Education

The first official school mentioned was held in the premises, now in ruins, at the bottom of the Prince's Lane, at Bas des Ries. It was mixed and counted, in 1840, up to 200 pupils. In 1831, C. Lecomte was a teacher there. In 1834 , he resigned and was replaced by Maximilien Chevalier.

Parallel to this official school, there was the "clerk's school", run by Raphaël Vos (in the vos family, we were clerks and teachers from father to son). This school was maintained until 1870.
In 1854 , a school for girls was created, but there was no communal premises. The class is held in a private room which changes with the holder:
In 1854 , the Wallerant sisters (at Damascus) teach at home (Rue haute 78).
In 1860 , Mst. Clement is appointed and holds class in his house (Place 82).
In 1864 , Mst. Clément resigns and is replaced by Adolphine Flament, known as Miss Page who holds class in the premises formerly "café de ma campagne"

At the boys' school, Mr. Lhoir succeeds Mr. Chevalier. In 1867 the municipal administration decided to create the current premises which were inaugurated in 1870. The work was awarded for the sum of 26,033 Belgian Francs.
Following the law of 1879, a free Catholic school was created by Father Isidore Roger, parish priest, in 1880, it was held by the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul de Gyseghem. It was a coeducational school comprising a nursery class and a primary class.
1932 - School for boys
In 1889 , the primary class ceases to be mixed and the boys return to the communal school.
In 1898, the free school for girls disappears, the nun having been appointed to the communal school. Also in 1889, Mr Lhoir resigned and was replaced by Mr V. Delatte.
In 1909 , Sister Marie resigned and was replaced by Sister Marie de Loyola, who resigned in 1949 and was replaced by Mademoiselle Hélène Ergot, who became Madame Albert Permanne through her marriage.

At the boys' school, Mr. Delatte resigned in 1931 and was replaced by Mr Ch. Foucart, Mr, Blairvacq.
The communal premises were completed in 1897 with the creation of the covered courtyard, lavatories, the deepening of the well, the bucket pump and the renewal of school equipment. A new restoration was done in 1956; renewal of the eternit roof, toilets and placement of the water pipe.

The free guardian class peacefully continued its existence with Sister Benoîte, Sister Jeanne, then, when the nuns left in 1949, with Mademoiselle Julie Ars, then Mademoiselle Madeleine Plomb, who became Madame Mercier, and who is still in office. in 1957, the school was integrated into the circle, and a new school room, with toilets incorporated into the wall overlooking the courtyard, was built as an extension of the old block. (school records).

Nowadays, there are no more schools in Montignies-lez-lens ...... Too bad