Desmarais Indian Residential School (IRS) was located on the north shore of Wabasca Lake north of Edmonton and southwest of Fort McMurray in Treaty 8 territory. The IRS operated from 1902 - 1973 (71 years), officially closing on June 30, 1973.
Other names identifying the residential school were St. Martin’s Indian Residential School, Wabiscaw Roman Catholic Boarding School, Wabasca Roman Catholic Indian Residential School, Desmarais Indian Residential School, and Desmarais Student Residence (no dates identified).
The Government of Canada was responsible for funding the school. It was managed and operated on behalf of the government by The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Grouard and administered by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate from 1901 - 1956. The federal government managed and operated the IRS from 1956 - 1964 with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate responsible for the day-to-day administration of the school. The province managed and operated the IRS from 1964 - 1973. The Sisters of Charity of Providence of the Province of Holy Angels assisted in the administration of the school in various capacities; such as teachers, nurses, domestic staff, and is a supervisory role including Matron and Child Care Workers. The IRS was a student residence from 1965 - 1973 with students attending either Mistassini school or St. Theresa school operated by Northland School Division.
In 1911, a School Operating agreement was signed.
In 1962, a School Operating agreement was signed between the federal government, represented by Indian Affairs [“Minister”] and Indianescom [referred to as “Management”] for the Desmarais IRS. Indianescom was the incorporated body created in 1961 to be the only corporate entity to sign all the contracts concerning schools administered by the Oblate Fathers. Formerly, this body was known as the Oblate Fathers Indian and Eskimo Welfare Commission, which was created in 1936.
1969 - 1975 Service Contracts signed between the Indian-Eskimo Council and the Crown for liaison duties, recruitment of Student Residence Administrators, and recruitment of Child Care Workers.
No information regarding which grades were available at the IRS.
Students ‘recruited’ from other reserves include: Quarterly returns indicate that until 1960, almost all residential pupils were members of the Bigstone Band. After 1960, Quarterly returns indicate that some students came from the following Bands: Tall Cree, Little R.River, Athabaska Agency, Sturgeon Lake, Namew, Saddle Lake, Erminskin, Samson, Enoch, Smith Band, Fort Chipweyan, Fitzgarald Smith, Drift Pile, Whitefish Lake, Blood, Boyer River, Royal River, Non-Treaty, LegoffBand, Alexis, Slavey, Janvier, Alexander, Lubicon, Prov. Welfare, N.S.D., Ft. Vermillion, Slaves of UHR, Grouard
Student enrolment statistics are available every year except for seven years from 1934 - 1940, which saw a low of 10 in 1912 and a high of 136 students in 1967.
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2010 - 2015