Historic Sites of Manitoba: Ecole Tache (744 Langevin Street, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Principals | Vice-Principals | Teachers | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

Named for Alexandre-Antonin Taché, the Tache Elementary School was built by the St. Boniface School Division in 1958, based on architectural designs of Waisman Ross and Associates. A six-classroom expansion and three-classroom-equivalent gymnasium were added in 1965 on designs of local architect Etienne J. Gaboury. Subsequent additions were made in 1971, 1972, 1981, and 2015.

In January 1972, with only 178 of its 300 student capacity, the School Division sought to close the facility, citing declining birth rates and potential fiscal savings. At the time, it was the only all-French primary institution in the province. The school closed in the summer of 1974 with students transferring to Provencher School. Despite a statement by the School Division that the closure was “irreversible,” it reopened in the fall of 1976. Nine years later, students in grades 7 and 8 were transferred to Collège Louis-Riel.

Now known as Ecole Tache, the school joined the Franco-Manitobaine School Division in 1994 and, in 2002, renamed its library for retiring Principal Renée-France Labossière.

Principals

Period	Principal
1958-1968	Élise Comte
1968-1971	Thérèse Meissner
1971-1974	Paul Baril
1974-1976	School closed
1976-2002	Renée-France Labossière (1936-2018)
2002-2013	Maryvonne Alarie
2013-?	Mayur Raval

Teachers

Period	Teachers
1958-1959	?
1959-1960	?
1960-1961	?
1961-1962	?
1962-1963	?
1963-1964	Odette Marie Fontaine (grades 1-2), Marie-Ange Anne Célina Girouard (grade 2), Germaine Eugene Lussier (grade 4), Paule Lucille Marion (grades 3-4), Huguette Marie de Moissa (grade 3)
1964-1965	?
1965-1966	?
1966-1967	?
1967-1968	?
1968-1969	?
1969-1970	?
1970-1971	?
1971-1972	?
1972-1973	?
1973-1974	Florence Beaudry (grade 5, 1974), Georgette Valery Berard (grade 6), Sister Doris Blanchette (kindergarden, half day), Aimé F. Campagne (grade 8), Jean-Paul Courcelles (grade 8) Anita Alice Desrosiers (grade 2), Marie Angele Gautron (grade 3), Medard-Michel Léger (grade 5, 1973), Denise Marie Lemire (grade 4), Huguette Marie de Moissa (grade 1), Lucienne Héloïse Tougas (grade 7)
1974-1976	School closed
1976-?	?

Among the other teachers of Tache School was Celine Thuot.

Photos & Coordinates

Ecole Tache (May 2017) Source: Nathan Kramer Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89594, W97.12057 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Étienne-Joseph “Steve” Gaboury (1930-2022)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Tache School / Queen Elizabeth School (Kenny Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Tache School No. 937 (RM of Montcalm)

Sources:

“Top building designs on display here,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 February 1959, page 9.

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Free Press, 4 December 1964, page 39.

“Tache School to close,” Winnipeg Free Press, 11 January 1972, page 6.

“Board to keep Tache School,” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 January 1972, page 6.

“Tache School struggle not over,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 August 1974, page 15.

“Citizens propose ways to renew North St. B,” Winnipeg Free Press, 12 September 1974, page 3.

“Franco-Manitobaine group sees good in Tache closing,” Winnipeg Free Press, 12 September 1974, page 3.

“St. Boniface School Division No. 4,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 August 1976, page 29.

“The City of Winnipeg notice of public meetings [File No. DAV 439/81 SB/SV],” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 August 1981, page 28.

“Ecole Tache overcrowded, parents say,” Winnipeg Free Press, 5 November 1989, page 67.

History, Ecole Tache.

School records collection, Tache School Daily Registers, Le Centre du patrimoine of La Société historique de Saint-Boniface.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 15 October 2022

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