Keys to History

In Montreal, in the early 20th century, social inequalities were glaring in the area of education, where the gap between Protestants and Catholics was considerable. Since each school board was funded primarily by means of the property tax raised from members of its religious denomination, resources were far greater on the Protestant side, and that had an impact on the quality of facilities and teachers' salaries. The underfunded Catholic school board paid meagre salaries, and its schools were overcrowded. The growing number of school-age children exacerbated the situation. In the Catholic community, the upper classes generally sent their children to private school.