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Residential Schools

Residential Schools. The Background . Residential schools hold a dark legacy Purpose was to educate and civilize the First Nation to adopt a more Western lifestyle 1857- Gradual Civilization Act passed to assimilate Indians.

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Residential Schools

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  1. Residential Schools

  2. The Background • Residential schools hold a dark legacy • Purpose was to educate and civilize the First Nation to adopt a more Western lifestyle • 1857- Gradual Civilization Act passed to assimilate Indians

  3. 1870-1910- Period of assimilation where the clear objective of both missionaries and government was to assimilate Aboriginal children in to the lower fringes of mainstream society

  4. In 1920, compulsory attendance for all children ages 7-15. • Children were forcibly taken from their families by priests, Indian agents and police officers • Separated children from their parents and forced religion on them • Earlier schools were strictly church-run institutions (Several Christian denominations)

  5. Many children knew nothing of the English language upon their arrival • The school environment expected children to follow strict guidelines of conduct they were not used to • Once at the school, students were not permitted to speak their native tongue and the supervisors spoke only English to them • Children lost the ability to speak their own language • Were taught at school that their cultures was inferior and not worth preserving • Residential schools disrupted passing of tradition beliefs, skills, and knowledge from one generation to the next

  6. 1931- 80 residential schools operating in Canada • 1948- 72 schools • In the 1950s the numbers started to go down as the rumors of the treatment of the children spread • They realized that the schools were a failure • 1979- 12 residential schools • 1980’s- Residential school students began disclosing sexual and other forms of abuse at residential schools

  7. 1996- The last federally run residential school, the Gordon Residential School, closes in Saskatchewan • 1998- the AFN establishes the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Unit • 2004- Compensation for abuses in Residential Schools • 2008- Stephen Harper officially apologized to the First Nations on behalf of Canada

  8. Many First Nations youth today have negative feelings towards the education system • Official apologies were made from the Anglican, United and Roman Catholic Churches which operated residential schools • Schools are still being charged criminally for past abuse cases

  9. Thomas Moore as he appeared when admitted to the Regina Indian Industrial school

  10. Thomas Moore after tuition at the Regina Indian Industrial School

  11. Compare the photos. What changes do you notice in Thomas Moore’s appearance, clothing, pose, and surroundings? What effects do you think these changes would have on children of Aboriginal nations? What do these photos show about the purpose of residential schools?

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