Old Sun Classroom

This computer reconstruction approximates how classrooms at Old Sun Indian Residential school would have appeared. This reconstruction was created using historic photographs as well as descriptions provided by former students.

“I have reason to believe that the agents as a whole … are doing all they can, by refusing food until the Indians are on the verge of starvation, to reduce the expense,” – Sir John A. MacDonald, 1882

Visualizing Classrooms From the Past

Old Sun Community College has undergone a remarkable transformation from an institution of oppression and coercive tutelage to one of that is playing a key role in cultural revitalization. The changing of dormitories into classrooms, and chapels into a library means there is often little within the building to remind staff, students, and visitors about its history as a former Indian Residential School.

Computer reconstruction and gaming technology provide a mean of visualizing how different areas of Old Sun might have appeared in the past. Dr. Katayoon Etemad who is a computer science researcher at the University of Calgary created this reconstruction of a classroom at Old Sun Indian Residential School as it may have appeared in the 1960’s. The model was created using historic photographs and the memories of residential school survivors who attended Old Sun Indian.

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

Old Sun, photograph of students in grade four and five classroom, 1940-1949. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sylvia Peacemaker sits between two friends in front of a quonset hut used for additional indoor teaching and recreation space. 1955-1957. na-4817-7. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives

Display of finished items and three students from woodworking class. 1945. P75-103-S7-190 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. 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

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

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

June Spotted Eagle- I Don’t Think He Liked Me

This other story it happened in the dinning room. Ah, every Tuesday night there were movies for everybody huh. In the evening between 7 or 8. Then the parents used to come and watch. The kids could sit with their parents. Then when the movie is going to end, we just know when the movie is going to be over, we hear God Save the Queen. When we hear it, the kids start crying because they know the parents will be leaving.

And I remember one time with my mom and my father I snuck upstairs with them on the boy’s side, those stairs, I snuck upstairs with them. I was thinking, “I’m just going home with my parents.” But anyways at the hallway Mr. Cole caught me. He just grabbed me, lifted me up and carried me to the dormitory even though I was bawling and kicking my feet. I know my one shoe fell off and I lost it, but I did find it later. I know sometimes Mr. Cole lets some kids go home with their parents but he never allowed me to go, I don’t think he liked me [laughter].

One time at grade 2, we were in the classroom. It used to be in the old library, it’s not one anymore for along time. Just across, there was a classroom, grade 2 with Mr. Warm, our teacher’s name. We still all sitting. That, that Mr. Cole came into the room. I just felt a pinch on my ear, and he just touched my ear with his big hand. And it hurt. I didn’t even do anything.

As we got older, maybe Grade 8 or 7 in that Quonset that was separate from the main building, we used to have dances every Thursday evening. It was fun, they used to play that song Splish, Splash [laughter]. One time we went to a concert- on not a concert, a track and field at Kainai, St. Pauls school. We slept there ‘cause it was late, too late to come back. So we stayed there. There we had a dance with them, the Kainai kids [laughs] and Mr. Cole- oh, not Mr Cole, Mr. Miller. They kept asking him, “do you have Splish, Splash?” [laughs].
“No, we don’t, we never heard of that song.” And I still hear it now and I still like that song, I still hear it sometimes [laughs]. Well it’s, as I got older well, when I was still here (at Old Sun Residential School), it wasn’t that bad… not like when I was young.

That’s all.

– June Spotted Eagle