Where are the Children?

Sessional Reports - Excerpts

The Changing Landscape
Sessional Report, 1886, Alberta

"There is a Methodist Church on this reserve, where the Rev. John McDougal officiates. It is a plain, but substantial building, and will accommodate about 200. I was told that, on many occasions, the building was crowded. There is a fine bell, which is placed on a platform alongside of the church; so that in these foot-hills, instead of the dreaded war-whoop echoing through these fertile valleys, as dusky savages embraced each other in the terrible death-struggle, you hear the solemn music of the church bell calling together the industrious settler and the red man - savage no longer - to assemble in prayer.

Through the same hills, too, until almost recently, roamed the buffalo in countless herds, and fed on the rich pasturage which these hills and valleys afford. The buffalo has gone, but, in its place, thousand of domestic cattle are now grazing. Their fat sides and fine appearance being the best evidence of the splendid pasturage which these hills afford. Instead, too, of hearing the sounds of hostile strife of dusky warriors, you hear the scream of the locomotive, as the trains of the Canadian Pacific Railway pass along through the valley of the Bow, on the East and West."

The Regina Industrial School
Sessional Report 1897

The Regina Industrial School is situated about four miles west of the town of Regina. It has an elevated position admirably adapted for drainage. Efforts have been made during the year to improve the grounds, especially by the preparation of the soil for the planting of small trees and tree seed. There are hundreds of trees already on the grounds, but they are all small, and do not as yet make an imposing appearance.

Attendance - The average attendance for the year has been one hundred and twenty seventy-five boys and forty-five girls.

Class-rooms - During the winter term, which exceeds six months, the two schoolrooms were in constant use. For part of the summer the junior department was in charge of one or more of the senior pupils, and for the remainder, when many out-pupils were in their summer homes, and a number of others were at home on leave of absence, the two departments were merged into one. Music is taught as one of the branches of school work. In both instrumental and vocal music many of the pupils show considerable aptitude. Current topics of the day are also taken up as a matter of present day history, and by spending a few minutes each day in discussing prominent events transpiring in different countries, much additional energy is thrown into the reading of the daily and weekly newspapers, 65 or 70 of which come regularly to hand.

Farm and Garden - On the farm three teams of working horses and one yoke of oxen are kept constantly employed: with this force we are enabled to unload easily wood or coal by the car, and in this way to secure a better rate. Including ten acres of potatoes, one hundred and six acres of school land have been under crop. The indications are that the yield will be about an average. Some breaking and backsetting were done, and over forty acres were summer-fallowed.

Industries - The girls are instructed in all manner of household duties, especially cooking, sewing and laundry work. The boys are all expected to work for some period on the farm, as our plan is to make every boy competent for general farm work in addition to any other trade he may be able to follow. Carpentry work and cabinet-making are popular with most of the pupils, and almost indispensable for the maintenance and expansion of the school. Printing and painting are also carried on, but without any permanent instructors. One of our self-taught printers is now working at good wages in the office of the Regina "Standard."

Moral and Religious Training - Regular Sabbath services are held, and many other meetings of a religious character are held during the long winter evening. The preservation of discipline has been an easy task and corporal punishment has been resorted to only on very few occasions.