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Canada’s Residential Schools: The History, Part 1, Origins to 1939The Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Volume 1 |
eBook Available
Between 1867 and 2000, the Canadian government sent over 150,000 Aboriginal children to residential schools across the country. Government officials and missionaries agreed that in order to “civilize and Christianize” Aboriginal children, it was necessary to separate them from their parents and their home communities.
For children, life in these schools was lonely and alien. Discipline was harsh, and daily life was highly regimented. Aboriginal languages and cultures were denigrated and suppressed. Education and technical training too often gave way to the drudgery of doing the chores necessary to make the schools self-sustaining. Child neglect was institutionalized, and the lack of supervision created situations where students were prey to sexual and physical abusers.
Legal action by the schools’ former students led to the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in 2008. The product of over six years of research, the Commission’s final report outlines the history and legacy of the schools, and charts a pathway towards reconciliation.
Canada’s Residential Schools: The History, Part 1, Origins to 1939 places Canada’s residential school system in the historical context of European campaigns to colonize and convert Indigenous people throughout the world. In post-Confederation Canada, the government adopted what amounted to a policy of cultural genocide: suppressing spiritual practices, disrupting traditional economies, and imposing new forms of government. Residential schooling quickly became a central element in this policy.
The destructive intent of the schools was compounded by chronic underfunding and ongoing conflict between the federal government and the church missionary societies that had been given responsibility for their day-to-day operation. A failure of leadership and resources meant that the schools failed to control the tuberculosis crisis that gripped the schools for much of this period. Alarmed by high death rates, Aboriginal parents often refused to send their children to the schools, leading the government adopt ever more coercive attendance regulations. While parents became subject to ever more punitive regulations, the government did little to regulate discipline, diet, fire safety, or sanitation at the schools. By the period’s end the government was presiding over a nation-wide series of firetraps that had no clear educational goals and were economically dependent on the unpaid labour of underfed and often sickly children.
For children, life in these schools was lonely and alien. Discipline was harsh, and daily life was highly regimented. Aboriginal languages and cultures were denigrated and suppressed. Education and technical training too often gave way to the drudgery of doing the chores necessary to make the schools self-sustaining. Child neglect was institutionalized, and the lack of supervision created situations where students were prey to sexual and physical abusers.
Legal action by the schools’ former students led to the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in 2008. The product of over six years of research, the Commission’s final report outlines the history and legacy of the schools, and charts a pathway towards reconciliation.
Canada’s Residential Schools: The History, Part 1, Origins to 1939 places Canada’s residential school system in the historical context of European campaigns to colonize and convert Indigenous people throughout the world. In post-Confederation Canada, the government adopted what amounted to a policy of cultural genocide: suppressing spiritual practices, disrupting traditional economies, and imposing new forms of government. Residential schooling quickly became a central element in this policy.
The destructive intent of the schools was compounded by chronic underfunding and ongoing conflict between the federal government and the church missionary societies that had been given responsibility for their day-to-day operation. A failure of leadership and resources meant that the schools failed to control the tuberculosis crisis that gripped the schools for much of this period. Alarmed by high death rates, Aboriginal parents often refused to send their children to the schools, leading the government adopt ever more coercive attendance regulations. While parents became subject to ever more punitive regulations, the government did little to regulate discipline, diet, fire safety, or sanitation at the schools. By the period’s end the government was presiding over a nation-wide series of firetraps that had no clear educational goals and were economically dependent on the unpaid labour of underfed and often sickly children.
Details
Part of the McGill-Queen's Indigenous and Northern Studies (number 80 in series)
978 Pages, 6.75 x 9.75
34 tables, 2 graphs, 102 photos
ISBN 9780773546493
December 2015
Formats: Cloth, Paperback, eBook
"These volumes contain a tremendous amount of information and data. Of special interest are the first-person accounts and the black-and-white photographs taken at the various schools. Anyone interested in Canadian history and the history of Native peoples will be intrigued by these publications, which are sure to be eye-opening." Library Journal
Contents
Statement from the Chair, Justice Murray Sinclair ..................................... vii
Statement from the Commissioner, Dr. Marie Wilson ................................ xi
Statement from the Commissioner, Chief Wilton Littlechild ..................... xiii
Introduction ................................................................................................. 3
Section 1: The historical context for Canada’s residential schools ............ 7
1. Colonialism in the Age of Empire ......................................................... 9
2. The churches and their mission of conversion .................................... 25
3. Residential schooling in French Canada: 1608-1763 ........................... 39
4. Treaty-making and betrayal: The roots of Canada’s
Aboriginal policy ................................................................................... 49
5. Pre-Confederation residential schools ................................................ 63
6. Mission schools in the Canadian West: 1820-1880 .............................. 83
7. Confederation, colonization, and resistance ....................................... 105
8. National and international models for Canada’s
residential schools ................................................................................ 133
Section 2: The Canadian residential school system, 1867 to 1939............. 149
9. Laying the groundwork for the residential school system ................... 151
10. Student accounts of residential school life: 1867-1939 ....................... 169
11. Establishing and operating the system: 1867-1939 ............................. 197
12. The struggle over enrolment: 1867-1939 ............................................. 247
13. The educational record of residential schools: 1867-1939 .................. 293
14. The student as labourer: 1867-1939 ..................................................... 329
15. Recreation and sports: 1867-1939 ........................................................ 353
16. The deadly toll of infectious diseases: 1867-1939 ............................... 375
17. Building and maintaining the schools: 1867-1939 .............................. 453
18. Fire, a deadly hazard: 1867-1939 .......................................................... 465
19. Food and diet at residential schools: 1867-1939 ................................. 487
20. School clothing: 1867-1939 .................................................................. 511
21. Discipline: 1867-1939 ........................................................................... 517
22. Covering up sexual abuse: 1867-1939 .................................................. 559
23. Student victimization of students: 1867-1939 ..................................... 571
24. Truancy: 1867-1939 .............................................................................. 577
25. Separating children from parents: 1867-1939 ..................................... 599
26. Suppressing Aboriginal languages: 1867-1939 .................................... 615
27. Separating children from their traditions: 1867-1939 ......................... 629
28. Separating the sexes, arranging marriages,
establishing colonies: 1867-1939 ......................................................... 643
29. The Lytton school: 1902-1939 .............................................................. 663
30. Parents respond and resist: 1867-1939 ................................................ 669
31. The staff experience: 1867-1939 ........................................................... 675
Notes ............................................................................................................ 739
Bibliography ................................................................................................ 929
Index ............................................................................................................ 963
Statement from the Chair, Justice Murray Sinclair ..................................... vii
Statement from the Commissioner, Dr. Marie Wilson ................................ xi
Statement from the Commissioner, Chief Wilton Littlechild ..................... xiii
Introduction ................................................................................................. 3
Section 1: The historical context for Canada’s residential schools ............ 7
1. Colonialism in the Age of Empire ......................................................... 9
2. The churches and their mission of conversion .................................... 25
3. Residential schooling in French Canada: 1608-1763 ........................... 39
4. Treaty-making and betrayal: The roots of Canada’s
Aboriginal policy ................................................................................... 49
5. Pre-Confederation residential schools ................................................ 63
6. Mission schools in the Canadian West: 1820-1880 .............................. 83
7. Confederation, colonization, and resistance ....................................... 105
8. National and international models for Canada’s
residential schools ................................................................................ 133
Section 2: The Canadian residential school system, 1867 to 1939............. 149
9. Laying the groundwork for the residential school system ................... 151
10. Student accounts of residential school life: 1867-1939 ....................... 169
11. Establishing and operating the system: 1867-1939 ............................. 197
12. The struggle over enrolment: 1867-1939 ............................................. 247
13. The educational record of residential schools: 1867-1939 .................. 293
14. The student as labourer: 1867-1939 ..................................................... 329
15. Recreation and sports: 1867-1939 ........................................................ 353
16. The deadly toll of infectious diseases: 1867-1939 ............................... 375
17. Building and maintaining the schools: 1867-1939 .............................. 453
18. Fire, a deadly hazard: 1867-1939 .......................................................... 465
19. Food and diet at residential schools: 1867-1939 ................................. 487
20. School clothing: 1867-1939 .................................................................. 511
21. Discipline: 1867-1939 ........................................................................... 517
22. Covering up sexual abuse: 1867-1939 .................................................. 559
23. Student victimization of students: 1867-1939 ..................................... 571
24. Truancy: 1867-1939 .............................................................................. 577
25. Separating children from parents: 1867-1939 ..................................... 599
26. Suppressing Aboriginal languages: 1867-1939 .................................... 615
27. Separating children from their traditions: 1867-1939 ......................... 629
28. Separating the sexes, arranging marriages,
establishing colonies: 1867-1939 ......................................................... 643
29. The Lytton school: 1902-1939 .............................................................. 663
30. Parents respond and resist: 1867-1939 ................................................ 669
31. The staff experience: 1867-1939 ........................................................... 675
Notes ............................................................................................................ 739
Bibliography ................................................................................................ 929
Index ............................................................................................................ 963
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