Category: OSCC Historical Timeline

1928

Fire destroyed the frame school building on June 27, 1928 and was soon replaced by a brick building. Day school classes are offered for three years until replacement school is built.Read More…

1912

A large new residential school opens with authorized pupilage of forty on July 14 Principal Rev. Millard C. Gandier chose the name “Old Sun” in honor of Chief Old Sun.Read More…

1911

The government granted long term funding for the school and a larger building was constructed at South Camp the following year. It was expanded a decade later to accommodate more students. The school’s farm, first located at the North Camp and expanded at the South Camp, provided vocational training for boys.Read More…

1907

1907 – 1911 Rampant disease outbreaks in the residential school and recurring unsanitary conditions force government to close the school for extended periods. Needed renovations are stalled due to lack of funding. From July 1909 to December 1911, the building is used as a day school.Read More…

1901

White Eagles Boarding School closes and boys return to original Old Sun Boarding School, which is remodelled. The White Eagles building is used as an isolation ward during 1902-1903 smallpox epidemic.Read More…

1894

Magnus Begg (from 1894– 1897) resided on Siksika Reserve and was recognized through the Indian Act, 1876 as Indian Agent for Treaty 7 First Nations from 1894 to 1897 whose all-encompassing power stemmed from the Indian Act. Section 137 of the Indian Act, 1894 stated that the Indian Agent had full authority invested in him by the federal Department of Indian Affairs to control all aspects of reseRead More…

1886

Rev Tims’ than established the first Old Sun Boarding School about 7 km west of Gleichen for boys and girls, opens at North Camp on the Reserve with enrolment of fifteen pupils.Read More…

1883

The Beginning of Church-State Schooling at Siksika Nation – Championed by the Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Canada’s Indian policy allowed “any religious denomination that be carrying on mission work upon a Reserve a reasonable quantity of land for buildings” including schools and teacherages (Edgar Dewdney Papers, M320, Vol. V.) Within this context, in 1883, Reverend JohnRead More…

1877

Treaty 7 also known as a peace treaty, is the last of the numbered treaties made between the British monarchy, the newly formed Government of Canada and the Siksika (Blackfoot), Kainai (Blood) Piikani and Tsuutina First Nations on September 22, 1877 near Blackfoot Crossing.Read More…