Marie-Anne St-Pierre, also a teacher, likely worked in one of the one-room schoolhouses of Saint-Alexandre. Her job was a challenging one: limited teaching materials, a poorly heated classroom, meagre pay, a large class, students of various grade levels, and an often solitary life. Such was the daily reality of rural schoolteachers.

When Marie-Alice Dumont was hospitalized in Rivière-du-Loup in 1936, she took the opportunity to document the daily life of the nursing staff. Beyond the medical care, there were also moments of amusement like this one, where three nurses are caught mid-performance: one at the piano, another on the violin and the third playing the flute.

The photographs Dumont took at the Rivière-du-Loup hospital in 1936 provide valuable insight into the work of healthcare staff in early 20th-century Quebec. This image is a beautiful example.

According to some historians, the bicycle, which gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century, offered women a temporary escape from the domestic sphere. In the 1930s and 1940s, cycling was the most accessible means of transportation for women in rural areas, since it was still only men who drove cars!

Sister Jeanne-de-la-Trinité, a Sister of Charity, smiles warmly at Dumont’s camera. She was part of the teaching staff at the convent in Saint-Alexandre.

In Quebec’s convents, girls were taught the basics of the “domestic arts” until the 1960s. This curriculum later evolved into home economics, which was offered to both boys and girls in secondary schools until 2006.

The women of the Dumont family took part in farm work. In this photo, Marie Pelletier (second from the left) stands among the men, sorting potatoes.

As this multigenerational portrait shows, many of Dumont’s clients could proudly say they had known their great-grandmother, or even their great-great-grandmother.

Dumont worked in a profession that was quite unusual for a woman of her time. The same could be said of her three assistants, including Lucille Bérubé, shown here standing in front of Dumont’s studio.

Here is a striking portrait of Pierrette Lavoie in her flight attendant uniform. Up until at least the 1960s, the hiring criteria for stewardesses were extremely strict. At Trans-Canada Air Lines, for instance, candidates had to be young, attractive, single, bilingual, slender, healthy and neither too tall nor too short.

Marie-Alice Dumont photographed many of the local shopkeepers in her village. Here, Camille Pelletier and his wife pose in front of their store, the oldest shop in Saint-Alexandre parish.

On a sunny afternoon in 1950, Marie-Alice Dumont visited the Pelletier store for a photo session with the women of the household. Mrs. Camille Pelletier and her daughters posed alone or together, in various settings that reflected their daily lives. In this scene, Mrs. Pelletier sits at her vanity in the modern comfort of her bedroom.

The people who posed for Dumont’s camera often wore their finest clothes. Here, Marie-Claire Landry is dressed in a fox fur stole, a fashion staple of the time. In fact, during the 1930s, fox farming contributed to the local economy in Kamouraska.

From the very beginning of her photography career, Marie-Alice Dumont documented the life of her community with a particular focus on local trades and traditions, as if she were paying tribute to them. Many of these images, like this one, are marked by their simplicity and authenticity.

Marie-Anne St-Pierre, also a teacher, likely worked in one of the one-room schoolhouses of Saint-Alexandre. Her job was a challenging one: limited teaching materials, a poorly heated classroom, meagre pay, a large class, students of various grade levels, and an often solitary life. Such was the daily reality of rural schoolteachers.

When Marie-Alice Dumont was hospitalized in Rivière-du-Loup in 1936, she took the opportunity to document the daily life of the nursing staff. Beyond the medical care, there were also moments of amusement like this one, where three nurses are caught mid-performance: one at the piano, another on the violin and the third playing the flute.

The photographs Dumont took at the Rivière-du-Loup hospital in 1936 provide valuable insight into the work of healthcare staff in early 20th-century Quebec. This image is a beautiful example.

According to some historians, the bicycle, which gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century, offered women a temporary escape from the domestic sphere. In the 1930s and 1940s, cycling was the most accessible means of transportation for women in rural areas, since it was still only men who drove cars!

Sister Jeanne-de-la-Trinité, a Sister of Charity, smiles warmly at Dumont’s camera. She was part of the teaching staff at the convent in Saint-Alexandre.

In Quebec’s convents, girls were taught the basics of the “domestic arts” until the 1960s. This curriculum later evolved into home economics, which was offered to both boys and girls in secondary schools until 2006.

The women of the Dumont family took part in farm work. In this photo, Marie Pelletier (second from the left) stands among the men, sorting potatoes.

As this multigenerational portrait shows, many of Dumont’s clients could proudly say they had known their great-grandmother, or even their great-great-grandmother.

Dumont worked in a profession that was quite unusual for a woman of her time. The same could be said of her three assistants, including Lucille Bérubé, shown here standing in front of Dumont’s studio.

Here is a striking portrait of Pierrette Lavoie in her flight attendant uniform. Up until at least the 1960s, the hiring criteria for stewardesses were extremely strict. At Trans-Canada Air Lines, for instance, candidates had to be young, attractive, single, bilingual, slender, healthy and neither too tall nor too short.

Marie-Alice Dumont photographed many of the local shopkeepers in her village. Here, Camille Pelletier and his wife pose in front of their store, the oldest shop in Saint-Alexandre parish.

On a sunny afternoon in 1950, Marie-Alice Dumont visited the Pelletier store for a photo session with the women of the household. Mrs. Camille Pelletier and her daughters posed alone or together, in various settings that reflected their daily lives. In this scene, Mrs. Pelletier sits at her vanity in the modern comfort of her bedroom.

The people who posed for Dumont’s camera often wore their finest clothes. Here, Marie-Claire Landry is dressed in a fox fur stole, a fashion staple of the time. In fact, during the 1930s, fox farming contributed to the local economy in Kamouraska.

From the very beginning of her photography career, Marie-Alice Dumont documented the life of her community with a particular focus on local trades and traditions, as if she were paying tribute to them. Many of these images, like this one, are marked by their simplicity and authenticity.

Marie-Anne St-Pierre, also a teacher, likely worked in one of the one-room schoolhouses of Saint-Alexandre. Her job was a challenging one: limited teaching materials, a poorly heated classroom, meagre pay, a large class, students of various grade levels, and an often solitary life. Such was the daily reality of rural schoolteachers.

When Marie-Alice Dumont was hospitalized in Rivière-du-Loup in 1936, she took the opportunity to document the daily life of the nursing staff. Beyond the medical care, there were also moments of amusement like this one, where three nurses are caught mid-performance: one at the piano, another on the violin and the third playing the flute.

The photographs Dumont took at the Rivière-du-Loup hospital in 1936 provide valuable insight into the work of healthcare staff in early 20th-century Quebec. This image is a beautiful example.

According to some historians, the bicycle, which gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century, offered women a temporary escape from the domestic sphere. In the 1930s and 1940s, cycling was the most accessible means of transportation for women in rural areas, since it was still only men who drove cars!

Sister Jeanne-de-la-Trinité, a Sister of Charity, smiles warmly at Dumont’s camera. She was part of the teaching staff at the convent in Saint-Alexandre.

In Quebec’s convents, girls were taught the basics of the “domestic arts” until the 1960s. This curriculum later evolved into home economics, which was offered to both boys and girls in secondary schools until 2006.

The women of the Dumont family took part in farm work. In this photo, Marie Pelletier (second from the left) stands among the men, sorting potatoes.

As this multigenerational portrait shows, many of Dumont’s clients could proudly say they had known their great-grandmother, or even their great-great-grandmother.

Dumont worked in a profession that was quite unusual for a woman of her time. The same could be said of her three assistants, including Lucille Bérubé, shown here standing in front of Dumont’s studio.

Here is a striking portrait of Pierrette Lavoie in her flight attendant uniform. Up until at least the 1960s, the hiring criteria for stewardesses were extremely strict. At Trans-Canada Air Lines, for instance, candidates had to be young, attractive, single, bilingual, slender, healthy and neither too tall nor too short.

Marie-Alice Dumont photographed many of the local shopkeepers in her village. Here, Camille Pelletier and his wife pose in front of their store, the oldest shop in Saint-Alexandre parish.

On a sunny afternoon in 1950, Marie-Alice Dumont visited the Pelletier store for a photo session with the women of the household. Mrs. Camille Pelletier and her daughters posed alone or together, in various settings that reflected their daily lives. In this scene, Mrs. Pelletier sits at her vanity in the modern comfort of her bedroom.

The people who posed for Dumont’s camera often wore their finest clothes. Here, Marie-Claire Landry is dressed in a fox fur stole, a fashion staple of the time. In fact, during the 1930s, fox farming contributed to the local economy in Kamouraska.

From the very beginning of her photography career, Marie-Alice Dumont documented the life of her community with a particular focus on local trades and traditions, as if she were paying tribute to them. Many of these images, like this one, are marked by their simplicity and authenticity.

Marie-Anne St-Pierre, also a teacher, likely worked in one of the one-room schoolhouses of Saint-Alexandre. Her job was a challenging one: limited teaching materials, a poorly heated classroom, meagre pay, a large class, students of various grade levels, and an often solitary life. Such was the daily reality of rural schoolteachers.

When Marie-Alice Dumont was hospitalized in Rivière-du-Loup in 1936, she took the opportunity to document the daily life of the nursing staff. Beyond the medical care, there were also moments of amusement like this one, where three nurses are caught mid-performance: one at the piano, another on the violin and the third playing the flute.

The photographs Dumont took at the Rivière-du-Loup hospital in 1936 provide valuable insight into the work of healthcare staff in early 20th-century Quebec. This image is a beautiful example.

According to some historians, the bicycle, which gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century, offered women a temporary escape from the domestic sphere. In the 1930s and 1940s, cycling was the most accessible means of transportation for women in rural areas, since it was still only men who drove cars!

Sister Jeanne-de-la-Trinité, a Sister of Charity, smiles warmly at Dumont’s camera. She was part of the teaching staff at the convent in Saint-Alexandre.

In Quebec’s convents, girls were taught the basics of the “domestic arts” until the 1960s. This curriculum later evolved into home economics, which was offered to both boys and girls in secondary schools until 2006.

The women of the Dumont family took part in farm work. In this photo, Marie Pelletier (second from the left) stands among the men, sorting potatoes.

As this multigenerational portrait shows, many of Dumont’s clients could proudly say they had known their great-grandmother, or even their great-great-grandmother.

Dumont worked in a profession that was quite unusual for a woman of her time. The same could be said of her three assistants, including Lucille Bérubé, shown here standing in front of Dumont’s studio.

Here is a striking portrait of Pierrette Lavoie in her flight attendant uniform. Up until at least the 1960s, the hiring criteria for stewardesses were extremely strict. At Trans-Canada Air Lines, for instance, candidates had to be young, attractive, single, bilingual, slender, healthy and neither too tall nor too short.

Marie-Alice Dumont photographed many of the local shopkeepers in her village. Here, Camille Pelletier and his wife pose in front of their store, the oldest shop in Saint-Alexandre parish.

On a sunny afternoon in 1950, Marie-Alice Dumont visited the Pelletier store for a photo session with the women of the household. Mrs. Camille Pelletier and her daughters posed alone or together, in various settings that reflected their daily lives. In this scene, Mrs. Pelletier sits at her vanity in the modern comfort of her bedroom.

The people who posed for Dumont’s camera often wore their finest clothes. Here, Marie-Claire Landry is dressed in a fox fur stole, a fashion staple of the time. In fact, during the 1930s, fox farming contributed to the local economy in Kamouraska.

From the very beginning of her photography career, Marie-Alice Dumont documented the life of her community with a particular focus on local trades and traditions, as if she were paying tribute to them. Many of these images, like this one, are marked by their simplicity and authenticity.

Marie-Anne St-Pierre, also a teacher, likely worked in one of the one-room schoolhouses of Saint-Alexandre. Her job was a challenging one: limited teaching materials, a poorly heated classroom, meagre pay, a large class, students of various grade levels, and an often solitary life. Such was the daily reality of rural schoolteachers.

When Marie-Alice Dumont was hospitalized in Rivière-du-Loup in 1936, she took the opportunity to document the daily life of the nursing staff. Beyond the medical care, there were also moments of amusement like this one, where three nurses are caught mid-performance: one at the piano, another on the violin and the third playing the flute.

The photographs Dumont took at the Rivière-du-Loup hospital in 1936 provide valuable insight into the work of healthcare staff in early 20th-century Quebec. This image is a beautiful example.

According to some historians, the bicycle, which gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century, offered women a temporary escape from the domestic sphere. In the 1930s and 1940s, cycling was the most accessible means of transportation for women in rural areas, since it was still only men who drove cars!

Sister Jeanne-de-la-Trinité, a Sister of Charity, smiles warmly at Dumont’s camera. She was part of the teaching staff at the convent in Saint-Alexandre.

In Quebec’s convents, girls were taught the basics of the “domestic arts” until the 1960s. This curriculum later evolved into home economics, which was offered to both boys and girls in secondary schools until 2006.

The women of the Dumont family took part in farm work. In this photo, Marie Pelletier (second from the left) stands among the men, sorting potatoes.

As this multigenerational portrait shows, many of Dumont’s clients could proudly say they had known their great-grandmother, or even their great-great-grandmother.

Dumont worked in a profession that was quite unusual for a woman of her time. The same could be said of her three assistants, including Lucille Bérubé, shown here standing in front of Dumont’s studio.

Here is a striking portrait of Pierrette Lavoie in her flight attendant uniform. Up until at least the 1960s, the hiring criteria for stewardesses were extremely strict. At Trans-Canada Air Lines, for instance, candidates had to be young, attractive, single, bilingual, slender, healthy and neither too tall nor too short.

Marie-Alice Dumont photographed many of the local shopkeepers in her village. Here, Camille Pelletier and his wife pose in front of their store, the oldest shop in Saint-Alexandre parish.

On a sunny afternoon in 1950, Marie-Alice Dumont visited the Pelletier store for a photo session with the women of the household. Mrs. Camille Pelletier and her daughters posed alone or together, in various settings that reflected their daily lives. In this scene, Mrs. Pelletier sits at her vanity in the modern comfort of her bedroom.

The people who posed for Dumont’s camera often wore their finest clothes. Here, Marie-Claire Landry is dressed in a fox fur stole, a fashion staple of the time. In fact, during the 1930s, fox farming contributed to the local economy in Kamouraska.

From the very beginning of her photography career, Marie-Alice Dumont documented the life of her community with a particular focus on local trades and traditions, as if she were paying tribute to them. Many of these images, like this one, are marked by their simplicity and authenticity.

Marie-Anne St-Pierre, also a teacher, likely worked in one of the one-room schoolhouses of Saint-Alexandre. Her job was a challenging one: limited teaching materials, a poorly heated classroom, meagre pay, a large class, students of various grade levels, and an often solitary life. Such was the daily reality of rural schoolteachers.

When Marie-Alice Dumont was hospitalized in Rivière-du-Loup in 1936, she took the opportunity to document the daily life of the nursing staff. Beyond the medical care, there were also moments of amusement like this one, where three nurses are caught mid-performance: one at the piano, another on the violin and the third playing the flute.

The photographs Dumont took at the Rivière-du-Loup hospital in 1936 provide valuable insight into the work of healthcare staff in early 20th-century Quebec. This image is a beautiful example.

According to some historians, the bicycle, which gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century, offered women a temporary escape from the domestic sphere. In the 1930s and 1940s, cycling was the most accessible means of transportation for women in rural areas, since it was still only men who drove cars!

Sister Jeanne-de-la-Trinité, a Sister of Charity, smiles warmly at Dumont’s camera. She was part of the teaching staff at the convent in Saint-Alexandre.

In Quebec’s convents, girls were taught the basics of the “domestic arts” until the 1960s. This curriculum later evolved into home economics, which was offered to both boys and girls in secondary schools until 2006.

The women of the Dumont family took part in farm work. In this photo, Marie Pelletier (second from the left) stands among the men, sorting potatoes.

As this multigenerational portrait shows, many of Dumont’s clients could proudly say they had known their great-grandmother, or even their great-great-grandmother.

Dumont worked in a profession that was quite unusual for a woman of her time. The same could be said of her three assistants, including Lucille Bérubé, shown here standing in front of Dumont’s studio.

Here is a striking portrait of Pierrette Lavoie in her flight attendant uniform. Up until at least the 1960s, the hiring criteria for stewardesses were extremely strict. At Trans-Canada Air Lines, for instance, candidates had to be young, attractive, single, bilingual, slender, healthy and neither too tall nor too short.

Marie-Alice Dumont photographed many of the local shopkeepers in her village. Here, Camille Pelletier and his wife pose in front of their store, the oldest shop in Saint-Alexandre parish.

On a sunny afternoon in 1950, Marie-Alice Dumont visited the Pelletier store for a photo session with the women of the household. Mrs. Camille Pelletier and her daughters posed alone or together, in various settings that reflected their daily lives. In this scene, Mrs. Pelletier sits at her vanity in the modern comfort of her bedroom.

The people who posed for Dumont’s camera often wore their finest clothes. Here, Marie-Claire Landry is dressed in a fox fur stole, a fashion staple of the time. In fact, during the 1930s, fox farming contributed to the local economy in Kamouraska.

From the very beginning of her photography career, Marie-Alice Dumont documented the life of her community with a particular focus on local trades and traditions, as if she were paying tribute to them. Many of these images, like this one, are marked by their simplicity and authenticity.

Marie-Anne St-Pierre, also a teacher, likely worked in one of the one-room schoolhouses of Saint-Alexandre. Her job was a challenging one: limited teaching materials, a poorly heated classroom, meagre pay, a large class, students of various grade levels, and an often solitary life. Such was the daily reality of rural schoolteachers.

When Marie-Alice Dumont was hospitalized in Rivière-du-Loup in 1936, she took the opportunity to document the daily life of the nursing staff. Beyond the medical care, there were also moments of amusement like this one, where three nurses are caught mid-performance: one at the piano, another on the violin and the third playing the flute.

The photographs Dumont took at the Rivière-du-Loup hospital in 1936 provide valuable insight into the work of healthcare staff in early 20th-century Quebec. This image is a beautiful example.

According to some historians, the bicycle, which gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century, offered women a temporary escape from the domestic sphere. In the 1930s and 1940s, cycling was the most accessible means of transportation for women in rural areas, since it was still only men who drove cars!

Sister Jeanne-de-la-Trinité, a Sister of Charity, smiles warmly at Dumont’s camera. She was part of the teaching staff at the convent in Saint-Alexandre.

In Quebec’s convents, girls were taught the basics of the “domestic arts” until the 1960s. This curriculum later evolved into home economics, which was offered to both boys and girls in secondary schools until 2006.

The women of the Dumont family took part in farm work. In this photo, Marie Pelletier (second from the left) stands among the men, sorting potatoes.

As this multigenerational portrait shows, many of Dumont’s clients could proudly say they had known their great-grandmother, or even their great-great-grandmother.

Dumont worked in a profession that was quite unusual for a woman of her time. The same could be said of her three assistants, including Lucille Bérubé, shown here standing in front of Dumont’s studio.

Here is a striking portrait of Pierrette Lavoie in her flight attendant uniform. Up until at least the 1960s, the hiring criteria for stewardesses were extremely strict. At Trans-Canada Air Lines, for instance, candidates had to be young, attractive, single, bilingual, slender, healthy and neither too tall nor too short.

Marie-Alice Dumont photographed many of the local shopkeepers in her village. Here, Camille Pelletier and his wife pose in front of their store, the oldest shop in Saint-Alexandre parish.

On a sunny afternoon in 1950, Marie-Alice Dumont visited the Pelletier store for a photo session with the women of the household. Mrs. Camille Pelletier and her daughters posed alone or together, in various settings that reflected their daily lives. In this scene, Mrs. Pelletier sits at her vanity in the modern comfort of her bedroom.

The people who posed for Dumont’s camera often wore their finest clothes. Here, Marie-Claire Landry is dressed in a fox fur stole, a fashion staple of the time. In fact, during the 1930s, fox farming contributed to the local economy in Kamouraska.

From the very beginning of her photography career, Marie-Alice Dumont documented the life of her community with a particular focus on local trades and traditions, as if she were paying tribute to them. Many of these images, like this one, are marked by their simplicity and authenticity.

Marie-Anne St-Pierre, also a teacher, likely worked in one of the one-room schoolhouses of Saint-Alexandre. Her job was a challenging one: limited teaching materials, a poorly heated classroom, meagre pay, a large class, students of various grade levels, and an often solitary life. Such was the daily reality of rural schoolteachers.

When Marie-Alice Dumont was hospitalized in Rivière-du-Loup in 1936, she took the opportunity to document the daily life of the nursing staff. Beyond the medical care, there were also moments of amusement like this one, where three nurses are caught mid-performance: one at the piano, another on the violin and the third playing the flute.

The photographs Dumont took at the Rivière-du-Loup hospital in 1936 provide valuable insight into the work of healthcare staff in early 20th-century Quebec. This image is a beautiful example.

According to some historians, the bicycle, which gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century, offered women a temporary escape from the domestic sphere. In the 1930s and 1940s, cycling was the most accessible means of transportation for women in rural areas, since it was still only men who drove cars!

Sister Jeanne-de-la-Trinité, a Sister of Charity, smiles warmly at Dumont’s camera. She was part of the teaching staff at the convent in Saint-Alexandre.

In Quebec’s convents, girls were taught the basics of the “domestic arts” until the 1960s. This curriculum later evolved into home economics, which was offered to both boys and girls in secondary schools until 2006.

The women of the Dumont family took part in farm work. In this photo, Marie Pelletier (second from the left) stands among the men, sorting potatoes.

As this multigenerational portrait shows, many of Dumont’s clients could proudly say they had known their great-grandmother, or even their great-great-grandmother.

Dumont worked in a profession that was quite unusual for a woman of her time. The same could be said of her three assistants, including Lucille Bérubé, shown here standing in front of Dumont’s studio.

Here is a striking portrait of Pierrette Lavoie in her flight attendant uniform. Up until at least the 1960s, the hiring criteria for stewardesses were extremely strict. At Trans-Canada Air Lines, for instance, candidates had to be young, attractive, single, bilingual, slender, healthy and neither too tall nor too short.

Marie-Alice Dumont photographed many of the local shopkeepers in her village. Here, Camille Pelletier and his wife pose in front of their store, the oldest shop in Saint-Alexandre parish.

On a sunny afternoon in 1950, Marie-Alice Dumont visited the Pelletier store for a photo session with the women of the household. Mrs. Camille Pelletier and her daughters posed alone or together, in various settings that reflected their daily lives. In this scene, Mrs. Pelletier sits at her vanity in the modern comfort of her bedroom.

The people who posed for Dumont’s camera often wore their finest clothes. Here, Marie-Claire Landry is dressed in a fox fur stole, a fashion staple of the time. In fact, during the 1930s, fox farming contributed to the local economy in Kamouraska.

From the very beginning of her photography career, Marie-Alice Dumont documented the life of her community with a particular focus on local trades and traditions, as if she were paying tribute to them. Many of these images, like this one, are marked by their simplicity and authenticity.

Marie-Anne St-Pierre, also a teacher, likely worked in one of the one-room schoolhouses of Saint-Alexandre. Her job was a challenging one: limited teaching materials, a poorly heated classroom, meagre pay, a large class, students of various grade levels, and an often solitary life. Such was the daily reality of rural schoolteachers.

When Marie-Alice Dumont was hospitalized in Rivière-du-Loup in 1936, she took the opportunity to document the daily life of the nursing staff. Beyond the medical care, there were also moments of amusement like this one, where three nurses are caught mid-performance: one at the piano, another on the violin and the third playing the flute.

The photographs Dumont took at the Rivière-du-Loup hospital in 1936 provide valuable insight into the work of healthcare staff in early 20th-century Quebec. This image is a beautiful example.

According to some historians, the bicycle, which gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century, offered women a temporary escape from the domestic sphere. In the 1930s and 1940s, cycling was the most accessible means of transportation for women in rural areas, since it was still only men who drove cars!

Sister Jeanne-de-la-Trinité, a Sister of Charity, smiles warmly at Dumont’s camera. She was part of the teaching staff at the convent in Saint-Alexandre.

In Quebec’s convents, girls were taught the basics of the “domestic arts” until the 1960s. This curriculum later evolved into home economics, which was offered to both boys and girls in secondary schools until 2006.

The women of the Dumont family took part in farm work. In this photo, Marie Pelletier (second from the left) stands among the men, sorting potatoes.

As this multigenerational portrait shows, many of Dumont’s clients could proudly say they had known their great-grandmother, or even their great-great-grandmother.

Dumont worked in a profession that was quite unusual for a woman of her time. The same could be said of her three assistants, including Lucille Bérubé, shown here standing in front of Dumont’s studio.

Here is a striking portrait of Pierrette Lavoie in her flight attendant uniform. Up until at least the 1960s, the hiring criteria for stewardesses were extremely strict. At Trans-Canada Air Lines, for instance, candidates had to be young, attractive, single, bilingual, slender, healthy and neither too tall nor too short.

Marie-Alice Dumont photographed many of the local shopkeepers in her village. Here, Camille Pelletier and his wife pose in front of their store, the oldest shop in Saint-Alexandre parish.

On a sunny afternoon in 1950, Marie-Alice Dumont visited the Pelletier store for a photo session with the women of the household. Mrs. Camille Pelletier and her daughters posed alone or together, in various settings that reflected their daily lives. In this scene, Mrs. Pelletier sits at her vanity in the modern comfort of her bedroom.

The people who posed for Dumont’s camera often wore their finest clothes. Here, Marie-Claire Landry is dressed in a fox fur stole, a fashion staple of the time. In fact, during the 1930s, fox farming contributed to the local economy in Kamouraska.

From the very beginning of her photography career, Marie-Alice Dumont documented the life of her community with a particular focus on local trades and traditions, as if she were paying tribute to them. Many of these images, like this one, are marked by their simplicity and authenticity.

At the time this playful photo was taken, literacy was on the rise in Quebec, despite a decline in school attendance and the fact that compulsory schooling for all children up to age 14 would not be enacted until 1943.

What a joy to receive a bicycle as a gift! Even though the new bike was gifted to the older sister, the whole family was thrilled and wanted to pose for Aunt Alice’s camera to mark the occasion.

These two girls, dressed as men, chose props like a cigarette and a pipe, mocking a punch to the face to mimic the behaviour of their male counterparts. Is it just a caricature or a subtle commentary on masculinity in their time?

Scouting was a popular Catholic youth movement in French Canada during the 1930s. It served as a way for the Church to guide young people and pass on Christian values during a time of significant social and economic upheaval.

This street scene is one of Dumont’s most striking images. In addition to offering a beautiful view of this area of Saint-Alexandre, it captures a quiet moment of pause in the midst of children’s sidewalk play.

“In my day, we walked miles to school, even in a snowstorm!” You can easily imagine Céline and Pierrette Dumont, nieces of the photographer, sharing this story in their later years.

In Dumont’s era, many young boys served as altar boys during Mass or sang in the choir. Their role assisting the priest during religious ceremonies was important.

Many youth groups were involved in the parade of decorated floats for Saint-Alexandre’s centennial celebrations. In this one, about 10 participants staged a representation of the Cross, perhaps a roadside cross, a common feature of Catholic popular devotion.

Louise Pelletier and her sister Denise proudly show off their vinyl record collection. When the photographer visited their home, not only did they put on their finest dresses, but they also asked Dumont to take their portrait with their treasured records.

In the Dumont family, young girls were involved in domestic chores from an early age, like doing the dishes. In a household that large, everyone had to pitch in!

Who does not remember lining up in formation at school to the sound of the bell? The 60 or so boys patiently waiting here for the photographer to finish her work were likely among the first students at this newly built school.

What are these five Ouellet nieces and nephews doing aboard the boat named Le St-Pascal? Under the watchful eye of their mother, Émilia, are they welcoming Aunt Alice to Patins Island or perhaps bidding her farewell?

When Abbot Joseph-Napoléon Dumont addressed young women about careers and vocations, the options were limited. Marriage was, of course, one such option; though it usually meant being confined to the home. As for single women, he said they had “great value on this Earth,” as they could raise younger siblings, become teachers or serve as housekeepers. Napoléon did not mention the case of his own sister, who became a professional photographer. This is a telling omission, both of the exceptional nature of her career and of the narrow paths available to women at the time! What kind of future did these 1935 graduates imagine for themselves?

Marcel Boucher stands proudly on the steps of his aunt’s studio, with her shop sign clearly visible in the background.

For Dumont, any occasion seemed like a good one to photograph children, or at least, that is the impression her archive gives. In this image, she captures a candid moment as a visiting niece plays in the studio.