St. Anthony’s Indian Residential School (IRS) was located on the Seekaskootch, Onion Lake reserve on the north side of the Saskatchewan River 29 miles north of Lloydminster from 1894 - 1927 and relocated four miles south situated one-and-a-half miles north of the southwest corner of the Seekaskootch reserve from 1927 - 1974. It operated from 1894 - 1974 (81 years) and closed on July 15, 1974.
Other names identifying the residential school include Onion Lake Roman Catholic Boarding School (1895 - 1924), St. Anthony’s (Onion Lake) Indian Residential School (1931 - 1968), and St. Anthony’s (Onion Lake) Student Residence (1969 - 1974).
The Government of Canada was responsible for its funding which was managed and operated by the Roman Catholic Church and administered by the Church Sisters of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin (Soeurs de l’assumption de la Sainte Vierge) (1894 - 1934), the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the Sisters of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin (Oblats de Marie-Immaculée and the Soeurs de l’assumption de la Sainte Veirge), and later the Oblate Indian and Eskimo Council (INDIANESCOM) (1934 - 1969). Management of the IRS transferred to the federal government on April 1, 1969. On March 30, 1911, an agreement between the federal government and the Bishop of St. Albert for its operation and management was signed. On September 25, 1962, an agreement between the federal government and the Oblate Indian and Eskimo Council (INDIANESCOM) for the operation of the IRS.
Grades taught at the IRS from 1894/95 to 1937/38 were primary (1 - 3) and elementary (4 - 6) with one year (1935/36) including grade 7 but 33 of 43 years are missing information from 1894/95 - 1936/37, the majority before 1928/29 (31 of 34 years). From 1938/39 - 1972-73, grades included primary, elementary, and junior high (7 - 9), and the last year of operation - 1973/74, only primary grades were taught.
Some students also attended other schools; 1968-69 grades 9 - 12 attended High School at Paradise Hill and 1973-74 grades 4 - 9 attended Onion Lake Central School.
Student enrolment statistics for the IRS are inconsistent from 1894 - 1940 as 27 years of 47 years statistics are not available, but from 1940/41 to 1973/74, all enrolment statistics are available. The average student enrolment in five available years from 1894 - 1939 than in five-year increments from 1940/41 to 1969/70 and for four years from 1970/71 to 1973/74. The lowest enrollment was 20 students in the first year of operation in 1894, and the highest enrollment was during 1959/60 with 159 students.
There were also day students attending the IRS from 1953/54 until 1973/74 (21 years).
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2010 - 2015