Battleford in Battle River No. 438, Saskatchewan — The Prairie Region (North America)
Indian Industrial School
Miscues & Modifications
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 14, 2022
1. Indian Industrial School Marker
Government House became an industrial school for First Nations youth when the capital of the Northwest Territories shifted to Regina in 1883. Operated by the Church of England, Battleford Industrial School was one of more than a dozen such schools established by the Government of Canada. In 1885, while serving as a base of militia operations during the Northwest Rebellion, the building was looted and damaged.
The Battleford Industrial School was a vocational school intended to facilitate the assimilation of First Nations children into the broader Canadian society. Deadly outbreaks of measles, increasing operating costs and doubts over the wisdom of off-reserve education resulted in a decision to close Battleford Industrial School in 1914.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Education • Native Americans. A significant historical date for this entry is December 1, 1883.
Location. 52° 42.703′ N, 108° 18.509′ W. Marker is in Battleford, Saskatchewan, in Battle River No. 438. Marker can be reached from 3 Avenue West, half a kilometer south of Old Saskatchewan Highway 4 (Provincial Highway 658), on the left when traveling south. Marker is located beside the chimney at the Old Government House Site. It is 2nd-from-left of 5 related markers at
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Seventh Day Adventists Academy (here, next to this marker); Government House (here, next to this marker); Oblate Seminary (here, next to this marker); The End of an Era (here, next to this marker); Government House Battleford (within shouting distance of this marker); Government House, Battleford (within shouting distance of this marker); Seat of the Territorial Government 1878-1883 (within shouting distance of this marker); Battleford Land Registry Building (approx. 0.6 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Battleford.
Regarding Indian Industrial School. Canadian Register of Historic Places, (1984/03/27).
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Old Government House, Battleford, Saskatchewan
Also see . . .
1. Battleford Industrial Residential School.
The school was set up in the Old Government House, which previously served as the residence of the lieutenant-governor when Battleford was the Territorial capital of the North-west Territories in what is now Saskatchewan. The transformation of Government House into a residential(Submitted on December 4, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)school saw an enlargement of the building, plus the conversion of the roof into a series of bedrooms on the second floor. Battleford Industrial School was operated by the Anglican Church of Canada and later, in 1895, the Diocese of Saskatchewan took over operations.
2. Marker detail: Indian Industrial School, circa 1890's
2. Battleford Industrial School.
The Battleford Industrial School opened December 1, 1883. It was the first residential school operated by the Government of Canada with the aim of assimilating Indigenous people into the society of the settlers. The school was one of three industrial schools opened by the Government of Canada in the early 1880s.The school had less than 30 students when it first opened. They were taught trades related to agriculture, carpentry, and blacksmithing. Academic courses were reading, writing, and English. The school grew to over 100 students by the early 1900s. Students typically spent half of the day in standard school classes and the other half of the day engaged in some form of manual labour. For the girls, this included baking, laundry, and cleaning. For the boys, they would be involved in blacksmithing, carpentry, shoemaking, printing, and farming under the tutelage of dedicated instructors and hired teachers.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 14, 2022
3. Indian Industrial School Marker
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 14, 2022
4. Old Government House Chimney
Credits. This page was last revised on December 5, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 4, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 89 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 4, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
