HIS CHILDHOOD IN VAUDREUIL AND EARLY SCHOOL YEARS

Son of Léon Groulx and Philomène-Salomé Pilon, Lionel Groulx was born on January 13, 1878 into a modest Vaudreuil family¹. He spent his childhood in the family home located in Les Chenaux (150 chemin des Chenaux, Vaudreuil-Dorion). During his elementary years from 1884 to 1890, he attended the Académie des Clercs Saint-Viateur in Vaudreuil (formerly Saint-Michel College and now the Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges). He boarded at the Seminary of Sainte-Thérèse from 1891 to 1899, returning every summer to the Vaudreuil family home. In 1900, he entered the Grand Séminaire de Montréal to pursue theological studies in order to become a priest. He was ordained in 1903 at the Sainte-Cécile Cathedral in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.

TEACHING CAREER, HIGHER EDUCATION AND FIRST ESSAYS

He began his teaching career at the Valleyfield College in 1900, first as a student and later as a teacher in 1903. He remained there until 1915 and taught literature and rhetorics. During this period, he traveled to study in Europe, including to Rome's La Minerve, where he obtained a doctorate in philosophy in 1907, and a doctorate in theology in 1908. It was during his time at the Valleyfield College that he became actively involved in social and intellectual causes. In fact, as soon as he arrived at the college, he launched a student movement, which he wrote about in his first book entitled Une croisade d'adolescents².

Throughout his career and life, he was deeply convinced of the importance of social and political activism, and he multiplied his appeals to youth and encouraged the creation of youth groups and organized student movements. Also an avid historian, he published the Petite histoire de Salaberry-de-Valleyfield in 1913³.

In 1915, he became a professor at Université Laval in Montréal, where he obtained the first Chair in Canadian History, a position inaugurated that same year. He remained in this function until his retirement in 1949. Meanwhile, he obtained his Masters of Arts degree from Université Laval in 1917 and a Doctorate in Arts degree from Université de Montréal in 1932 at the age of 54⁴.

A PROLIFIC AUTHOR

During his career, he gave over a hundred lectures in Canada and Europe, published 90 books and brochures, and presented a 100-lesson history course on the CKAC Montréal radio station between 1949 and 1952. When he needed a break from his exciting life, he returned to Vaudreuil, either to the family home or his cottage, to rest and write. In addition to the many historical publications and political essays he published, Lionel Groulx took the time to chronicle his memories and his attachment to his Vaudreuil home in two books: Les Rapaillages⁵ and Mes mémoires (its first volume is about his childhood and youth in Vaudreuil)⁶.

AN INFLUENTIAL FIGURE

Priest, teacher, historian, writer and great philosopher of 20th century Québec nationalism, Lionel Groulx was an influential personality of his time in the Québec intellectual community and among his contemporaries. He was awarded many honours during his lifetime and countless tributes following his death. Several places have been dedicated to him and bear witness to his influence on the Québec society, including the Lionel-Groulx pavilion of the Cité-des-Jeunes campus (high school in Vaudreuil-Dorion).

Lionel Groulx died in Vaudreuil on May 23, 1967 in his Chenaux cottage⁷. He received a national funeral at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montréal and was buried in Vaudreuil in the Saint-Michel Church Cemetery.