Item R00009746 - Building Maintenance, Supplies, and Accounts

St. Anne’s (Fort Albany) Indian Residential School (IRS) was initially located at the Fort Albany Mission, on Albany Island, about 4-5 miles from the James Bay Coast in the James Bay Treaty Region (Treaty 9) from 1906 - 1932. In 1932, the IRS was relocated approximately 4 miles south of the original site about 1 mile from the junction of the Albany and Yellow Rivers from 1932 - 1939 when it burned down. A third IRS was located just southeast of the second location across a small stream on the same Roman Catholic Mission site from 1939 - 1976. The IRS was in operation from 1906 - 1976 (70 years) and officially closed on June 30, 1976.

Other names identifying the school include Albany Mission (1906 - 1939), Albany Mission Roman Catholic Boarding School (1908 - 1954), [Fort] Albany Indian Residential School (1926 - 1966), Albany Mission (1959), St. Ann[e]’s Residential School (1966 - 1972), and Fort Albany Student Residence (1969 - 1976).

The Government of Canada was responsible for funding the school which was managed and operated by the Roman Catholic Church through its affiliates, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Oblats de Marie Immaculée, O.M.I.) and the Grey Nuns of the Cross (Soeurs Grises de la Croix, s.g.c.) also known as the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa (Soeurs de la Charité d’Ottawa, s.c.o.) from 1906 - 1970. In 1911, the federal government signed an agreement with The Vicar Apostolic of Temiskaming for the management and operation of the IRS. The federal government signed an agreement with the Oblate Indian-Eskimo Commission for a service
contract to provide liaison duties for Student Residences including the Albany Student Residence
effective for April 1, 1974 - March 31, 1975.

Grades taught at the IRS were mainly primary (1, 2, 3) and elementary (4, 5, 6) with junior high later from 1959 - 1976 with kindergarten and beginner being included from 1957 - 1976.

Total student enrolment over 70 years totalled 5,564 students with a low enrolment for the first quarter-century before having an enrolment of 51 in 1931/32, then having over 100 students in 1951/52 with a high of 220 in 1968/69 and a low of 18 in its final year, 1975/76. The IRS also included day scholars who attended the school during the day but did not stay at the residential school overnight, and the documents available indicate attendance of these day scholars were from 1961 - 1974. Total enrolment of day scholars for the 13 years was 809, with the lowest enrolment of 18 between 1961 - 1963 and the highest enrolment of 120 in 1973/74 with an overall annual average student enrolment of 62.

A Day School continued to operate in 1977 at the IRS after it officially closed.