Mount Elgin Industrial School
| Mount Elgin Industrial School | |
|---|---|
| Type | School or university |
| Founded | 1851 |
Mount Elgin Industrial School is a residential school where students were subjected to forced labour.[1]
In Anishinabek News
- April 2021: The former horse barn is the only remaining structure of this residential school located at Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. A local task group is fundraising to save and convert the school's barn into a place for cultural heritage and learning. The school is described as having caused significant trauma and damage within the local community.[2]
- December 2024: The school is the primary setting for the fictionalized events in Brown Tom's Schooldays. During the 1910s, the institution was characterized by rigid routines, hunger, and an assimilative focus. The school was located near the Muskegan River, which flooded its banks during the period described in the book.[3]
- July 2025: Students at this institution performed heavy agricultural work and domestic chores that were essential to the school's financial survival between 1890 and 1915. The school environment was characterized by undernourishment and communicable diseases, leading to the documented deaths of 23 students during a 25-year period. The school was funded by the Department of Indian Affairs and the Methodist Church.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Book review: Nii Ndahlohke: Boys’ and Girls’ Work at Mount Elgin Industrial School, 1890-1915", Anishinabek News, 23 July 2025 (archived copy; original article).
- ↑ "Artists in Deshkan Ziibiing showcase their talents in video series", Anishinabek News, 19 April 2021 (archived copy; original article).
- ↑ "Book review: Brown Tom’s Schooldays", Anishinabek News, 27 December 2024 (archived copy; original article).