THE SCHOOL
HISTORY
St. Joseph’s Residential School in Cross Lake, Manitoba, operated from 1912 to 1969. It was one of the many institutions across Canada funded by the Canadian government but run by various Christian denominations. In the case of St. Joseph’s, the Roman Catholic Church was responsible for its administration. These schools were part of a broader policy of assimilation aimed at integrating Indigenous peoples into Euro-Canadian society by removing them from their communities and suppressing their languages, cultures, and traditions.
The history of St. Joseph’s, like many residential schools, is marked by stories of abuse, neglect, and the erasure of Indigenous cultures. Children were often forcibly taken from their families and communities, leading to lasting trauma among survivors and subsequent generations. The school’s objective was to “civilize” Indigenous children, a process that involved strict English-only policies, Christianization efforts, and a curriculum that largely ignored or denigrated Indigenous cultures and knowledge.
HISTORY
St. Joseph’s Residential School in Cross Lake, Manitoba, operated from 1912 to 1969. It was one of the many institutions across Canada funded by the Canadian government but run by various Christian denominations. In the case of St. Joseph’s, the Roman Catholic Church was responsible for its administration. These schools were part of a broader policy of assimilation aimed at integrating Indigenous peoples into Euro-Canadian society by removing them from their communities and suppressing their languages, cultures, and traditions.
The history of St. Joseph’s, like many residential schools, is marked by stories of abuse, neglect, and the erasure of Indigenous cultures. Children were often forcibly taken from their families and communities, leading to lasting trauma among survivors and subsequent generations. The school’s objective was to “civilize” Indigenous children, a process that involved strict English-only policies, Christianization efforts, and a curriculum that largely ignored or denigrated Indigenous cultures and knowledge.