Hall of Fame Award (Posthumous) | 2012

Jeanne Anctil was a pioneer in the development of household science in Quebec. Born in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere in 1875, at the age of eleven she began attending a private convent school in Coaticook that taught, among other subjects, home economics. Despite concerns about providing women with professional training, in 1892 the province’s first household science school was opened and others followed in the early 20th century. When a new institution was initiated in Montreal in 1907, Jeanne Anctil was recruited to oversee classes in French. After completing training in Europe, she was named one of the co-principals of Écoles Ménagères Provinciales. In 1912, she published 350 Recettes de Cuisine, which offered students easy recipes and basic instructions on household management. During her tenure as principal, Anctil fought against provincial conservatism by pushing the Quebec government to recognize the importance of household science training for women.