St. Petro Mohyla Institute
Encyclopedia
St. Petro Mohyla Institute (SPMI) is located near the University of Saskatchewan
in Saskatoon
, Saskatchewan
.
Through its summer language courses and its university residence, SPMI serves the cultural needs of the Ukrainian Canadian
community in the city.
SPMI is a home away from home for students including, but not limited to, those of Ukrainian
ancestry from all parts of Saskatchewan
, as well as other provinces, while they are pursuing higher education at University, Business College or Technical School.
It is a centre for the extra-curricular activities of its resident students, students outside the Institute, and for the continuation of adult education.
The SPMI carries out extension work in all parts of the province to make its services available to everyone requesting them.
The institute serves as a centre for cultural activities for Canadians of Ukrainian descent in the province of Saskatchewan.
The institute was founded in 1916, and named after the Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan, St. Petro Mohyla. Later the institute moved from its original location on Main Street to its current address at 1240 Temperance Street in the 1960s.
During the first decade
of the last century
, after attending to their basic needs, recent immigrants from Ukraine
turned their attention to the education of their children. At that time, a number of teacher
s and student
s of Ukrainian origin formed a student society. They were very concerned about the economic and cultural well-being of their fellow Ukrainian-Canadians. They had decided to establish a Ukrainian based institution in Saskatoon. In 1916, a fundraising campaign for the establishment of such a facility was launched.
The campaign was highly successful and in June, 1916, a call for students went out. These students would attend public schools, secondary
schools, Normal Schools
(teachers' college) and university
. Both sexes
would be accepted. The institute would offer Ukrainian language
, history and literature
classes. An underlying principle of the institution was 'To be a good Canadian citizen, it was desirable to maintain one's origin and national culture'.
Later that year the institute was opened and named in honour of Petro Mohyla, an outstanding educationalist and dignitary of the Orthodox Church in Kiev
. It was housed in rented premises. There were 35 students in this non-sectarian institution. In 1917, the St. Petro Mohyla Institute was incorporated. That year, the number of students increased to 70. The next major decision was to purchase and remodel a suitable building to house the institute. A building was obtained and served as the institute to the end of 1964. During these years, the mix of students shifted gradually from a predominance of public and high
school to the present situation where virtually all are pursuing university
or other post-secondary education.
in the Canadian Hostel Handbook.
The institute serves as a practice facility for the city's Ukrainian Orthodox youth choir, Lastiwka.
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
in Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
.
Through its summer language courses and its university residence, SPMI serves the cultural needs of the Ukrainian Canadian
Ukrainian Canadian
A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. In 2006, there were an estimated 1,209,085 persons residing in Canada of Ukrainian origin, making them Canada's ninth largest ethnic group; and giving Canada the world's third-largest...
community in the city.
SPMI is a home away from home for students including, but not limited to, those of Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
ancestry from all parts of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, as well as other provinces, while they are pursuing higher education at University, Business College or Technical School.
It is a centre for the extra-curricular activities of its resident students, students outside the Institute, and for the continuation of adult education.
Programs
The SPMI has developed courses for studies in Ukrainian literature, history and arts, and has fostered the finest cultural elements and traditions of the Ukrainian people, including folk music, folk dancing, handicrafts and domestic arts and crafts.The SPMI carries out extension work in all parts of the province to make its services available to everyone requesting them.
The institute serves as a centre for cultural activities for Canadians of Ukrainian descent in the province of Saskatchewan.
History
During the first decade
Decade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....
of the last century
Century
A century is one hundred consecutive years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages .-Start and end in the Gregorian Calendar:...
, after attending to their basic needs, recent immigrants from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
turned their attention to the education of their children. At that time, a number of teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s and student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s of Ukrainian origin formed a student society. They were very concerned about the economic and cultural well-being of their fellow Ukrainian-Canadians. They had decided to establish a Ukrainian based institution in Saskatoon. In 1916, a fundraising campaign for the establishment of such a facility was launched.
The campaign was highly successful and in June, 1916, a call for students went out. These students would attend public schools, secondary
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
schools, Normal Schools
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
(teachers' college) and university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. Both sexes
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
would be accepted. The institute would offer Ukrainian language
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
, history and literature
Ukrainian literature
Ukrainian literature is literature written in the Ukrainian language. Ukrainian literature had a difficult development because, due to constant foreign domination over Ukrainian territories, there was often a significant difference between the spoken and written language...
classes. An underlying principle of the institution was 'To be a good Canadian citizen, it was desirable to maintain one's origin and national culture'.
Later that year the institute was opened and named in honour of Petro Mohyla, an outstanding educationalist and dignitary of the Orthodox Church in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. It was housed in rented premises. There were 35 students in this non-sectarian institution. In 1917, the St. Petro Mohyla Institute was incorporated. That year, the number of students increased to 70. The next major decision was to purchase and remodel a suitable building to house the institute. A building was obtained and served as the institute to the end of 1964. During these years, the mix of students shifted gradually from a predominance of public and high
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
school to the present situation where virtually all are pursuing university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
or other post-secondary education.
Miscellaneous
In the summertime, Mohyla Institute serves as a youth hostel. It is the only hostel listed for SaskatoonSaskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
in the Canadian Hostel Handbook.
The institute serves as a practice facility for the city's Ukrainian Orthodox youth choir, Lastiwka.