Item R00006996 - General Administration

St. Eugene Indian Residential School (IRS) was situated on the south bank of the St. Mary River, about six miles from its junction with the Kootenay River six miles north of Cranbrook. The IRS operated from 1890 - 1970 (80 years) and closed in 1970.

Other names identifying the residential school include Kootenay Industrial School (1890 - 1969), St. Eugene Mission (1905 - 1970), St. Eugene Mission Industrial School (1905 - 1924), Kootenay Indian School (1922 - 1966), Kootenay Indian Residential School (1923 - 1970), St. Eugene Indian Residential School (1930 - 1968), Cranbrook Indian Residential School (1944 - 1961), Dominion Government Kootenay Indian School (1964), Kootenay Hostel/Residential School (Hostel) (1966 - 1970), and St. Eugene Student Residence (1967 - 1970).

The Government of Canada was responsible for funding the school which was managed and operated by the Catholic Church from 1890 - 1970 through the following affiliated entities: from 1890 - 1929, the Sisters of Charity of the House of Providence of Montreal; from 1929 – 1970 the Oblates of Mary Immaculate; and from 1936 - 1970, the Sisters of Charity of Halifax arrived to take over house management and the supervision of the Indian School girls. The Department of Indian Affairs managed and operated the IRS for the last year of operations, 1969 - 1970. In 1962, an agreement was signed between Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada and Indianescom for the operation of the IRS. In 1965, an agreement was signed between Her Majesty, the Queen, and St. Mary’s Catholic Public School Board to transport pupils from St. Eugene Mission to St. Mary’s Catholic school. In 1966, an agreement was signed between Her Majesty, the Queen, and Cranbrook Golden Bus Line to transport pupils from St. Eugene Mission to St. Mary’s Catholic school.

No information regarding which grades were taught at the IRS.

Students were ‘recruited’ from the following bands to attend the IRS, as listed; St. Mary’s; Lower Kootenay; Tobacco Plains; Lower Similkameen; Similkameen; Okanagan; Inkamoop/
Inkammoep/Inkameep; Termission; Creston; Vernon; Enderby; Comox; Little Shuswap; Upper Nicola; Spallumchene/Spallumcheon/Sallumchene; North Thompson; Lake Similk.; Neskainlith; Tsartlip; Osoyoos; Penticton; Columbia Lake; Shuswap; Tsartlip; Westbank; Athelmer; Cranbrook; Kamloops; Cardston and Seabird Island.

Statistics for student enrollment are sporadic from 1890 - 1926, but statistics are available for the IRS every year from 1929 - 1970.