Orange Shirt Day - A Brief Dark History Of Residential Schools. Presented by: Kasen Radcliffe.

By KSNArts

  • The Beginning of a Horrific Era

    The Mohawk Institute in Brantford, Ontario accepted its first accommodated students.

  • Expanding the Nightmare

    In the early 1870s, both the federal government of Canada and Plain Nations wanted to include schooling deliveries for Euro-Canadians through the power of treaties.

  • Establishment of Euro-Canadian Residential Schools

    In 1883 the establishment of 3 industrial schools was created on prairies for Euro-Canadian students.

  • Residential School Expansion

    Between 1883 and 1930, Residential Schools expanded throughout Upper Canada ( which is now known as Ontario ).

  • Attemping to Increase the Burden

    Between the 1890s-1950s, the Canadian Government tried to increase the burden of the agricultural system onto then churches then after on students. Whose labor contributed financially to the schools.

  • The Horrifying Height of Residential Schools

    In 1930, the residential school system totaled up to 80 organizations. The Roman Catholic Church utilized three-fifths of the schools, the Anglican Church one quarter, and the United and Presbyterian Churches the remainder.

  • Realizing Failure

    Upon the reach of the 1940s, the government realized their system has been failing to provide residential students with sufficient education and training. However, they resumed their system until the 1950s, when more funding activities became available.

  • Enraged Wars

    Indigenous students and parents countered and protested the harsh treatment at residential schools. Some children refused to co-operate and sabotaged most functions of the kitchen or classroom and at least 25 fires were caused by these children as a sign of protest.

  • Big Changes

    3 years after the massive protests, the Department of Indian Affairs took over the residential school system. The organization removed all religious involvement while the Canadian Government decided to phase out the schools, however, this fell into a counter shield by Catholic Chruch.

  • An End of a Horrific Era

    In 1986, most residential schools were closed or turned over to local brands. However, one was still standing until 1996, when the Gordon Residental School that was located in Punnichy, Saskatchewan was closed for good and planned for demolishing later on.

  • An apology from a trusted leader

    In 2008, Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper on behalf of the government made an apology to all indigenous communites.

  • A Horrifying Discovery

    In 2021, marked graves of children were found. The names were later recorded on a long piece of cloth and read by descendants of the children who attended the residential schools.