Stuk R00003309 - School Land

St. Paul’s Indian Residential School (IRS) was located on the Blood (Kainai Nation) reserve within the Treaty 7 area southwest of Lethbridge. It operated from 1893 - 1975 (82 years). St. Paul’s Residence officially closed in June 1975.

Other names identifying the residential school include St. Paul’s Home for Indian Girls (1893), Reverend Mr. Swainson’s Home/Mr. Swainson’s Boarding School (1893), Kissock Home/St. Paul’s Home (1895), St. Paul’s Boarding School (Boy’s Home or Girl’s Home) (1892 - 1911), Blood (St. Paul’s Boarding School (1911 - 1924), St. Paul’s Mission Anglican Boarding School (1916 - 1924), Blood C.E./Church of England Indian Residential School (? - 1924), St. Paul’s Indian Residential School (1924 - 1975), Anglican Indian Residential School at Cranston, Alberta (1924 - 1975), St. Paul’s Student Residence/St. Paul’s (1965 - 1975), and St. Paul’s Hostel (1965 - 1975).

The Government of Canada was responsible for funding the school, which was managed and operated by the Anglican Church through the Church Missionary Society of London by 1892. The Missionary Society of the Church of England in Canada managed and operated the school and residence from 1919 - 1965 and St. Paul’s Residence from 1965 - 1969. The government assumed responsibility for the operation of the residence as of April 1, 1969.

In 1911, an agreement between His Majesty the King and Rt. Rev. Cyprian Pinkham, D.D., D.C.L. Bishop of Calgary. In 1962, an agreement between Her Majesty, the Queen, and Missionary Society of the Anglican Church of Canada. In 1973, the church entered into a contract with the Crown to provide liaison services between the Crown and Aboriginal groups and to provide advice on matters relating to student residences. A similar contract may have been entered into in 1974.

Grades taught at the school included:
1934 - Grades kindergarten to eleven were being taught, and the school followed the Alberta course of studies.

1961 - The school establishment as of November consisted of three academic classrooms teaching beginners to grade six and one terminal classroom. By December, an unauthorized kindergarten was established at the school.

1962 - Effective September, an authorized kindergarten class was established.

1963 - Students in kindergarten to grade nine appear to have been taught at the school.

1964 - Grades kindergarten to 8 were taught at the school.

1965 - In September, the school became a residence-only facility.
1965 - The Cardston School Division operated a kindergarten class at the school on a contract basis.

1967 - In February, three kindergarten classes were held in the school block at the school. Cardston School Division operated a grade one classroom and two kindergarten classrooms.

1969/70 - It appears that Cardston School Division operated kindergarten classes at the school.

Students from other reserves that attended the school include Blood, Peigan, Sarcee, Gleichen, Split Lake, York Factory, Cree, Blackfoot, Aklavik, Mosquito, Blackfoot.
1955 – twenty-five students from Carlton Agency (Saskatchewan) were sent to St. Paul’s IRS.
1957 - by March, approximately 32 children from Saskatchewan and Manitoba were at St. Paul’s IRS.
1957 - in September, three students from the John Smith Indian reserve were sent to St. Paul’s IRS.
1960 - 3 Saskatchewan pupils were accepted for admission into St. Paul’s IRS.
1960 - a small number of children were transferred from Old Sun IRS to St. Paul’s IRS.
1972 - 3 students from the Long Plains reserve, Manitoba stayed at St. Paul’s Hostel and attended school in Cardston.

Student enrolment statistics are inconsistent from 1893 - 1902 but are more consistent from 1912 - 1923 with a few missing years then available annually from 1924 - 1975 with a low enrolment of 36 in 1968/69 and a high enrolment of 173 in 1956/57. Enrolment statistics from 1952 - 1965 include day school students.

Day school enrolment statistics are from 1952 - 1965 and indicate a minimum enrolment from 1952 - 1960 and a high enrolment of 47 in 1964/65. It appears from a review of the Principal’s Monthly Reports that a limited number of Indian day students (from one to five) may have attended classes at St. Paul’s in 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960. A review of Principal’s Monthly Reports and other documents suggests that approximately 29 to 40-day students attended St. Paul’s from September 1960 to June 1965.