Old Sun Annex

The Annex at Old Sun Community College. This Area of the School Presently Contains Various Administrative Offices. It Originally Served as the Priest’s Primary Residence During the Time that Old Sun Functioned as an Indian Residential School.

“It has been strongly impressed upon myself, as head of the Department, that Indian children should be withdrawn as much as possible from the parental influence, and the only way to do that would be to put them in central training industrial schools where they will acquire the habits and modes of thought of white men.” – Sir John A. MacDonald, 1879

The Minister’s Quarter’s

Cropped photo of the exterior, showing a car parked in front of the annex at Old Sun. 1930s. NA-2966-4. Courtesy of the Glenbow Archives.

The annex at Old Sun Community College is currently used as a meeting space for staff. The main floor has a private office, an office with board room, and a small kitchen area. Upstairs, there are three offices, a bathroom, and an additional room. The annex’s half basement is used for storage.

When Old Sun operated as a residential school, the annex served as accommodation for the minister, who was also principal of the school, and his family. The kitchen and boardroom functioned as a private kitchen and formal dining area where the minister could entertain guests. The rooms upstairs served as bedrooms. Students at the school were not generally allowed access to the annex, except when brought there specifically by the minister.

For the creation of this archive, many of the survivors returned to Old Sun to share their memories, and were interviewed in the boardroom which used to be the dining room for these quarters. For many survivors, it takes great strength and resilience to return to the school and revisit their memories.

Use the arrow keys (left, right, up, down) or 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.

This gallery contains modern day and archival images of the annex of Old Sun. If you have photos of the annex that you would like to submit to this archive, please contact us at irsdocumentationproject@gmail.com.

Leica BLK scanning under the stairs to the basement of the annex during digital documentation of Old Sun. August 2020. Photo source: Madisen Hvidberg.

Old Sun School, annex to the right with separate entrance visible. [193-?]. P75-103-S7-188 from the General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada.

Boardroom office of the Siksika Studies department at Old Sun Community College, formerly the dining room of the minister's quarters. Photo from digital capture of Old Sun, August 2020.

Upstairs office in the annex of Old Sun, formerly a bedroom for the minister's quarters. Photo from digital capture of Old Sun, August 2020.

Entrance to the annex of Old Sun. Photo from digital capture of Old Sun, August 2020.

Old Sun School, this brick building was opened in 1929. 1930s. NA-2966-4. Courtesy of the Glenbow Archives.

Rev. Robert Crocker and family, who would have been living in the annex. 1955. NA-4817-50. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Old Sun School, annex to the right.[193-?] P7538-1022 from the General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Rev. Cole and Frazer with hens. Cole would have been living in the annex (on the left side of Old Sun) and Mr. Fraser in the maintenance house. June 1950. P7538-998 from the General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada.

Ernest Barry Yellow Fly- Rappelled Down the Window

Hello I am Niimistostima, my white name is Ernest Barry Yellow Fly. I am going to tell a story of those that went to residential school, of what happened. I am going to tell the story of those who snuck out. I am first going to say is that we were abused, when we went to residential school. I am going to talk about the junior boy’s dorm, I am going to say it in English. How we were treated so badly some wanted to sneak out and ok this… it was night, late afternoon. These boys were saying they were going to sneak out, they were lonely, some of them wanted to go home. There they were, they started tying blankets together, then they rappelled down the window. Then they each rappelled down. They got caught, this teacher saw them, he worked at night. Then they ran away. They were brought back one by one, I don’t know if they got strapped. The reason I told this story is because it was not very good when we went to school. There was a lot that wanted to go home or sneak away. They got into trouble if they snuck away. So, this is one story I talked about.

Okay, here is another one, we weren’t fed properly when we went to school, the same, junior boy’s dorm. Some used to sneak out, they snuck to the kitchen. They scrounged around for food stuff, they would come back upstairs and feed each of us, that’s how we got treated bad they wouldn’t feed us properly but the teachers and workers, they ate good. We all saw how they ate. For us, our food was meager. So that’s why some went to get stuff to eat. They got stuff from the kitchen and came back upstairs; they would ration out the food to us. Another one, this is where I end my story.

–Niimistostima, Ernest Barry Yellow Fly

Notes:

Oral interview with Niimistostima, Ernest Barry Yellow Fly. Conducted, translated, and transcribed by Gwendora Bear Chief. Old Sun Community College, June 1, 2022.

Featured Image: The new Blackfoot school from the rear. – [193-?]. M55-01-P52 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada.