LOVEHASNOLINE
A total of 150,000 First Nation,
Residential Schools
The first residential schools
were established in New
France when the French
started settling in Canada.
The French needed the
Indigenous people as trading
partners, advisors and guides,
and were unable to force the
Indigenous to send their
children to the school. The
French tried to convert them
to Christianity, but since they
depended on the Indigenous
both economically and
militarily, the French could
only go so far. In the 1830s,
Methodist, Anglican, and
Roman Catholic institutions
were set up in Upper Canada
as colonial experiments.
However, the most common
are the schools set up in the
1880s.
Metis and Inuit students
attended the residential
schools between 1880 and
1996. The schools were
sponsored by the government,
and were religious schools
meant to educate the
Indigenous children of
Canada about Christianity and
Euro- Canadian culture,
convert them to Christianity,
and assimilate them into the
Victorian- Edwardian
Canadian society.
When the British North
America Act (later to become
known as the Canadian
Constitution) (1867) and the
Indian Act (1876) were
implanted, the federal
government was required to
provide education for the
Indigenous. The Indigenous
leaders wanted schooling
provisions in the treaties so
their children would learn the
skills of Canadian society and
LOVEHASNOLINE
would make them successful
and no longer strangers in
Canadian society. The
government though, wanted
the Indigenous to become
self- sufficient so they would
not rely on Canadas money.
The Christian missionaries
who the government worked
with wanted to encourage
religious conversion.
Only New Brunswick and
Prince Edward Island had no
residential schools and only
because the government
believed the Indigenous in
that area were sufficiently
educated.
1930 was the height of the
residential schools, where
there were 80 institutions.
Roman- Catholic churches
owned three- fifths of the
school, Anglican Church one-
fifth and the United and
Presbyterian Churches the
rest.
Until the late 1950s, the
students at residential schools
operated on half- day
systems. In the half- day
systems, the students spent
half the day in school and half
the day doing work. The truth
was, the government, who
was burdened financially by
the schools and constantly
trying to get the churches and
students to pay for them,
wanted to run the school
inexpensively. The
government hid behind the
guise that the students were
learning skills they would
need to know as adults.
In the late- 1950s, funding
was increased, and the half-
day system stopped.
Students woke up early on
school days to dress and
attend the chapel. They were
usually woken with a bell.
Breakfast was hurried, and
following it came three hours
of class or work. Sometimes,
LOVEHASNOLINE
there were short play periods spiritual beliefs, culture, and
in the late afternoon before traditions.
supper. Recreation in the
The schools were segregated
evenings was limited, and
by sex, so students were often
bedtime early. Weekends
separated from their parents.
varied because there were no
They were removed from their
classes, but Sunday was
parents, forbidden to speak
usually spent on religious
their language, and
observances. Until the 1960s,
sometimes to write in it in
holidays were spent doing
letters home to their parents.
work and play. After 1960, the
Some staff tried to act like
students were allowed to go
surrogate parents and good
home for holidays.
instructors, their best
Some children left residential intentions were defeated by
schools with happy memories, the institutional setting.
but the majority did not. Food Excessive punishments were
was of ill- quality, as were the given out when the impatience
clothes, especially the winter and correction took over,
ones not being warm enough. including physical abuse.
The lessons were taught in Many students were sexually
French or English, which the abused, as some members of
students did not speak, by the staff were sex predators.
teachers who were usually ill-
The overcrowded residential
prepared. The overseers in
schools were vulnerable to
the workplace were harsh,
tuberculosis and influenza.
and missionary staff gave
Students were underfed and
plenty of attention to their own
malnourished, and in the
religious observances, but
1940s and 50s subjected to
none to the Indigenous
LOVEHASNOLINE
nutritional experiments without Canada is beginning to
their or their parents consent. apologize for what has
At least 3,200 Indigenous happened in the past. In 2005,
students died in the residential a $1.9- billion compensation
schools. package of survivors of abuse
at residential schools was
Some students resisted the
made by the federal
harsh regime. Students
government. On June 11,
refused to cooperate,
2008, Canadian Prime
sabotaged and stole food from
Minister Stephen Harper
kitchens, and burnt down the
apologized to the students of
schools, though the latter only
residential schools on behalf
happened in extreme cases.
of the government of Canada,
By 1940, it was obvious the stating the attempted
schools were ineffective. In assimilation was wrong.
1969, the government decided
The Truth and Reconciliation
to start ending the schools,
Council has since started up.
but was met with resistance
from the Catholic Church,
which believed segregation
was the best way to educate
Indigenous children.
By the 1980s, most residential Canadian Govs Propaganda
schools had closed down. In
https://youtu.be/s_V4d7sXoqU
1996, the last school, Gordon
Residential School in Short video of what happened
Saskatchewan, closed. https://youtu.be/ZpvMwbWST
Bw
LOVEHASNOLINE
Further reading: Canadian Encyclopedia
lovehasnoline These Are My Words (by Ruby
Slipperjack)
Truth and Indignation:
Canadas truth and
reconciliation commission in
Indian Residential Schools (by
Ronald Niezan)