Old Sun Community College Second Floor

The Second Floor of Old Sun Community College (OSCC). Click on the triangle to load the point cloud. Labels on the point cloud indicate past room functions during Old Sun’s time as a residential school. Important Areas Include Four Large Classrooms and the Chapel.

“Their education must consist not merely of training of the mind, but of a weaning from the habits and feelings of their ancestors, and the acquirements of the language, art and customs of civilized life.” – Egerton Ryerson, 1847 Report for Indian Affairs

The second floor of the college is now used for administrative and operational functions of the institution. Many of the smaller rooms on this floor are used as offices for current staff, including the main office for the college, the registrars’ office, and the presidents’ office. The southernmost side of this floor features two classrooms, while the northern side has the classroom for the computer lab. This end of the building connects with the converted annex, which now has multiple staff offices, a kitchen, and a boardroom. Towards the back end of the main floor is the college library which used to be the former chapel. The chapel now functions as a library and is one of many examples of transformational resilience in the building. The apse which is a standard part of any church plan, for example, currently houses the Siksika Story Robe Winter Count, which was commissioned to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the college. The library also has an Indigenous focused literary collection for use in the college, along with computer stations, and an entrance decorated with student artwork and archival photos of Siksika Nation members.

Children in classroom, 1950s. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

When Old Sun operated as a residential school, this central wing of the main floor contained the chapel. The mid-section of the floor served both as offices for the administration of the school and included the principal’s office. The south side contained two classrooms where students divided by age would attend a variety of basic lessons. The classrooms themselves used to be separated by a short hallway leading out to a building that was once attached to the south side of the school. This building which no longer stands had additional classrooms, offices, and staff residences. The north end of the first floor contained classrooms for grades 3 and 4, as well as the annex/former Anglican minister’s quarters. The minister was also the principal of the school. This building was added to the original school building and once contained a living area, kitchen, dining room, as well as several bedrooms on its second floor. The annex was home to the minister, his family, and invited guests.

Old Sun Chapel: “A Room for Prayer and Abuse”

Old Sun’s Chapel. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Situated architecturally in the middle of the school, the children would be brought into the chapel from their separate playrooms (boys and girls). Once the bell alerting them that it was time to attend chapel had sounded, the children would file into their respective sides of the church and stand while the minister entered with the choir behind him. Students were required to pray before each meal and attend service in the chapel every morning before classes, and every evening after dinner, as well as kneel and pray before bedtime. When chapel services were open to the community, children would file in first, followed by parents and other family members who would enter the chapel and sit on the men and women sides. Children attending the school were not allowed to speak with or even look at family members. When recalling her experience in the chapel, survivor Gwendora Bear Chief said “it was a room for prayers and abuse.”

Left click and drag your mouse around the screen to view different areas of each room. If you have a touch screen, simply drag your finger across the screen. Your keyboard's arrow keys can also be used. Travel to different areas of the second floor by clicking on the floating arrows.

20_Central North-South Corridor

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20_Central North-South Corridor

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This image gallery shows historic and modern photos of Old Sun College's second floor. Click on photos to expand and read their captions. If you have photos of the second floor at Old Sun that you would like to submit to this archive, please contact us at irsdocumentationproject@gmail.com.

Earnie Water Chief on the front steps of Old Sun IRS, ca. 1952. Photo Source: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Community members in chapel during filming of a movie. 1952. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University.

Staff in chapel during filming of a movie. 1952. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University.

Students outside standing in front of the school chapel. 1950s. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

View west of Old Sun, taken from the roof of the chapel. 1951. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University.

Old Sun chapel 1952. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Junior Classroom. Posed photo of students seated at their desks with teacher (blurred) standing at the back - 1945. P75-103-S7-182 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Senior classroom. Photo consists of students sitting at their desks, in view from front of classroom to the rear- 1945. P75-103-S7-184 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Morning Prayer. View from rear to front of school chapel, with pews filled with students and distant principal conducting service- [194-?]. P75-103-S7-185 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Grades 3 and 4. View of classroom with students at their desks and teacher standing at rear- [194-?]. P75-103-S7-193 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Sister and brother Audrey and Colin Stimson sitting outside the front entrance steps - [193-?]. P75-103-S7-194 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Chapel of Old Sun ca. 1952. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Canon Gibbon Stocken and Chief Paul Little Walker at the front of Old Sun chapel [ca. 1949]. P75-103-S7-197 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Canon Gibbon Stocken conducting service at Old Sun School. - [ca. 1949]. P75-103-S7-198 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Senior students. Photo consists of senior girls at their desks, boys standing against side wall, and Principal and staff member standing at rear- [194-?]. P75-103-S7-201 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Grades 4 and 5 classroom with students working at their desks- [194-?]. P75-103-S7-205 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Senior class and teacher Miss J. Rutherford. - [194- ?]. P75-103-S7-206 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Junior students - 1952. P75-103-S7-208 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Junior Classroom. Posed photo of students seated at their desks with teacher (blurred) standing at the back - 1945. P7538-1005 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Formal classroom photo of students at their desks. Principal and teacher stand at the back - [194-?]. P7538-1015 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Making paper mache masks for Halloween. 1955-1957. NA-4817-55. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Making paper mache masks for Halloween. 1955-1957. NA-4817-54. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Students in the chapel of Old Sun during the filming of a documentary, ca. 1952. Photo Source: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Mildred Richardson, teacher, second from left, with senior students. On front steps into the school, which enter into the central east-west corridor. 1956. NA-4817-15. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Christmas service choir, on the front steps which lead to the central east-west corridor of the second floor. Girls are wearing berets. 1955-1957. NA-4817-30. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Grade 7 students in a classroom. 1956. NA-4817-11. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Students in a classroom. 1955-1957. NA-4817-10. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Duncan Winnipeg sits at a desk in a classroom. 1955-1957. NA-4817-9. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Siksika community members in the chapel of Old Sun during the filming of a documentary, ca. 1952. Photo Source: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Fake store set up in one of the classrooms of Old Sun IRS, ca. 1952. Photo Source: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Students in one of the classrooms of Old Sun IRS, ca. 1952. Photo Source: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

School boys outside on steps of the first floor main entrance. May 1952. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University.

Laser scanning data can be used to create “as built” architectural plans which can support repair and restoration work to Old Sun Community College. This plan was created using Autodesk Revit and forms part of a larger building information model (BIM) of the school. The Revit drawings and laser scanning data for this school are securely archived with access controlled by the Old Sun Advisory Committee.

Some of the threats faced by Indigenous students attending residential schools came from the buildings themselves. The architectural plans contained in this archive, which have been constructed using the laser scanning data, illustrate how poorly these schools were designed from a safety perspective. There were three specific areas that placed the health and safety of students at great risk: Fire Hazards and Protection Measures; Water Quality, and Sanitation and Hygiene. As you explore the archive, you will find more information about the nature of these hazards and their impact on students.

Eileen Black- They had No Compassion for Us

So that was one of the, one of the things that I remember and not only that, that cruel supervisor. And then it was my fellow students, a lot of them have passed away, have passed away… They picked on us and teasing us, they were cruel. They were cruel, our people. They just made things worse, worse as it was. They made it worse cause they had no compassion for us. Once they had hate for someone they did not quit, they keep on and on. That’s kind of what I went through. And then going, it was under that.. under those stairs, I used to hide there, right under there. I would hide there when I felt sick because I didn’t want to go. I would just curl up there and to be there.

They would find me and bring me [laughs] in there so that, but I always remember those stairs. I always remember the darkness and the fear that I went through under those stairs. And here the workers did not care if somebody was sick, and they didn’t care to treat us and to take us to the doctor or whatever. So I don’t know how many in this school were sick and they died in there because we were not looked after in that way. We didn’t matter.

– Isitsimani, Eileen Black

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