Folder 2055550 - Medical Matters

Blue Quills Indian Residential School (IRS) was situated in two different locations; first at Saddle Lake First Nation from 1898 - 1931 south of Lac la Biche, then near St. Paul from 1935 - 1990 east of Saddle Lake First Nation. The residential school operated from 1898 - 1990 (92 years) under the Roman Catholic administration.

Other names identifying the residential school include Blue Quills [Quill’s] Boarding School and Sacred Heart Boarding School [Church alias] from 1898 - 1931. From 1931 - 1972, it was named Blue Quills Indian Residential School and Blue Quills R.C. Indian Residential School, and from 1972 - 1979, Blue Quills School and Blue Quills Student Residence.

The Government of Canada was responsible for funding the school, which was managed and operated by the Sisters of Charity, Grey Nuns of Montreal, from 1898 - 1931. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate took over the management and operation of the school in 1931. The federal government administered the residential school from 1969 - 1972.

The Blue Quills Native Education Council (BQNEC) assumed the day-to-day management and operations of the residence on February 1, 1971, and took over the operations of the school classrooms on July 1, 1972; thereby, making Blue Quills the first Aboriginally-controlled school in Canada. The BQNEC were elected representatives of seven Indian communities in the Saddle Lake/Athabasca District, namely, Beaver Lake, Cold Lake, Frog Lake, White Fish Lake no. 128 (aka Goodfish Lake), Saddle Lake, Heart Lake, and Kehewin.

On March 30, 1911, an agreement for the operation of the residential school was signed by the Department of Indian Affairs, representing His Majesty the King and Emile J. Legal, O.M.I., DD., Bishop, Diocese of St. Albert.

On September 25, 1962, an agreement for the operation of the residential school was signed by the Department of Indian Affairs and INDIANESCOM.

On February 1, 1971, the Blue Quills Native Education Council agreement was signed only for the operation of the residence.

On March 17, 1972, the Blue Quills Native Education Council agreement for the operation of the classrooms was signed.

In 1977, the Blue Quills Native Education Council agreement for the operation of the Blue Quills Student Residence and Blue Quills School was signed.

Minimal information regarding which grades were available at the residential school are available and include the following;

1956/1957 Elementary and junior high school students [to Grade 8 inclusive] in residence continued to receive educational services at the residential school.

1976/1977 The government signed an agreement maintaining day school education for grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 plus residence services.

1977-1979 Grades 10, 11, and 12 were offered for students who had ‘dropped out’ of other secondary school programs. To facilitate this program, the residence program was reactivated to accommodate these students.

Students were from the communities of Saddle Lake, Beaver Lake, Cold Lake, Goodfish (Whitefish) Lake, Frog Lake, Heart Lake, Kehewin. Students from communities within Saskatchewan’s Onion Lake Agency were also admitted to Blue Quills.

Following the 1972 BQNEC school takeover, the Board agreed to admit Indian children who resided within the communities of Beaver Lake, Saddle Lake, Goodfish Lake, Frog Lake, Cold Lake, Heart Lake, Kehewin, Janvier, Fort McKay, Fort Chipewyan, and Anzac.

Student enrolment statistics are inconsistent with authorized student enrolment different from actual enrolment for many years. Actual or average student enrolment had a low of 40 from 1977 - 1979 and a high of 200 students in 1961.

After 1974-1975, Blue Quills students in grades 4, 5, 6, and 7 were no longer accepted into the school program and residence.

In the fall of 1975, the Morning Star Program, “A teacher education program designed to serve Alberta’s Native Peoples,” was established. Up to 40 First Nations students were accepted, and residence provided for up to 30 single people. Students without their grade 12 had to be 20 years of age or over. This program would provide the first two years of the regular Bachelor of Education through the University of Alberta.

For the 1976-1977 fiscal year, the Government signed an agreement to use the Blue Quills school facilities as an adult and continuing education facility.

Between 1977 and 1979, the school offered several adult and vocational courses, including University courses.