Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School

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Students and family members, Father Joseph Hugonard (principal), staff and Grey Nuns on a hill overlooking the Qu'Appelle Industrial School, May 1885 Qu'Appelle Industrial School 1885.jpg
Students and family members, Father Joseph Hugonard (principal), staff and Grey Nuns on a hill overlooking the Qu'Appelle Industrial School, May 1885

Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School (Q.I.R.S.) or Qu'Appelle Industrial School was a Canadian residential school in the Qu'Appelle Valley, [[Saskatchewan], also called the Lebret Residential School. As one of the early residential schools in western Canada, it was operated from 1884 to 1969 by the Roman Catholic Church for First Nations children and was run by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the Grey Nuns. As of November 8, 2021 Star Blanket Cree Nation started searching for unmarked graves using ground-penetrating radar. [1] and they have located none as all burials were done in the community cemetery which included all members indigenous and white, etc. and are recorded in the burial records.

Contents

It was located on what is now the Wa-Pii Moos-toosis (White Calf) Indian Reserve of the Star Blanket Cree Nation adjoining the village of Lebret. [2] Lebret is situated on the north-east shore of Mission Lake in the Qu'Appelle Valley, six kilometres east of Fort Qu'Appelle on Highway 56.

Lack of information

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action are dependent on identifying and making publicly available the history and legacy of residential schools and the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. All information about the schools are in the Canadian Archives including all supplies, students, care provided and classes taught, etc. The education of the students was insisted upon by the Chiefs before signing the treaties or would not have been presented. There were no other organizations who had people educated enough to be able to supply education to the children therefore the churches who had the ability were asked to supply the education. Children had visitations with Chiefs and families as they were requested and all students went home for the summers. History of this particular residential school has been written by teachers and students and available in public domain. Plus digitization efforts to date have not prioritized items under copyright nor non-mainstream cultures and languages, resulting in claims of digital or electronic colonialism. Thus there is a lack of mainstream culture references for this entry, plus last century and early 20th century Indigenous references for a school that celebrated a Centenary in 1984.

History

Qu'Appelle Industrial School in 1885. Parents camped outside the gate in order to visit their children. Destroyed by fire in 1904. Quappelle-indian-school-sask.jpg
Qu'Appelle Industrial School in 1885. Parents camped outside the gate in order to visit their children. Destroyed by fire in 1904.

Although the reserve was just across the lake within sight of the school

Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School

Qu'Appelle Industrial School was built in 1884 to fulfill one of the conditions of Treaty 4, signed in 1874, which was to provide schools and education for First Nations children. It was located in the Qu'Appelle Valley. Fifteen students were enrolled in the first year with Father Joseph Hugonnard as the first principal. (It was a boys only school until 1887 when girls accommodation were built. See Laviolette in references below) In 1886 there were 86 students and by 1914 there were 280 students. [3]

"With the assistance of the Grey Nuns, a few Oblate fathers, and lay instructors, Hugonard was to make Qu’Appelle Industrial School a model Catholic educational facility for native people and the largest such institution in Canada. The native children, in parallel boys’ and girls’ schools, attended classes for half the day and engaged in domestic or agricultural pursuits the other half. English was the language of instruction; the girls played croquet and the boys cricket."

—  [4]

The first building was destroyed by fire in 1904 and the second Qu'Appelle Industrial School was destroyed by fire in 1932. It was replaced by the in 1935. The school was expanded with additions and a gymnasium (1894 [5] ) and in 1948 high school classes started to be held onsite. [5] A bronze statue of Joseph Hugonard (sic) by Toronto sculptor Charles Duncan McKechnie was installed in 1926. [6] Located near the entrance of the school, the base of the statue appears in graduation photos.

St. Paul's High School and White Calf Collegiate

In 1951, St. Paul's High School was added to the complex. In 1952, an 800-seat auditorium was erected. [5] The decision was made in 1965 to close education above grade 9 [7] and the high school ended up closing in 1969 [8] because there were local integrated schools available to attend.

The school reopened under the operations of the reserve in 1973 [8] [9] [10] under the name White Calf Collegiate, in charge of the residences but not education. [7] Grade 10 was added in 1977 at the expense of losing grade 1, then Grade 11 was added in 1978 and in 1981 the Board became the School Council and took over the school. [11] Grade 12 was added, with the first graduating class May 21, 1982. [7] The school finally closed in August 1998. [12] White Calf Collegiate, operated by the Star Blanket Cree Nation, was demolished in 1999. [2]

Sister G. Marcoux wrote a history of the school in 1955, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the province of Saskatchewan [13] and an article of its history on its centenary was published. [5]

Principals (Q.I.R.S.)

Education and extra-curricular activities

"The program of studies was oriented towards christianity (sic) and the pupils enjoyed manual work/life skills, art, singing and music and various sporting activities." [5] The students spent half their time on vocational training and half academic with housekeeping and farm chores required in teaching life skills. [5] The curriculum included "reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling, geography, history, music, singing and drawing." [5] For the boys the emphasis was on "animal husbandry and farm related subjects, with additional training in tailoring, shoemaking, printing and painting." [5] The girls were taught "homemaking skills such as spinning, weaving, baking, cooking and sewing." [5]


Fr. de Bretagne "re-organized the school program, the farm operations, the manual training facilities" and "obtained funds to permit the creation of a 24-piece military band which won many prizes in provincial festivals." [5]

Fr. Piche organized the Cadet Corps in 1944. [5]

It is noted that the school had a gestetner [13] and may have had a printing press earlier in its history. [14]

Sports and awards

The Lebret Indians Junior "B" Hockey Team dominated the province for five years, [15] from 1955-59. When Indian Affairs phased out grades 11-12 in 1959, Arthur Obey, the Coach of the hockey team at the school, reported it wiped out Junior "B" hockey at Lebret and the league ended up folding. Zeman et al. state Junior "B" hockey didn't return until 1962. [15] Sports were very important method of assimilation at the residential schools [16] and Lebret, for one, "developed outstanding athletic programs" and athletes. Sports and games were also by students to endure their institutionalization. [16] [17] Art Obey spent "15 years [as] Director of Recreation and Sports at the Lebret Indian residential School, Sask." starting in 1950 [18] through the time of Lebret's successful sports program. He returned at some point as it is noted he "remained involved with sports at Qu'Appelle into the 1970s, when he served as the Qu'Appelle residence's recreation director." [19]

Hockey teams (boys) at Lebret have won:

The boys track and field team "dominated many local meets from 1955 to 1960. [25]

Further:

Graduates:

Students and alumni

Photos of some students, teachers, the school and their activities may be in copies of the Indian Record and Indian Missionary Record at the Engracia De Jesus Matias Archives and Special Collections at Algoma University, through the Centre de Patrimoine, in Sister Marcoux's history, [13] and Library and Archives Canada's Residential Schools: Photographic Collections - Saskatchewan..

Four Saskatchewan students of the Lebret Indian school have won the Tom Longboat Award, an award that honours outstanding First Nations athletes and sportsmen in each province. National male and female winners are selected from the provincial winners.

Other students included:

In November, 2021 the Star Blanket Cree Nation began searching using ground-penetrating radar, for students who did not survive their stay at the school. The search could take up to 3 years. [1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Quon, Alexander (Nov 8, 2021). "Star Blanket Cree Nation begins ground-penetrating radar searches at site of former residential school". CBC News. Retrieved Nov 9, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Stephen LaRose (1999). "Wrecker's ball claims White Calf Collegiate". Volume 3, issue 8, page 18. Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (Saskatchewan Sage). Archived from the original on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  3. ↑ "École résidentielle Qu'Appelle (Lebret)". Société historique de Saint-Boniface. 2010. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  4. ↑ Jacqueline Gresko (1998). ""HUGONARD, JOSEPH," in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 14". University of Toronto/Université Laval. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Gontran, Laviolette (October 1984). "Qu'Appelle Indian School Marks 100 Years". The Indian Missionary Record. 47[4]: 9–10. Archived from the original on 2017-11-05. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
  6. ↑ W. Andrew Powell (2021-06-24). "Archdiocese removes the Hugonard statue". Grasslands. Archived from the original on 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  7. 1 2 3 "First graduates in 17 years from Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School". Saskatchewan Indian. 12 (5): 18. June 1982.
  8. 1 2 "Lebret healthcare: A journey through time" (PDF). Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit. September 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  9. ↑ Westley, Annette (January–February 1973). "Indians to Manage Qu'Appelle School". The Indian Missionary Record: 10. Archived from the original on 2017-11-05. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
  10. 1 2 "Native board manage Lebret School residence" (PDF). Indian Record. 36[5-6]: 1. May–June 1973 – via Agoma University. Archives and Special Collections.
  11. ↑ Ironstar, Martha (August 1981). "Qu'appelle Indian School Council "takes over"". Saskatchewan Indian. 11 (8): 32.
  12. ↑ David McLennan (2006). "Lebret". The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Marcoux, Sister G. (1955). History of the Qu'Appelle Indian School, Lebret, Saskatchewan: In Fulfillment of the request by the Department of Education on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Province of Saskatchewan (PDF). s.n.
  14. ↑ Griffith, Jane A. (2015). News from School: Language, Time, and Place in the Newspapers of 1890s Indian Boarding Schools in Canada (PDF). Toronto, ON: York University YorkSpace.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Zeman, B.; et al. "1955-59 Lebret Indians. In Hockey heritage: 88 Years of puck chasing in Saskatchewan" . Retrieved 2017-10-27.[ dead link ]
  16. 1 2 Forsyth, J. (2013). "Bodies of meaning". Aboriginal peoples and sport in Canada: historical foundations and contemporary issues. Vancouver, B.C.: UBC Press. pp. 15–34. ISBN   9780774824224.
  17. ↑ Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015). "Sports and the arts: 1940 to 2000". Canada's residential schools: the History, part 2, 1939 to 2000. Volume 1. The Final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 471. ISBN   9780773546516.
  18. ↑ Balcarres Free Lance (March 1961). "Art Obey Top Indian Athlete" (PDF). Indian Record. XXIV (III): 7.
  19. ↑ Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015). Canada's residential schools: the History, part 2, 1939 to 2000. Volume 1. The Final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 471. ISBN   9780773546516.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Along Saskatchewan's Hockey Trail: Saskatchewan champions" (PDF). Saskatchewan Hockey Association. November 1, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2017.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Sports Leaders Honoured: Arthur Obey And Tony Cote". Saskatchewan Indian. 10[2-3]: 5. February–March 1980. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-11-02.
  22. 1 2 3 Balcarres Free Lance (March 1961). "Art Obey Top Indian Athlete" (PDF). Indian Record. XXIV (III): 7.
  23. 1 2 3 4 "Two day vocation seminar at St. Paul's High School" (PDF). Indian Record. XXIII[4]: 3. April 1960.
  24. ↑ "Nostalgia! St. Paul's High, Lebret, Saskatchewan 1958 Saskatchewan Junior 'B'/Juvenile 'B' Provincial Champions". Saskatchewan Indian. 12 (7): 37. September 1982.
  25. ↑ Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015). Canada's residential schools: the History, part 2, 1939 to 2000. Volume 1. The Final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 471. ISBN   9780773546516.
  26. 1 2 3 Prairie Messenger (Oct. 1949) (October–November 1953). "Qu'Appelle Residential School shows constant progress" (PDF). The Indian Missionary Record. XVI[16]: 4.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  27. 1 2 3 4 Forsyth, J.M. (2005). The power to define: A history of the tom longboat awards, 1951–2001. A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global: University of Windsor.
  28. ↑ Bland, Sue (July 29, 2013). "Remembering Gerry Starr". Poached Egg Woman. Retrieved Nov 19, 2018.
  29. ↑ Krotz, Larry (July 5, 2017). "Separate but unequal". The Walrus.
  30. ↑ Bob Kronbauer, "New skateboard features pro skater's Indian Residential School ID card". The Squamish Chief, July 16, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Item Freda Ahenakew fonds, MLCN-667-0016 - Harold Greyeyes at Lebret Indian Residential School [1938]". Saskatchewan Archival Information Network: Photographs. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  32. ↑ Julian, Steve (October 8, 2017). "Mr. Fred Kelly Teachings of Turtle Island". Ojibwe Confessions: Indigenous View Point. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  33. ↑ Kelly, Fred (2008). "Fred Kelly Kizhebowse Muhkwa – Pizhew Ndotem Kind Walking Bear – Lynx Clan Confessions of a Born Again pagan". From Truth to Reconciliation: Transforming the legacy of residential schools. Ottawa, ON: Aboriginal Healing Foundation. p. 11. ISBN   978-1-897285-61-9.
  34. ↑ Spence, Bruce (January 1982). "Prince Albert Chiefs consider Education Commission". Saskatchewan Indian. 12 (1): 38.
  35. ↑ "Noel Starblanket – Shattering the Silence". Shattering the Silence: The Hidden history of Indian residential schools in Saskatchewan [ebook]. Retrieved 2019-08-09.
  36. ↑ Ledoux, Gloria (May 1981). "Fred Martel and Joe Williams Honored". Saskatchewan Indian. 11 (5): 7.

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