Tag Archives: residential schools

St. Joseph’s Memorial – Weblog 3 – 4

Events for St. Joseph’s Reunion

http://www.splatsin.ca/wp-content/uploads/SJM-COMMEMORATION-COMMUNIQUE-December-21-2012.pdf

This site shows the planning of the committee which culiminated in a memorial in May of 2013. It’s purpose was to help facilitate the healing process as St. Joseph’s residential school was one of the more horrific schools. The interesting point was it was organized by the Esketemc First Nations. It also shows that St. Joseph’s drew from 15 First Nation communities and operated, officially, for 90 years.

The first event was put on by SD27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin) and I knew a few people that attended and said it was extremely informative.

The original funding for the memorial came from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. However, additional funding was raised through events. It also shows that SD27 used their Professional development day as a focus on residential schools. I am not sure if that is accurate as the date sited is in April, so it may have been a non-instructional day.

It discusses the unveiling of the monuments and what can be done in the future as it pertains to education around the residential school issue in William’s Lake. It also discusses the book (although the title was changed) They Called me Number One by Bev Sellars a recount of her time at St. Joseph’s.

This document will not be used in my project as a source, however, it was valuable as it clearly demonstrated the work that went into the day. It is also important to note that the day, although initially funded by TRC, was also completely organized by the School district and the Esketemc First Nations.

An additional thing that came from this event was the idea for a day in September to become an annual remembering residential schools day. This year it will be on Sept. 30 (I think) and orange t-shirts will be worn and teachers are being asked to discuss residential schools in classes on that day. I have been in contact with both my Aboriginal teacher liaison and Principal for an event to occur in my library on that day. Every little bit helps.

Harper’s Apology – Weblog 3 – 3

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Harper’s Apology

http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100015644/1100100015649

This site, from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, contains a transcript of the apology Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave for residential schools on June 11, 2008.

The apology was issued, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to all people impacted by residential schools, particular those whose had survived the horrific treatment at the aforementioned schools. The apology admits over 150,000 children were separated from their families during this tumultuous time. He states the schools were started, partly, to meet the educational needs of Aboriginal children in the 1800s. The need to assimilate children was based on the belief Aboriginal culture was inferior to European culture. 132 schools were funded nationwide with every province containing them, with the exception of Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. The government recognizes these schools were a tragedy and should have never occurred.

The government also recognizes the fallout to residential schools and the impact it has had on people and communities. Although, Harper states, some enjoyed their time at school, these positives are overshadowed by the tragic stories of survivors. He also recognized the absence of an apology has slowed down the healing process. The onus should fall on the government and country for not issuing an apology earlier and they must shoulder the burden. He apologizes to all survivors and families impacted by residential schools. He also recognized the steps that need to be taken moving forward, including the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

This apology will be used in my project because it is the first time the government truly recognized what an atrocity occurred on Canadian soil. It also began the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which will a small focus of the project. I also remember watching the apology on television and wondering the sincerity of it. Given what occurred, I can’t help but wonder if healing will ever happen.

The Residential School System

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The Residential School System

http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/government-policy/the-residential-school-system.html

This website, through the University of British Columbia (shout out!), is an excellent look at the residential system in BC and Canada. It discusses the purpose of the residential school which was to assimilate and destroy culture. As the site points out it was to, “kill the Indian in the child.” It stated in the 1880s, with the church assuming the role of educator and forcing theological beliefs on children who were uprooted from their homes. The site discusses the torment these children faced on a daily basis: abuse, which was physical, psychological, and sexual . It also outlines the inferior education the children received, often only to grade 5 and preparing the children for a life in agriculture or wood working. It was not until the 1990s that churches began to recognize their part in this destructive ploy.

The site is a great source because it also outlines the ‘need’ for residential schools. The government of the time believed in order to settle Canada, the Aboriginal population needed to be reformed and the best way to do that was indoctrination at an early age. They went as far as to make it illegal for First Nations to attend schools which were not residential. The conditions at the residential school also highlighted the capabilities the government thought Aboriginal children possessed. Work was geared toward practical ability: sewing, carpentry and farming. Ironically, for a school, it was so unfocused on education that many students only reached grade 5 by 18 years of age. Many children died to the unsanitary conditions faced at residential schools, yet the value placed on Aboriginal life was so low the schools continued for a century.

In the late 1950s the government finally began to treat these institutions more like a school and began to hire qualified staff, and the 80 years of mistreatment was swept under the rug. The worthlessness created by these schools is still in communities today. As an aside, when St. Joseph’s finally shut down many non-Native peoples had no idea what when on because that implied worthlessness still lingered in 1981.

This site will be very valuable to my project because it outlines why the government felt the need to create residential schools and always demonstrates how the schools created a sense of despair and worthlessness in many Aboriginal communities. Many Aboriginal people are still reluctant to attend schools and are distrustful of schools due to the horrifying repercussions these schools caused. I hope to glean from this site some of the overt means of making students ashamed of their culture and some of the not-so-overt means of destroying self worth.

Indian Residential School Resources – Weblog 3 – 1

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Indian Residential School Resources

http://irsr.ca/lesson-plan-2/

This is not a website I intend to use for my project. It is one I intend to use in school. Even though, over the last few years, residential schools have come up in the media, most people are completely unaware of the truth behind residential schools or the impact residential schools had on community, families, and individuals.

One of the nice things about the website is its disclaimer, which recognizes the sensitive nature of the subject matter. It also provides a list of guidelines to follow when teaching about residential schools, which include: don’t overgeneralize or simplify, respect the differences people in the class will have, encourage empathy, among many others.

The website also has links to 8 individual lesson plans. The first four deal with learning about sensitive issues and how to investigate and research a paper/project on residential schools. These four lessons are great in the fact that they can be tailored to suit almost any grade level and interest group.

The second four deal with reconciliation and recovery. There is a superb , albeit brief, summary of Aboriginal education going forward for the teacher. The first lesson: Roots deals with the idea of institutionalized racism. The second: Removal or Relocation deals with the horror of removing children from their homes. The third: Reconcilliation deals with the idea of what Canada needs to do to reconcile with survivors of residential schools. It also introduces learners on ways of using newspapers as research tools. The fourth plan: Rights and responsibilities deals with the Charter and the UN Human Rights. This lesson forces students to reflect on times they felt violated and also makes students look to the future for things they can do to make this world a better place.

The lesson plan page on Indian Residential School Resources may not be used for my project, but will be ideally suited for social studies teachers and this is a link I plan to share with colleagues.

Interactive Resource: Residential Schools

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Where are All the Children? Healing the Legacy of Residential Schools

Module 3: Blog #5

Website: http://www.wherearethechildren.ca/flash/WATCSite.html

I found this site when I first visited “Legacy of Hope Foundation” which is my first blog in module three. The depth of resources available in this site is phenomenal. The site has many links that lead to different sections. Starting with the blackboard, which uses pictures, oral and written text that outlines the history of residential schools and the impact it had on Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Another section examines a map of Canada, moving chronologically showing the location of Residential Schools from Confederation to present. The 3D tour of a Mohawk residential school provides a glimpse into the negative impact of colonialism. This inquiry based site, also use video to digitize the stories of Residential School Survivors.

This site is a valuable resource, which I will use in teaching “First Nations Studies” at Chilliwack Secondary School. I believe, this site represents a proactive approach to revising the lens of colonialism and re-examining the impact that Residential Schools had on Indigenous people across Canada. My project on the Nisga’a website, also examines residential schools, but form their communities’ perspective. Because this site is interactive, set in a Web 2.0 learning platform, there is not any outside links to resources.

This link is pdf found in the bookcase section of the website, outlining how to use the resoucres in found in the site as a education resource within the classroom. I am very impressed with the depth of interactive material within this site. http://www.wherearethechildren.ca/flash/assets/pdf/TeachersGuide.pdf

Residential Schools: Resource Rich Website

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Legacy of Hope Foundation

Module 3: Blog #1

Website: http://www.legacyofhope.ca/home

The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) website is a chartiable organization that works with First Nations, Inuit and Metis to address the negative impact of Residential School. The LHF provides resources and links to sites as represented by thierr mission statement of working with survivors of aboriginal communities. Also, the LHF has other reseource for educators that can be used in the classroom to aid in teaching effectively on the impact that residential school had on Aborginal Peoples in Canada.

The search for these resources started after I read and listen to the interview by Heather McGregor. As a Social Studies teacher, I am always trying to improve and expand my teaching base. Residential schools is part of my teaching approach in Social Studies 10 and 11. This also, links to my project idea of living history and the need for Aboriginal Peoples being proactive in taking the lead in education. I went to one of the links and order an education kit for my classroom while touring the various resources for teachers. I believe this is a valuable resource for educators in aiding in developing lessons plans to remove the lens of colonial interpretation on history and teach a revisionist Indigenous history.

Although, the LHF represents a charitable organization, it is hard to determine if this was a Federal Government developed site or a First Nations initiative.

The various links found within this site provide access to a wealth of areas for resources and information about the impact of residential school.

Excellent resource for teachers as an interactive site: http://www.wherearethechildren.ca/

Provides a link to order resources for the classroom: http://www.legacyofhope.ca/projects/100-years-of-loss-edu-kit-and-teacher-bundle After viewing the resources on this site I ordered it for my teaching practice.

Residential Schools – Part 2 – Project

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Weblog to Research Statement – Part 2

I posted one prior to this (although for some reason I was posting in last year’s blog…I should pay attention to dates), however after discussion with Heather and her trepidation about interviews and their ability to be collected ethically and the fact that I would have needed to go through the ethics committee, I have not changed topics but have changed some format and made so tweaks…so without further adieu….

The St. Joseph’s Mission School (also know as Cariboo Residential School, or St. Joseph’s Residential School)

One of Canada’s longest running residential schools, St. Joseph’s also has one of the most horrific pasts. In May of this year, survivors met for a reunion and the laying of two monuments to remember the past.

I began in the Cariboo district about 8 years and one of my first jobs was to teach social studies. One of the units was on residential schooling. I didn’t particularly care for the textbook’s explanation , nor did seem localized. I began a discussion with one of the local Aboriginal Education teachers and was told of two local residential schools. After some preliminary research I began to teach the unit. Low and behold several of my students had relatives or knew someone who had gone to either the Nazko School or St. Joseph’s. The stories the kids told me of their family members and the plight they faced was harrowing.

In June of 2008, Stephen Harper stood in front of the nation and apologized for the misdeeds of government. He offered solace, understanding, and reparations. The implications of residential schools are still not fully realized. The distrust of schooling as a result of residential schools will take generations to overcome, if ever. The toll these schools took on families is profound and slowly families rebuild. However, the toll took on individuals will never be understood. Lives were destroyed.

St. Joseph’s is one of the few schools to have criminal charges stem from its treatment, yet the public outcry was muffled. People talk of the school, and know survivors, but the conversation is muted. I plan to research the residential school in BC, with a focus on St. Joseph’s. By learning the past, I hope to understand my students better and improve their future.

My project will consist of a movie which chronicles a brief history of residential schools in BC. Then the history and allegations of St. Joseph’s will be examined. Finally, the third part will examine what has come out as a result of the apology and the lawsuits, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. I will look at possible obstacles that still need to be overcome.

I look forward to comments or feedback.

Module 2 – Weblog 3 Residential School Settlement

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Weblog (Mod 2 – WL3)

http://www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca/english_index.html

This website contains the entire decision for the class action lawsuit in which the government and the churches were sued by survivors of the residential schools. The website also contains a claim form so people who were unaware or for hardship reasons can still file a claim. Currently, Mistassini hostels are the focus of the claims.

What makes this site interesting is that it offers monthly updates to the claims put forth so far. The following data is directly from the site:

Update for June 5, 2013:

The Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat has posted updated statistics including details such as the amount of claims received and total compensation distributed from September 19, 2007 to April 30, 2013:

Total number of claims received:	37,767
Total number of claims resolved:	20,855
Total number of claims in progress:	16,912
Total number of hearings held:	16,968
Total Compensation:	$1,974,000,000

The update can be viewed at www.iap-pei.ca.

The next status update will be available on July 3, 2013.

The website also offers appeal forms to those who may need them. It also lists all the schools that applied to be a part of the process including the school I will focus on: St. Joseph’s.

Cariboo (St. Joseph’s, Williams Lake) St. Joseph’s Missions (Mission)

CARIBOO-ST. JOESPH’S

British Columbia Williams Lake Already Included in Settlement

Agreement

Identified as IRS #34 on CEP and IAP

I plan to use this to show the process the survivors of St. Joseph’s went through and to see if any compensation was given. This is all part of the documentation process of St. Joseph’s.

The formating on this one seems a little wonky when cut and pasted from my documents, must be due to the table…my apologies.

Moore

Weblog Module 2 – WL1 – St. Joseph’s memorial

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Weblog (Module 2 – WL 1)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/04/24/bc-st-josepho-memorial.html

This website is from the CBC and discusses the reunion of survivors of the St. Joseph’s residential school (also known as Williams Lake Indian Residential School and Williams Lake Industrial School). Closed in 1981, the school was one of the last operating residential schools in BC. The article calls for plans for a monument for survivors in the spot of the school, which has been torn down and a monument in a Williams Lake park to honour the children that died at this school.

However, there is also a link on the page to a 8 and a half minute radio interview with Andy Brice, who is the great grandson of Peter Henderson Brice, who was hired to be a health official for a smallpox outbreak. He did a 3 year study and found that Residential schools in Ontario were so bad that tuberculosis was found in up to 75% of students. Other suggestions included better nutrition, heating and ventilation.

1922 – ‘Story of a National Crime’ published. It discussed deplorable conditions in Residential Schools that Brice had seen. The pamphlet by Brice, was less than stellarly received.

This story links the deplorable conditions in BC to the deplorable conditions in Ontario and show Residential schools to be a national problem at the turn of the century.

I will use the information in my paper on Residential schools, with a focus on St. Joseph’s , to demonstrate what the city is doing as reparations.

Moore

Long term effects of the Residential School Era on Native Canadian People

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In my search for ideas for my final paper in ETEC 521, I came across the following article that describes in more detail what went on in residential schools in Canada. My main focus is:

What are the long term effects of the residential schools and how does this effect indigenous language fluency for future generations?

One of the things that went on in the residential schools was that students were forbidden to speak their own language and were punished if they did so. I find this so incredibly sad. Just to imagine not letting your own language leave your lips, is unfathomable. When I think of myself (I often talk to myself when I work through a problem, or for example, count out loud when adding things together). For example, I’m sitting out on my porch right now, talking myself through these weblogs. I’m sure if someone recorded me, I would have been speaking English to myself for the past three hours! For another example, my husband (who is from the French part of Switzerland) always does math and calculations out loud to himself in French (even though he is completely fluent in English). I do the opposite. I’m fluent in French but when working out numbers etc., I always revert to doing the calculations out loud in English (since that’s the language where I learned how to count). Therefore, when I think of residential schools abolishing the speaking of indigenous languages, the students must have been beaten, even when they didn’t mean to speak the languages (but it would come out of their mouths anyway).

I was just thinking of this exact concept when I was teaching my French Immersion students last Monday. I was telling a group (in French) to not speak English amongst themselves. It’s scary to think that if I was teaching in a residential school, I would have to punish my students each time they spoke English. However, it’s not exactly the same situation. Most of these students (the fortunate ones) go home to their families every night where they speak their native tongues and are loved and can share with family culture and events. This was not the case in the residential schools.

http://myworldyourworld.blog.ca/2009/06/15/the-long-term-effects-of-the-residential-school-era-on-native-canadian-people-6311450/