They Came for The Children

This collection of stories and experiences come firsthand from survivors of the Residential School system. These experiences are real and honest, and could be upsetting to some people. Please feel free to talk to myself if you are feeling uncomfortable with any of the sections of this document.

The following sections will be completed Under School Days. You must choose 5 of the 6 sections to complete.

Arrival Questions:

  1. What physical things (clothing, hair etc.) would be taken from the children when they arrived?
  2. Why were the children assigned numbers when they arrived?
  3. What were some of the policies regarding family visits?
  4. Find 1 experience shared by a student. Include their name, the experience, and how you think this experience affected them long-term.

Education:

  1. How did the students describe the ‘schooling’ they received?
  2. What types of people do they imply may have been hired for these schools? (p. 26)
  3. What did a day for a teacher at the Residential schools look like?
  4. Find 1 experience shared by a student. Include their name, the experience, and how you think this experience affected them long-term.

Health:

  1. What are a few reasons they give as to why the health of students was so bad at the residential schools.
  2. What was the death rate of students in residential schools in the 1909 follow-up study?
  3. According to the school principal, the lack of resources for dealing with the epidemic was “nothing less than criminal.”(p. 29) – What do you think is meant by this statement?
  4. What happened in Ahousaht school in British Columbia in the 1930s, and how did they deal with the epidemic?

Hunger:

  1. Why was the food difficult for most of the students to digest?
  2. What happened to Phil Fontaine during eating time? Why do you think they did this?
  3. What are a few of the ways students supplemented foods at the schools? (min. 2 ways)
  4. Many students throughout the time of the Residential schools acknowledged the issues with food quality and supplies. Why do you think this was never changed?

Work:

  1. What was a half-day system?
  2. What were some of the jobs the students were responsible for doing?
  3. Why would the schools want to have older students more than younger ones?
  4. What would sometimes happen to girls once they ‘graduated’?

Discipline:

  1. List a few of the ways students would be ‘disciplined’ for breaking the rules under the “military’ system. (5-6 ways)
  2. Why would they want to publically punish students who tried to run away?
  3. Why do you think these forms of discipline were accepted at this time? (p.40)
  4. Find 1 experience shared by a student. Include their name, the experience, and how you think this experience affected them long-term.

Level 1 / Level 2 / Level 3 / Level 4
Knowledge
and Understanding / Student demonstrates limited understanding of the content
Student answers few of the questions / Student demonstrates some understanding of the content
Student answers most of the questions / Student demonstrates a good understanding of the content
Student answers all of the questions / Student demonstrates an excellent understanding of the content
Student answers all of the questions with great detail
Thinking / Student demonstrates limited ability to think critically with answers / Student demonstrates some ability to think critically with answers / Student demonstrates a good ability to think critically with answers / Student demonstrates an excellent ability to think critically with answers
Communication / Many grammar /spelling mistakes / Some grammar /spelling mistakes / Few grammar /spelling mistakes / No grammar /spelling mistakes