Registration as a historical monument 5 avril 2019 (≈ 2019)
Total protection of the site and its surroundings.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
In total the old school group of the Centre (now Lefebvre-Malfait), including the fence walls, the gardens and the courtyard with its trees, located 60, 62, 64 and 66 square Armand-Petit (Box AW 224 to 228): inscription by order of 5 April 2019
Origin and history
The former school group of the Centre, now called Lefebvre-Malfait, is a historic monument located in Wasquehal, in the department of the North (Hautes-de-France). This site, fully registered by decree of April 5, 2019, includes not only school buildings, but also fence walls, gardens and the courtyard with its trees. Its official address, 60 to 66 square Armand-Petit, makes it a central element of the local heritage, although its GPS location is approximate (noted 5/10 precisely).
Owned by the municipality, it shows the importance of educational infrastructures in urban planning at the beginning of the 20th century, when school groups multiplied in response to the democratization of education. Wasquehal, a commune in the North near Lille, experienced a marked industrialization since the 19th century, with a growing working population. In this context, school groups played a key role in centralizing primary education, often in buildings designed to combine functionality and republican symbolism.
The architecture of these institutions reflected the values of the Third Republic – free, secular and compulsory education – while integrating into the urban fabric. Although the details on the specific construction of this school group are lacking, its recent inscription as a historic monument underscores its heritage value, both for its architecture and for its past social role.
