Timeline-Canada's Residential School History
1620-1680
In New France the first boarding school arrangements are made for Indian Youth by the Recollects, a French order, and later the Jesuits and the female order, the Ursulines.
By 1680 the New France experiment of education of Indian children in residential establishments is terminated.
1763
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 [issued by His Majesty George III] states that unless lands have "been ceded to or purchased by the Sovereign of Great Britain they are to be considered as reserved for the Indians."
1842-1847
In 1842 the Bagot Commission Reports that Indians ought to acquire 'industry and knowledge' and recommends agriculture-based boarding schools, placed far from parental influence.
This Report laid the cornerstone for Indian Residential Schools.
The root of religious outreach was a desire to save souls from hell's fire while filling up the pews-goals complementary to the policy of assimilation adopted by the federal government at that time.
In 1845 the Government reports to the legislative assembly of Upper Canada, and recommends that Indian boarding schools be set up.
In 1847, Egerton Ryerson's study of Indian education is carried out at the request of the Assistant Superintendent General of Indian Affairs.
This study becomes the model for future Indian Residential Schools.
Ryerson's report to Indian Affairs stated: "The education of Indians consists not merely of training the mind but of a weaning from the habits and feelings of their ancestors and the acquirements of the language, arts and customs of civilized life".
He suggests a partnership between government and church and that schooling be of a religious nature.
1857-1892
1857-Gradual Civilization Act is passed to assimilate Indians.
1867-Constitution Act. Canada is responsible for Indians and their lands. It adopts a policy of assimilation.
1892-Federal government and churches enter into formal partnership in the operation of Indian boarding and industrials schools.
1870s
In 1873 the Chief of the Lac Seul Nation sought a treaty that would bring a teacher so their children could learn the white man's ways, including agriculture.
He told the government representative that "the time may come when I will ask you to lend one of your daughters and one of your sons to live with us; and in return I will lend you one of my daughters and one of my sons for you to teach what is good and after they have learned, to teach us. If you grant us what I ask, although I do not know you, I will shake hands with you."
In 1876 Nicholas Flood Davin was sent to the US to study the Indian education system. Davin recommended that four denominational industrial boarding schools be established so that Indian children could learn Christian morality and work habits away from the influences of the home. Davin's report had an important influence in shaping the early residential school system.
The model was deemed successful because it effectively cut children off from the presumed negative influences of their families.
"If anything is to be done with the Indian we must catch them very young" wrote Davin. The difficulty here was the "the influence of the wigwam was stronger than the influence of the school," he concluded.
1891
"Why should we expect that Indians alone, of all people, should be quietly ready to give up all old customs and traditions and language, and adopt those of the aggressor upon their soil? The change which we expect the Indian to make, and make so quickly, is a far greater one than is required of any of those nations above enumerated [Germany, Sweden, France, Italy], who have left the shores of one civilized country to come to those of another. With the Indian, the change is a radical one -- a change of dress, a change of dwelling, a change in mode of gaining livelihood, a social change, a religious change, an educational change, a totum in toto change. And this -- not so much for his own benefit, as for our own convenience. We want the land. We cannot have Indian hunters annoying our farmers and settlers. If the Indian is to remain, we expect him to be a decent neighbour; and to be a decent neighbour, we expect him to accept our religion, our education, our laws, and our customs. We allow him no choice and we allow him no time."
Attributed to E.F. Wilson. Principal of Shingwauk Residential School. May 1891. The Canadian Indian. Vol.1, no.8.
1907
Chief Medical Inspector P.H. Bryce reports numerous deficiencies of the schools to the Department of Indian Affairs.
As a result of government inaction, he published his findings in a 1922 book: The Story of a National Crime: Being a Record of the Health Conditions of the Indians of Canada from 1904 to 1921.
1910
Period of Segregation where policies were to segregate Aboriginal children, teach Aboriginal children enough to return home and be self-supporting.
1920
Duncan Campbell Scott, superintendent of Indian affairs said, "I want to get rid of the Indian problem," in 1920, as he addressed a parliamentary committee.
In that year (1920) it became mandatory for every Indian child between the ages of 7-15 to attend school after it was discovered that of the approximately 18,000 Indian children in Canada of school age only about 12,000 were enrolled in day, residential and boarding schools.
"Our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic, and there is no Indian question, and no Indian Department," said Scott.
Education was deemed the most effective way to eliminate 'the problem'.
Some students were brought to school by their parents, who obeyed the law of the land and perhaps thought that a formal education was better than none at all.
Others tell of being snatched away from their home by agents who were sent into the wilderness to round up Indian children.
1931
There were 80 residential schools operating in Canada.
1940s
In 1944 Senior Indian Affairs officials argue for policy shift from residential to day schools.
In 1945 there were 9,149 students in residential schools with over 100 students in grade 8 and none registered in grade 9 or higher.
In 1948 there were 72 residential schools with 9,368 students.
This also marks the beginning of the integration of Indian and non-Indian schools.
In 1948, a departmental study conducted of the qualification of the teachers in the residential schools…disclosed that over 40 per cent of the teaching staff had no professional training. Indeed, some had not even graduated from high school.
This was a long way from the stated official policy of appointing 'only those with provincial certificates.'
Unqualified teachers were hired because no one else was willing to brave the Canadian wilderness to work for pitifully low wages at cash-strapped schools. Residential school teachers did not, in general, approach normal standards.
1950s
In 1950 a policy statement restricted attendance at residential schools to underprivileged children who had no homes or whose home conditions are undesirable and to children who live in areas where it is not possible for them to attend day schools.
Integration policy recognized the failure of the residential school system and by the mid to late 1950s began the replacement of Indian children into mainstream public schools. This process happened in different areas of the country at different times.
In 1958 it is recommended that the Indian Residential Schools system be demolished.
1960s
In 1960 Indians gain the franchise - the right to vote and became citizens of Canada.
In 1969 the partnership between government and churches ends.
Government takes over the residential school system and begins to transfer control to Indian bands.
There were 52 residential schools with 7,704 students.
Day schools and other arrangements replaced residential schools, which became special service only.
At this time parental consent was now required for placing children in a residential school and parents are included on school committees.
1970s
In 1970 Blue Quills Residential School is the first of the residential schools to come under band control.
1970-71 - The Department decided to close Indian residential schools 'as soon as it is practical and reasonable to do so'.
In 1972 the National Indian Brotherhood called for Indian control of Indian education and was endorsed by the Canadian government in 1973.
In 1979 only 15 Indian Residential Schools were still in operation. Enrollment is 1,189
1980s
In the1980s Residential school survivors began disclosing sexual and other forms of abuse at residential schools.
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