The Acadian Archives at the University of Maine at Fort Kent will host a book launch for local author Laurel Daigle at 5 p.m. on May 21. The event celebrates the release of Daigle’s latest work, “Little Franciscans of Mary of Fort Kent’s St. Louis Convent and School.”
The book traces the educational role played by the Little Franciscans of Mary in the St. John Valley. Originally founded in Massachusetts before establishing a motherhouse in Baie Saint-Paul, Quebec, the Sisters first arrived in the region at the invitation of Fr. Joseph Marcoux of Wallagrass. In 1906, they expanded to Fort Kent under the invitation of Fr. Arthur Décary of St. Louis Parish.
Throughout the order’s local history, more than 100 Sisters served at the St. Louis School. Daigle’s research includes detailed biographies of the Sisters who shaped the school’s history or served the community for decades. The book features a foreword by Monsignor. Jean-Paul Labrie.
“We are honored to host Laurel and highlight his impressive research,” said Patrick Lacroix, director of the Acadian Archives. “This work will be a great complement to his prior book on Fort Kent as well as a must-read for local families.”
Daigle, a Fort Kent native and descendant of a 19th-century Acadian farming family, is a graduate of the Fort Kent State Normal School and Farmington State Teachers College. A veteran educator, he taught in Ashland and Fort Kent public schools and holds a Master of Arts from the Catholic University of America.
The book launch is free and open to the public. Daigle will be available to answer questions and discuss his research. Copies of the book will be available for purchase for $15.95.
For more information, please contact the Acadian Archives at 834-7535.