St. Mary's Indian Residential School facts for kids

St. Mary's Indian Residential School was the name for two different schools in Mission, British Columbia. These schools were part of the Canadian Indian residential school system, which was a system of schools for Indigenous children. One school was run by the Roman Catholic Church, and the other was run by the Canadian government. About 2,000 children attended these schools, most of them from the Stó:lō Nation.

The First St. Mary's School (Catholic)

The first St. Mary's school was opened in 1863 by a group called the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. It started as a small school just for boys and had 42 students in its first year. A few years later, in 1868, a separate school for girls was opened on the same land. This girls' school was run by the Sisters of Saint Ann.

Moving the School Location

For almost 20 years, the schools were located near the Fraser River. But in 1882, they had to move further up a hill. This move was needed to make space for the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Life at the School

Boys and girls lived in separate buildings. The girls' building also had rooms for the nuns, a place for sick students (infirmary), a recreation room, and a chapel for prayers. The boys' building had all the boys living on the third floor, while the priests lived on the second floor. The first floor had a chapel, a play hall, and classrooms.

The school grounds also had many other buildings. There was a tennis court (mostly for the priests and nuns), a place to fix cars, a slaughterhouse, a dining hall, and a laundry house. They also had a barn for milking cows, a bakery, and places for animals like pigs. For sports, there was an older boxing gym and a newer gymnasium built around the late 1940s or early 1950s.

Learning and Visits

When the school first opened, it focused on regular school subjects and teaching about the Catholic religion. Over time, the focus changed to teaching skills like farming and other industrial trades. Parents were sometimes allowed to visit their children, and some families would even camp near the school. Students were also allowed to visit the town of Mission until 1948.

Closing the Catholic School

In 1961, the Catholic-run St. Mary's school closed. The students were moved to a new residential school with the same name. This new school was run by the government and was located on the eastern edge of the Mission property. All the old buildings of the Catholic school were torn down in 1965 because they had become very old and worn out.

The Second St. Mary's School (Government-Run)

The government-run St. Mary's school continued to operate after the first one closed. It was the last functioning residential school in British Columbia when it closed its doors in 1985.

What's There Now?

The land where the original Catholic Mission school stood is now part of Fraser River Heritage Park. Since the school buildings are gone, the park helps remember the history of the area.

Park Features

• A new bell tower was built in 2000. It holds the original bell from the mission, which dates back to 1875.
• In 2001, the Mission Indian Friendship Centre helped fund a covered picnic shelter in the park.
• The park is also home to the O.M.I. cemetery. This is a burial ground where priests, nuns, and some students from the Mission school were laid to rest.

The Government School Land Today

After the government-run school closed in 1985, its land and buildings were first used by the Coqualeetza Training Centre. Then, in 2005, the land was officially given back to the Stó:lō Nation as reserve lands. The land was given its traditional Stó:lô name, Pekw'Xe:yles. Today, 21 different First Nations governments use this land.

There is also a newer St. Mary's school building located just outside of Fraser River Heritage Park. A company owned by Indigenous people, Monague Crafts Ltd., uses this newer building as its main office. Monague Crafts makes traditional First Nations dreamcatchers and jewelry that are sold all over the world. Another important group, Fraser Valley Aboriginal Child and Family Services (Xyolhemeylh), also works from this building. Various community groups, like a daycare and self-defense classes, also use the space.