadian leader, who served as president of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples between 1984–87 and vice-president between 1993 and 1997. Dr. Olive Dickason 1945 (Order of Canada) Brian Felesky 1960 (Order of Canada) Francis Joseph "Frank" Germann (b. 31 August 1922, d. 30 April 2012) accomplished athlete, coach and volunteer, Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame Alice Henderson 1951 (author "Notre Dame of the Prairies") Bill Hunter 1939 (Order of Canada) Daryl Kelly – youngest Canadian to successfully scale Mount Everest Jason Kenney 1986 (Premier of Alberta 2019–2022) Cy MacDonald, was an educator and political figure in Saskatchewan. He represented Milestone from 1964 to 1975 and Qu'Appelle-Wolseley from 1975 to 1978 in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan as a Liberal. Gerald Maier 1946 (Order of Canada) Major Derek Prohar M.M.V 1996 (Awarded the Medal of Military Valour & Meritorious Service Decoration) Dr. Ray Rajotte 1950 (Order of Canada & one of Canada's leading Diabetes researchers) Murray Smith, a businessman and former provincial-level politician Kal Suurkask (2011/2012 Action Canada Fellow)