Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The College of St. Mary of Aire-sur-la-Lys was founded in 1614 by the Society of Jesus, after an agreement with the city. The first courses, focused on Latin, Greek and rigorous pedagogy, are held in the Holy Brigitte Hospice. As early as 1621, the construction of a large brick and stone building began, completed in 1639. Between 1682 and 1688, the Jesuits added the chapel of Saint-Jacques, in baroque style, attributed to Brother Jean Bégrand. The school then has nearly 300 students, marking its educational and religious development.

In 1762, the royal edict abolishing the Jesuits in France led to the closure of the college. He reopened in 1777 under the Fathers of the Christian Doctrine, but declined before closing again in 1793, during the Revolution. The chapel of Saint-Jacques, reassigned, returned to a cult vocation in the 19th century. Under the Consulate, a decree of 1803 revived municipal education, with a return in 1804 and the opening of a boarding school in 1808.

In 1851, the city entrusted the college to the Society of Priests of Saint-Bertin, which renamed it "Institut Sainte-Marie". After the departure of the religious in 1871, the leadership became diocesan. In 1904, secular laws closed the establishment, but civil society resettled it in 1905. In 1922, it acquired the buildings, then expanded the site in 1924 with the purchase of the barracks in Esse. The writer Georges Bernanos studied there in the 1900s.

During the Second World War, the college was bombed in May 1940, suffering a fire destroying rooms, dormitories and library. Occupied by the German army until the Liberation, it was rebuilt between 1945 and 1954, with a shift from the main entrance to Saint Peter's Square. In 1946, its facades and roofs were classified as historic monuments, recognizing their heritage value.

Since 1955, the college has modernized its courses, becoming mixed in 1965 and focusing on the second degree. In 2014, he celebrated his 400 years with commemorative events, reaffirming his local anchor. Today, there is still a private institution under contract, preparing for the National Patent Diploma, while actively participating in the cultural life of Aire-sur-la-Lys, especially during Heritage Days.

External links