Item 10a-c000664-d0013-001 - No title

Lower Post Indian Residential School (IRS) was located on Highway #97 just south of the Yukon border. The IRS operated from 1951 - 1975 (24 years) and closed on June 30, 1975.

Other names identifying the residential school were Lower Post Indian Residential School (11/03/1950), Lower Post School (01/22/1951), Lower Post Indian School (01/22/1951), St. John’s Indian Residential School (02/06/1951), Nahanni Residential School (02/06/1951), Lower Post Catholic Indian Residential School (01/28/1952), Lower Post (04/06/1955), Lower Post Indian Day School (02/25/1958), Lower Post Provincial School (01/25/1960), Lower Post Public School (01/13/1961), Lower Post Residential School (06/29/1962), Lower Post Roman Catholic Residential School (11/21/1967), Lower Post Elementary School (10/31/1969), Lower Post Residence (04/25/1970), Lower Post Hostel and School (08/03/1971), Lower Post Day School (06/13/1975), and Lower Post Student Residence (06/13/1975).

The Government of Canada was responsible for funding the school, which was managed and operated by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate of the Vicariate of Whitehorse, Yukon. In 1962, an agreement was signed between the federal government and Indianescom (Oblate Indian-Eskimo Commission) for the management and operation of all Roman Catholic government-owned IRS’s.

The grades taught at the IRS include kindergarten (1962 - 1964), primary and elementary (1953 - 1972), and some years included junior high school (1953 -1961 and 1971).

Students from the following bands attended the IRS: Aishihik, Atlin, Atlin-Teslin, Burwash, Carcross, Carmacks, Gasca, Cassiar, Champagne, Finlay River, Fort Nelson, Fort St. John, Fort Ware, Frances Lake, Hudson Hope, Johnson’s Crossing, Kluane, Liard River, Mayo, Muskowekan, Nelson River, Pelly Lakes, Ross River, Scotty Creek, Selkirk, Sekanni, Slavey, Snag, Squanga Lake, Steward River, Stikine, Tahltan, Teslin, Teslin Lake, Upper Liard, Watson Lake, White River, and Whitehorse.