Saint-Remacle College: a child of anti-clericalism

In its more than one and a half century of existence, the college has been a well-known institution in the region. It was founded in 1856 by Dean Nyssen because the Catholic Church was not allowed to organize religious education in the municipal school. The influx of students was so substantial that the bishop decided in 1867 to turn it into a bishopric school. This is the official founding date of the school. From the very beginning, Nyssen intended to develop a complete cycle from primary school to classical secondary education. This seems to have been successful for boys in 1917. For girls, advanced education will be limited to a domestic science school. Students came from the wider region. There was a boarding school and for German-speaking students, there was even a ‘classe allemande’. Notable students from that early period included General Jacques de Dixmude (1858-1928), who was recognized both in the then Congo and during World War I, and Father Conrardy who spent the last year of Father Damien on Molokai and founded a hospital for lepers in China.

Today, the school has more than 1200 students and 130 professional staff. It is the second largest employer in the city. The school is closely connected to Stavelot, among other things, through its participation in various activities and the provision of its infrastructure for events ranging from a wedding to a concert.

Jan Rymenams