Alberni Indian Residential School
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Why do you think fires occurred so often at the school?
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Date 1941
Materials - Photograph
Historical Context
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- This is a photo of the Alberni Indian Residential School in 1941, after a fire destroyed part of the school and it was rebuilt.
- The school operated from 1893 to 1973.
- Students from across Vancouver Island and communities along British Columbia’s northwest coast attended the school.
- The school was destroyed by fire three times during its history, in 1917, 1937 and 1941.
This is a photo of the Alberni Indian Residential School in 1941, after a fire destroyed part of the school and it was rebuilt. The school traces its history back to 1893, when the Presbyterian Church of Canada opened the Alberni Girls Home. It operated until 1973. Students from across Vancouver Island as well as communities along British Columbia’s northwest coast attended the school.
The school was destroyed by fire and quickly rebuilt three times during its history, in 1917, 1937 and 1941. In the 1940s and early 1950s, medical experiments studying the effects of nutritional and vitamin supplements on malnourished children were conducted at the Alberni school, as well as five other residential schools across the country.
Since 2022, the c̓išaaʔatḥ (Tseshaht) First Nation has been conducting archival and ground-penetrating radar research at the site to better determine how many children died at the school during its operation.
This is a photo of the Alberni Indian Residential School in 1941, after a fire destroyed part of the school and it was rebuilt. The school traces its history to the Alberni Girls Home, founded by the Presbyterian Church of Canada in 1893. In 1925, the United Church of Canada assumed responsibility for the institution. Students were sent to the school from Vancouver Island as well as from communities along British Columbia’s northwest coast. The federal government assumed full control for the school’s operations in 1969.
The school was destroyed by fire three times during its history, in 1917, 1937 and 1941. After each fire, the school was rapidly rebuilt to continue operations. In the 1940s and early 1950s, medical experiments studying the effects of nutritional and vitamin supplements on malnourished children were conducted at the Alberni school, as well as five other residential schools across the country.
In the early 1970s, the West Coast District Council of Indian Chiefs lobbied the federal government to close the school, leading to its eventual closure in the summer of 1973. Most of the former school buildings have been demolished, and in 2014 a monument was installed at the site to honour Survivors.
Since 2022, the c̓išaaʔatḥ (Tseshaht) First Nation, on whose territory the school sat, has been conducting archival and ground-penetrating radar research at the site to better determine how many children died at the school during its operation.
- This is a photo of the Alberni Indian Residential School in 1941, after a fire destroyed part of the school and it was rebuilt.
- The school operated from 1893 to 1973.
- Students from across Vancouver Island and communities along British Columbia’s northwest coast attended the school.
- The school was destroyed by fire three times during its history, in 1917, 1937 and 1941.
This is a photo of the Alberni Indian Residential School in 1941, after a fire destroyed part of the school and it was rebuilt. The school traces its history back to 1893, when the Presbyterian Church of Canada opened the Alberni Girls Home. It operated until 1973. Students from across Vancouver Island as well as communities along British Columbia’s northwest coast attended the school.
The school was destroyed by fire and quickly rebuilt three times during its history, in 1917, 1937 and 1941. In the 1940s and early 1950s, medical experiments studying the effects of nutritional and vitamin supplements on malnourished children were conducted at the Alberni school, as well as five other residential schools across the country.
Since 2022, the c̓išaaʔatḥ (Tseshaht) First Nation has been conducting archival and ground-penetrating radar research at the site to better determine how many children died at the school during its operation.
This is a photo of the Alberni Indian Residential School in 1941, after a fire destroyed part of the school and it was rebuilt. The school traces its history to the Alberni Girls Home, founded by the Presbyterian Church of Canada in 1893. In 1925, the United Church of Canada assumed responsibility for the institution. Students were sent to the school from Vancouver Island as well as from communities along British Columbia’s northwest coast. The federal government assumed full control for the school’s operations in 1969.
The school was destroyed by fire three times during its history, in 1917, 1937 and 1941. After each fire, the school was rapidly rebuilt to continue operations. In the 1940s and early 1950s, medical experiments studying the effects of nutritional and vitamin supplements on malnourished children were conducted at the Alberni school, as well as five other residential schools across the country.
In the early 1970s, the West Coast District Council of Indian Chiefs lobbied the federal government to close the school, leading to its eventual closure in the summer of 1973. Most of the former school buildings have been demolished, and in 2014 a monument was installed at the site to honour Survivors.
Since 2022, the c̓išaaʔatḥ (Tseshaht) First Nation, on whose territory the school sat, has been conducting archival and ground-penetrating radar research at the site to better determine how many children died at the school during its operation.
Summary
- This is a photo of the Alberni Indian Residential School in 1941, after a fire destroyed part of the school and it was rebuilt.
- The school operated from 1893 to 1973.
- Students from across Vancouver Island and communities along British Columbia’s northwest coast attended the school.
- The school was destroyed by fire three times during its history, in 1917, 1937 and 1941.
Essential
This is a photo of the Alberni Indian Residential School in 1941, after a fire destroyed part of the school and it was rebuilt. The school traces its history back to 1893, when the Presbyterian Church of Canada opened the Alberni Girls Home. It operated until 1973. Students from across Vancouver Island as well as communities along British Columbia’s northwest coast attended the school.
The school was destroyed by fire and quickly rebuilt three times during its history, in 1917, 1937 and 1941. In the 1940s and early 1950s, medical experiments studying the effects of nutritional and vitamin supplements on malnourished children were conducted at the Alberni school, as well as five other residential schools across the country.
Since 2022, the c̓išaaʔatḥ (Tseshaht) First Nation has been conducting archival and ground-penetrating radar research at the site to better determine how many children died at the school during its operation.
In-Depth
This is a photo of the Alberni Indian Residential School in 1941, after a fire destroyed part of the school and it was rebuilt. The school traces its history to the Alberni Girls Home, founded by the Presbyterian Church of Canada in 1893. In 1925, the United Church of Canada assumed responsibility for the institution. Students were sent to the school from Vancouver Island as well as from communities along British Columbia’s northwest coast. The federal government assumed full control for the school’s operations in 1969.
The school was destroyed by fire three times during its history, in 1917, 1937 and 1941. After each fire, the school was rapidly rebuilt to continue operations. In the 1940s and early 1950s, medical experiments studying the effects of nutritional and vitamin supplements on malnourished children were conducted at the Alberni school, as well as five other residential schools across the country.
In the early 1970s, the West Coast District Council of Indian Chiefs lobbied the federal government to close the school, leading to its eventual closure in the summer of 1973. Most of the former school buildings have been demolished, and in 2014 a monument was installed at the site to honour Survivors.
Since 2022, the c̓išaaʔatḥ (Tseshaht) First Nation, on whose territory the school sat, has been conducting archival and ground-penetrating radar research at the site to better determine how many children died at the school during its operation.