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John Baptist de la Salle, Saint

John Baptist de la Salle, Saint (băptēst' du lä säl') [key], 1651–1719, French educator, founder of the Christian Brothers, b. Reims. He became a priest and canon of the cathedral. He spent his life teaching children of the poor. In 1684 (having resigned his canonry) he formed of his assistants a new order, the Christian Brothers. In 1685 to train his teachers, St. John Baptist founded at Reims what is called the first normal school. He was a careful pedagogical thinker and ranks as one of the distinguished educators of modern times. His name in French is Jean Baptiste de la Salle. Feast: May 15.

See W. J. Battersby, De la Salle (3 vol., 1945–52).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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