Calgary exhibit explores local residential school past

A two-part exhibit in Calgary takes a look at the history of residential schools and the eye-opening local ties to the institutions.

Alberta at one point had the highest number of residential schools in the country.

Now a residential school exhibit in Calgary is detailing local ties Alberta has to them — and it’s set up here at the historic Lougheed House, which has an interesting connection to the schools.

James Lougheed, who built the house and has this astounding legacy in the province, was a supporter.

Curators Erin Benedictson and Matt Hiltermann, a Metis historian put it together with the help of the Metis Nation of Alberta.

Erin says there are connections to this house in that not only is Isabella Lougheed Metis, her husband Sir James Lougheed, a prominent businessman and politician in Alberta in the 1800’s had a say in whether Indigenous students would attend residential schools mandatorily.

“On bill 14, which was the involuntary enfranchisement of Indigenous children into residential schools, and what’s really interesting is he was in support of it,” said Erin Benedictson, Associate Curator, Lougheed House & Co-curator, Métis Residential School Exhibition.

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Part of the exhibit is called ‘Forgotten: The Metis Residential School Experience owned by the Legacy of Hope Foundation, while Benedictson and Hiltermann also weaved in the second part called Remembered: The story of Metis Children at St. Joseph’s-Dunbow Industrial School.

In our research, we discovered that up to 40 per cent of students at Dunbow identified as Metis.

Benedictson says they felt called to emphasize Metis people, as a reminder that the issue is not removed – many originating here in Alberta.

“Because they do emphasize that they’re the forgotten people they don’t get talked about as much,” said Benedictson.

At one time, there were five residential schools in the Calgary area that many people also don’t know including St. Dunston School in Calgary proper.

“Every time the students got sick, they were sent home, so if they died from their sicknesses, they died at home. There was only one student who was marked as having died at the school,” said Benedictson.

The exhibit continues until October 16, and on the first anniversary of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – the Lougheed House is hosting an evening of Métis music and conversation.