Item R00007901 - Building Maintenance and Supplies Accounts

The Indian Residential School (IRS), situated on the Jack River on the Norway House Reserve, operated from 1912 - 1914 (2 years). Cross Lake IRS was located on Kiché Sipi (Nelson River) at Cross Lake and was in operation from 1915 - 1969 (54 years). The Jack River Annex was part of the Cross Lake residential school and was located at Norway House from 1930 - 1940 (10 years), and 1943 - 1960 (17 years).

Other names identifying the residential school include Norway House (Roman Catholic) (Indian) Boarding School (1912 - 1914), Cross Lake (Roman Catholic) (Indian) Boarding School (1915 - 1945), Cross Lake Indian Industrial School (1917), St. Joseph’s (Indian) Boarding School (1917 - 1924), St. Joseph’s (Indian) Residential School (1930 - 1947), Cross Lake (Roman Catholic) (Indian) Residential School (1923 - 1968), and Cross Lake Student Residence (1968 - 1969).

PLEASE NOTE: Between 1930 - 1940 and 1943 - 1960, Cross Lake students resided at two different locations, but under the same management and per capita grant. These two locations were Cross Lake and Norway House. The operation at Norway House was commonly referred to as the “Jack River” ‘section,’ ‘branch,’ ‘part,’ or ‘annex’ of Cross Lake residential school and also less frequently as the “Jack River Roman Catholic Boarding School,” “Jack River Indian Residential,” and “Cross Lake Annex.”

The Government of Canada was responsible for funding the school which was managed and operated on their behalf by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, via the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Keewatin or Diocese of Keewatin from 1912 - 1962. In 1962, the Cross Lake residential school management and operation were transferred to the Indian and Eskimo Welfare Commission (INDIANESCOM) until it closed in 1969.

Beginning July 1, 1912, the federal government allowed a per capita grant to the Roman Catholic boarding school situated on the Jack River at Norway House. The authorized number of boarders was limited to five, and a new boarding school building was proposed. In January 1915, the Norway House Boarding School had transferred to Cross Lake and the Norway House location closed. The federal government paid a per capita grant to the residential school for 25 pupils beginning January 1, 1915.

From 1930 until 1940, the Cross Lake residential school operated in two locations, with boarders split between the Catholic Mission at Cross Lake and the Catholic Mission at Norway House (on the Jack River). During this time, boarders at both Cross Lake and Norway House were supported under the Cross Lake residential school per capita grant. In March 1933, a grant was allowed for six or seven children in residence at the Cross Lake Mission, and twenty children at the Norway House Mission. The per capita grant under Cross Lake IRS was increased for 30 children in residence at both the Cross Lake and Norway House locations beginning September 1933. By August 1938, the pupilage allowed for the Cross Lake residential school operating at both Cross Lake and Norway House was still a total of 30 pupils.

Commencing with the 1940-41 school term, students who had been boarding at the Jack River Annex were transferred to Cross Lake. However, in 1943, a small number of Cross Lake borders were transferred to the Jack River Annex in Norway House. The Jack River Annex’s boarders were supported by payments under the Cross Lake residential school per capita grant as of July 1, 1943. In a letter dated October 1943, the Norway House location of the Cross Lake residential school was referred to as the “Jack River Branch.” By that time, 18 boarders in Grades 1 to 7 lived at the Jack River Branch but were still considered part of the Cross Lake residential school. From 1943 to 1960, the Jack River Branch or Annex of Cross Lake IRS continued to operate with a small number of pupils supported under the Cross Lake residential school per capita grant.

Effective July 1, 1960, the Jack River Annex ceased operation as a residential component of Cross Lake residential school, and the Annex was declared a separate residential school called the Jack River Hostel.

In 1962, the federal government and the Oblate Indian and Eskimo Commission (INDIANESCOM) signed an agreement for the Cross Lake residential school operation.

By September 1968, the Cross Lake residential school was referred to as the Cross Lake Student Residence. The Cross Lake residential school closed on June 30, 1969.

Grades offered at the residential school from 1912 - 1940 were primary and elementary grades; however, grade 7 was provided in 1929-30. From 1942 - 1965, classes up to grade 8 were supplied with kindergarten offered sporadically between 1952 - 1961. From 1965 - 1968, up to grade 6 was offered, and the final year, 1968 -1969, grades 1 - 4 were taught.

For the Jack River Annex of the Cross Lake residential school at Norway House, no information can be found for 19 of 21 years from 1930 - 1951 regarded grades taught. In 1943, grades offered were 1 - 5 and grade 7; in 1947, grades 1 - 6 were provided. From 1952 - 1958, up to grade 8 was delivered and the final two years 1958 - 1960, only primary grades were offered.

Enrolment at the IRS was affected by a fire that destroyed the school in February 1930 and was not reconstructed until 1940. From 1930 - 1960, students’ enrollment included the residential school and the Jack River Annex in Norway House. For the years 1912 – 1929 and 1940 - 1969, average enrolment reached its highest, 149 students, between 1954 and 1960.