Pointe Bleue Indian Residential School (IRS) was located on the Pointe Bleue Reserve about 4 miles north of Roberval’s community on the west shore of Lac-Saint-Jean west of Saguenay and north of Quebec City. The IRS operated from 1960 - 1991 (31 years) under Roman Catholic administration.
Other names identifying the residential school were Pointe Bleue (Indian) Residential School and Pointe Bleue (Indian) Student Residence (no dates identified).
The Government of Canada was responsible for funding the school and was managed and operated on behalf of the government by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate with the assistance of Les Soeurs du Bon Conseil from 1960 - 1962. INDIANESCOM (Oblate Indian-Eskimo Commission) managed the IRS from 1962 - 1969. Effective April 1, 1969, the federal government administered the student residence. Administration of the IRS was transferred to Le Conseil des Montagnais du Lac St-Jean for 1980 - 1989. From 1989 - 1991, the IRS’s administration was transferred to the Quebec Amerindian Police Force until the IRS closed on June 30, 1991.
1962 Agreement between the federal government and INDIANESCOM (Oblate Indian-Eskimo Commission).
1989 Agreement between Le Conseil des Montagnais du Lac St-Jean and Quebec Amerindian Police Force.
Information regarding which grades were taught at the IRS include the following;
1965 Authorization to transfer grade six pupils from Manowan and grade seven pupils from Obedjiwan to Pointe Bleue IRS.
1965 was a trial period of teaching kindergarten-aged children French to prepare them for grade one.
1968 Authorization to teach Indian culture in Pointe Bleue classrooms.
In 1971 came the approval of requests made by several organizations from Pointe Bleue to keep grade six students.
In 1974 an approval of request was made by Le Conseil d’Obedjiwan to keep grade VII students at Pointe Bleue schools and residence.
Students’ recruited’ from other reserves, bands, agencies, or regions include; Abitibi Agency: Abitibi-Ontario, Manouane (Manawan), Obedjiwan, Weymontachie (Sanmaur), Pointe Bleue Agency: Pointe Bleue, Montagnais (Lac Saint-Jean), Seven Island (Sept-Iles) Agency: Natashquan, La Romaine, Schefferville, Maliotenam, Maniwaki Agency: River Desert, Bersimis Agency: Bersimis, Pierreville Agency: Odanak, Lorette Agency: Hurons, and Attikameks de la Mauricie. Student enrolment statistics are consistently available for every quarter from 1960/61 and 1969/70; however, there is less for 1970 - 1981, and 1988-90 with a low of 24 in 1989/90 and a high of 208 in 1971/72. Statistics are unavailable for the years 1981 - 1988 and 1990/91.
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2010 - 2015