There are countless facts concerning Lowell’s Franco-Americans that are very interesting. As we proceed with this website we will try to share some of them with you.
1947 – Junior C.Y.O.
From left to right, First Row: Paul Cote and Paul Bellemare;
Second Row: Gerry Beauchesne, Mike Boutin, Paul Bourgeois, “Red” Lamoureux, Leo Grenier, Paul Marion and Paul Lemieux;
Third Row: Phar Barry, Ray Bergeron, Coach Asselin, Coach “Pop” Boisvert, Andy Pelletier and “Cooch” Courtemanche;
Fourth Row: Leo Parent, “Baldy” Reardon, …Gendreau, Vic Tetreault and Moe Mayotte.
Academie St. Louis- St. Louis Academy, Lowell, Mass.
Junior Class of 1939-1940
Top row: Florence Dureault, Florence Gregoire, Agnes Poisson
2nd row: Lauretta Monette, Marguerite Lafontaine
3rd row: Dorothee Paradis, Veronica McNally
4th row Simonne Morneault, Imelda Frechette
Bottom row: Alice Richards, Yvette Lamarche, (my dearest mother), Georgette Lemieux
The viewer will note that Agnes Poisson dropped out after Junior Year and a new student Gabrielle Ledoux, took her place keeping the graduating class at twelve.
– Dennis J. Taylor Atlanta, Georgia, July 14, 2015
The Aiken Stars Softball Team, 1938-1939, Centralville, Lowell, Mass. Taken at 242 Dalton Street, in Lowell
Home of Coach Hormidas “Jack” Ducharme, who was married to Claire Gendreau, a first cousin to my paternal grandmother, Monique Lebrun Taylor. Claire was an older sister of Assistant coach John Fitzgerald’s wife, Lillian Gendreau.
Standing left to right:
- Mr. “Blackie” Beaudry, Assistant coach
- Andre “Pecker” Landry, Outfield (his parents hated his nickname)
- Leon Fontaine, Pitcher & Utility man (was not in uniform due to a shoulder injury; was my mother Yvette Lamarche Taylor’s first serious boyfriend)
- Hormidas “Jack” Ducharme, Head coach
- Lucien Matte, 2nd base (1st cousin to Leon Matte, our neighbor and a brother to Charles Matte, who was married to Rita Bergeron; Lucien was also in the Garde Frontenac)
- Leo “Duke” Doucette, Catcher (also played in the St. Louis Cercle Leader Twi loop)
- John Fitzgerald, Assistant Coach (married to Lillian Gendreau)
Middle row:
- Arthur “Chink” Lozeau, Pitcher
- Ray Rousseau, 3rd Base (got into a fist fight with George Lamarche)
- George Lamarche, Infield (my maternal uncle, Injured while fighting in Sicily)
- Henry “Hank” Boudreau, 3rd Base (killed in WWII, August 23, 1943 in Italy)
- Ray “Starchy” Dame, 3rd Base
- Victor “Vic” Sawyer, Pitcher (married to Rita “Skip” Aubin)
Front row:
- Ray Ducharme, son of “Jack” Ducharme, Catcher
- Ernest “Ernie” Dubois, Infield
- Peter “Pat” Ducharme (another Ducharme son, Bat & Ball Boy)
- Victor “Pepete” Bergeron, Left Field and Outfield
- Robert “Butch” Boucher, Center Field
– Dennis J. Taylor, Atlanta, Ga. July 14, 2015
St. Louis de France Parish School
Lowell Mass. 8th Grade Graduation, June 1937
Priest: Rev Francis Gauthier
(You will note that there are thirty girls and only seventeen boys. The graduates all carried a scroll and a diploma.)
Left to Right:
Bottom row: Simonne Morneau, Agnes Poisson, unknown, Marguerite Lafontaine, Doris Lavoie, unknown
2nd row: Ruby Patenaude, Doris St. Hilaire, unknown, Doris Pratt, Veronica McNally
3rd row: Pauline Lessard, Evelyn Lessard, unknown, Dorothee Paradis
4th row: Dorothee Hamel, Dorothee Chouinard, Florence Dureault
5th row: Imelda Frechette, Rita Aubin Sawyer, Florence Gregoire. Estelle Jodoin, Therese Corbin
Top row: Beatrice St. Onge, Lauretta Monette, unknown, Alice Richards, Doris Trouville, Cecile Chouinard, Yvette Lamarche, (my dearest mother)
Names of the boys all unknown.
– Dennis J. Taylor, Atlanta, Ga. July 14, 2015
St. Louis Academy, June 1941 Graduating Class
St. Louis Academy was a high school for girls supported by the parish of St. Louis de France in Lowell, Mass. It was founded in 1918 and I believe it was located on West Sixth St. The photo was taken in front of the school which was demolished about the year 1958. Whereas there were thirty young ladies in the St. Louis School 8th grade graduation class of 1937, there were only twelve in the high school graduation class of 1941. The school’s purpose was to well prepare young women for work in the business world. Shorthand and typing, not technology and communications, were of maximum importance. Where did all these other young women go? Some may have gone on to Lowell High School, although for a Catholic child to attend a public school then was almost a sacrilege. Some may have gone on to a finishing school which was of two years duration. Many would have dropped out at age sixteen.
The graduates are as follows:
Top center: Alice Richards
Bottom center: Florence Dureault
Botton 1st row: Simone Morneau and Georgette Lemieux
2nd row: Loretta Monette and Marguerite Lafontaine
3rd row: Dorothee Paradis and Imelda Frechette
4th row: Veronica McNally and Gabrielle Ledoux
Top row: Florence Gregoire and Yvette Lamarch
Both the Prize banner for 1940 and the Third Prize banner for 1941 were for Shorthand.They were awarded by OGA, Order of Gregg Artists of New York City. OGA was the preeminent company in the publishing of shorthand textbooks in those days. Class president and valedictorian was Yvette Lamarche, my mother. The priest was pastor Rev. Charles Cordier who became pastor in 1940. The little girl in the lower center is unknown. You can see the importance placed on the girls education in that most girls carried a diploma and numerous academic scrolls tied with ribbon and each bore a huge bouquet of roses. In front of the group was placed four huge baskets of flowers to complete the perfect picture.
Written by Dennis J. Taylor, Atlanta Ga. July 11, 2015
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