IRSHDC : School : Old Sun (AB) [18696]

P2008-02-119 - Wickson - Old Sun Community College - former Old Sun Indian Residential School on Blackfoot Reserve, Gleichen, Alberta (August 16, 2008). Source: The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada.

Old Sun (AB)

Dates of Operation

September 1, 1886 - June 30, 1971

Description

The Old Sun Boarding School on the Blackfoot Reserve in Alberta opened in 1886. In 1893, the boys from the school were moved to the White Eagle Boarding School. The two schools merged in 1901. In 1908 a survey described the school as “unsanitary” and the building as “unsuitable in every way for such an institution.” During the 1960s the school became a residence for students attending local day school. In 1969 the federal government took over the administration of the residence, which it closed in 1971. The building eventually became the Blackfoot Nation’s Old Sun Community College. (National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation)

Denomination

Anglican Church of Canada

More Information

Alternate Name(s)

Blackfoot
Blackfoot Church of England Boarding School
Old Sun Student Residence
Old Sun's Boarding School
White Eagle Boarding School

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Map Information

Location

First location, 1886-1912: "Point is on the approximate location of the first site of the Old Suns' school (1886-1912). It was located on the east bank of the Bow River to the south of the irrigation channel and to the west of the ridge. Air photo A10449-413 shows a building at the location, foundations of at least four buildings, and a row trees" (Orlandini, 2019).

Branch location, White Eagle, 1889-1901: "Point is on the approximate location of the White Eagle school. The school was located on the east side of a bend in the Bow River and south of the ridge, about a 1.0 miles west of the first location of the Crowfoot School. Location point is the approximate location of the school. On Air photo A10426-200, there is a building on the site and a boat landing at 50.8013889, -112.9187778. The White Eagle school merged with the Old Sun school in 1901" (Orlandini, 2019).

Second location, 1912-1971: "Point is on the residential school building that was constructed in 1928. The building is currently (2018) one of the buildings at the Old Sun Community College. The school building from 1912-1928 was located on the north side of the current building" (Orlandini, 2019).

Location Credit

Rosa Orlandini and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. The school/hostel location data was collected by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission / National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Morgan Hite (Atlas of Indian Residential Schools of Canada), Stephanie Pyne (Residential Schools Land Memory Mapping Project) and Rosa Orlandini (Map and GIS Librarian, York University Libraries). The location data and associated attribute data was enhanced, revised and updated by Rosa Orlandini, in consultation with the Archivists at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Location Source

Orlandini, Rosa, 2019, "Residential Schools Locations Dataset (Shapefile format)", https://doi.org/10.5683/SP2/FJG5TG, Borealis, V3, UNF:6:TTc1mMvx2BlBqBgIN05xVw== [fileUNF]