In developing this summary of the history of the School, we are greatly indebted to Sister Lydia, SSJD. Her 1983 publication "Story of a School" contained a great deal of information drawn from the Community Records of the Sisters of St. John the Divine, including the Sisters' "letters home"; various Diocesan and School publications; and other primary sources including the recollections of those Sisters still living in 1983. Thanks also is extended to Sister Constance, Sister Margaret Ann, and Sister Beryl, the 3 Headmistresses still with us, for vetting the text.

The school known for most of its life as the Qu'Appelle Diocesan School for Girls owed its existence to the vision and determination of Bishop Malcolm McAdam Harding, 4th Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Qu'Appelle, which covers the southern portion of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. His first priority had been to establish a theological school for the training of young men for ministry in the Anglican Church, an objective achieved when St. Chad's Theological College opened in June, 1914. Bishop Harding then turned his attention to the foundation of a girls' boarding school (he wished to establish one for boys as well, but that never came to pass). He was able to enlist the help of a Canadian order of Anglican nuns, the Sisters of St. John the Divine, to administer it. Miss Aylmer Bosanquet, an English Associate of the SSJD who was doing lay ministry in the diocese, financed the school almost entirely in its early stages: an initial gift of $3,500.00 made the School possible.

Sister Madeleine, the first Headmistress, opened the School on October 2, 1918 in an empty store in the Sinton Block on Albert Street, with the assistance of 3 other Sisters. Almost immediately, however, Regina was struck by the Spanish Flu epidemic. Public meetings were banned, and until November 24 the School stayed closed while the Sisters took on nursing duties. Sister Mary Ada's letters record that the School's residence, a house at 2265 Cornwall Street (which they named St. John's House) had room for 6 boarders, but by the end of the first school year the classroom accomodation in the Sinton Block was overflowing with students. Among the original students were Bishop Harding's 3 daughters - Edith, Kilby and Mary.

But there were fun times too. From Sister Katherine's letters home to the Convent, and Miss Phillips' reports, we know about school dances (with partners provided by the men of the Theological College, rounded up by Mrs. Harding, the Bishop's wife!) and 24th of May picnic excursions to the Qu'Appelle Valley. A photo exists of the cast of the School's production of Walter de la Mare's "Crossings", which was performed in 1932 in 3 parish halls across Regina. Certainly school spirit and faith - in God and the country - was not lacking. In Miss Phillips' words: "I have often been told that Canada is 'next year's country', and we must carry on until 'next year' comes to redeem its promise".

Educated in England, Olive Bussey was a teacher at Bishop Strachan School in Toronto before being professed as Sister Francesca in 1934. In 1935 she came to QDS to teach History and Literature, and when in 1938 Miss Phillips had to resign and return to England, she was succeeded as Headmistress by Sister Francesca. The system of Head Girl and Prefects was re-established by her (we do not know when it was initially established or why it was discontinued) and under her leadership, and with an exceptional teaching staff, the academic standing of the School was greatly enhanced, even during the difficult years of World War II. When ill health caused Sister Francesca to return to the Convent in 1947, Sister Constance, who had been teaching at the School since 1938 and was Sister Francesca's deputy, became the School's next Headmistress. In those post-war years, the School's reputation grew, as attested to by the provincial Superintendents who commented glowingly on QDS's unique contribution; and by the number of girls who were going on to post-secondary studies. In 1954 and again in 1962, Governor General's Bronze Medals for distinction in the province's departmental exams were awarded to QDS graduates. Sister Margaret Ann, who had first come to QDS as a Novice, returned as a Sister and became Headmistress part-way through the 1955-56 school year. During the 50's and 60's, enrolment continued to grow and Bishop Michael Coleman (Bishop of Qu'Appelle from 1950-60) developed plans for expansion, to include a gymnasium, dormitory space for 40 more girls and a dining room in the basement. The dormitory was never built (and the new dining room came much later), but Bishop Coleman was able to raise the funds for the gymnasium from contacts in the U.S. and England, and it was dedicated in September, 1958. Not coincidentally, athletics acquired increased importance during this period, with good results by School teams in regional competitions in track and field, badminton and basketball. A House system was introduced with St. John's and St. Michael's House and later, St. Mary's and St. Chad's. In 1964, with the theological college gone from Regina, the School was able to adopt the name "St. Chad's Girls' School". The girls of QDS/St. Chad's had always had to do chores around the School, cleaning their own bedrooms and setting up and clearing tables for meals; in the mid-sixties these responsibilities were expanded and the girls were divided into Crews for house and maintenance chores, each with a Crew Leader. In the late sixties, a program of necessary renovations was undertaken which resulted by 1969 in a remodelled kitchen and new dining room.

The School's financial situation had never been much better than precarious, even in the years of greatest enrolment. It lacked any kind of endowment built up over the years by gifts from wealthy graduates, since its graduates were almost never wealthy; and in spite of the generosity of many benefactors over the years, at several points in its history the School had been in danger of closing. Although the School was covering its expenses on an operating basis, the renovations in the late sixties (necessary if the School were to remain open) had necessitated borrowing a considerable capital sum. Income from the School's ongoing operations could not repay, or even pay the interest on the debt: the Diocese of Qu'Appelle was responsible for carrying it, and the burden became more than the Diocese could sustain from its own deteriorating financial resources. Finally, the Executive Council of the Diocese of Qu'Appelle made the decision in April, 1970, to close the School in June. There was no time to rally financial support from alumnae or other sources, and all too quickly the School closed its doors for good.