A Student At St. Mary’s Residential School
Blanche Bruisedhead raising the Reconciliation Flag at Lethbridge City Hall, September 16, 2019.
Galt Museum & Archives
St. Mary’s Residential School on Blood Reserve c. 1898–1957
Provincial Archives of Alberta, PR1973.0248/874a
Blanche Bruisehead has never forgotten that day in 1956. She was 7 years old when a priest and an RCMP officer called “Big Tom” came into her home without warning. They had been led there by an "Indian Scout," a man who knew where all the children who hadn't been sent to school were. Big Tom gave Blanche's parents a choice: send her to St. Mary's Residential School or go to jail. Her father negotiated, and they were allowed to get her dressed and drive her to the school themselves.
St. Mary's Residential School was located on the Blood Reserve about halfway between the towns of Cardston and Standoff. It was one of more than 130 residential schools in Canada between the 1870s and 1996. Residential schools were designed to separate Indigenous children from their culture. More than 150,000 children were taken, each with their own story.
Blanche’s family was escorted to the school with Big Tom driving in front and the priest, who was also the principal, driving behind. When they arrived at the school a nun pried Blanche's hand from her mother and shut the door between them. Visitation at St. Mary’s depended on the priest giving permission. If parents came and he was in a good mood, they could see their child, otherwise, excuses were made. It was months before Blanche saw her parents.
After that first year, Blanche asked her parents why she had been made to go. She was furious, she did not understand. St. Mary’s was horrible. She had cried until her eyes swelled shut. The staff kept demanding she confess her sins, so she had to keep making them up. It had been the scariest place to be; so violent, so vicious, so hurtful. Her father told her, “My girl, my daughter, you have to go with the flow we are in now. We real people [Blackfoot], we don’t have a choice anymore. They have gotten ahold of us.” Blanche spent nine years at St. Mary’s Residential School.
Today, Blanche is the Blackfoot Interpreter at the Galt Museum & Archives. She teaches others about Niitsitapi, Blackfoot, culture and language. The Galt has released videos of Blanche sharing her knowledge that you can find at www.galtmuseum.com.
St. Mary's Residential School Christmas Concert, December 19, 1952.
Galt Museum & Archives, 19753000056
Group of students at St. Mary’s Residential School, December 19, 1952.
Galt Museum & Archives, 19753000055
Graduating class at St. Mary’s Residential School, May 3, 1958.
Galt Museum & Archives, 19753000240
Photograph of the children at St. Mary's Residential School receiving gifts from Santa Claus, December 19, 1952.
Galt Museum & Archives, 19753000059
The Galt hosts Indigenous-led exhibitions and in-house exhibitions that incorporate Indigenous voices, history and perspectives. Learn about previous and current exhibits from Kalli Eagle Speaker.