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Red Deer Industrial School

 -  1893-1919

Religious Entity: Methodist

Red Deer Industrial School opened in 1893 in what was then the District of Alberta. Located three miles west of Red Deer, Alberta, on the opposite bank of the Red Deer River, it was the first Methodist residential school to operate in the area. While the school was roughly the same size of similar institutions, it was unique in that it was located a significant distance from the Indigenous communities it was supposed to serve, with the nearest reserve being 65 kilometers away. This distance from Indigenous communities, in combination with the outbreak of the Spanish Flu and a subsequent outbreak of smallpox, lead to the school’s closure in 1919. Five years later, the Methodists opened Edmonton (Poundmaker) Residential School, which was closer to its intended Indigenous communities.

Students inside at Red Deer Industrial School
group of people at sewing machines at Edmonton Poundmaker school


Remembering the Following Students:

NameDate of Death (Year/Month/Day)
Abel Half1894-08-01 – 1894-08-31
Adaline Makokis1907-03-15
Alfred James (A)1899-09-01 – 1899-09-30
Alfred James (B)Not known
Alfred RainNot known
Andrew LaroqueNot known
Anna Mackieca. 1919-01-01
Anna Makokis1904-08-30
Archie JacksonNot known
Betsy Lepatac1895-12-22
Betsy RaindeerNot known
Charles Hunter (Red Deer)1904-09-04
David Larocque1909-01-01
David Laroqueca. 1909-03-01
David Lightning1918-11-14 – 1918-11-16
David RainNot known
Edward Whitecap1903-06-30
Eliza Birdca. 1899-07-01
Eliza FrancisNot known
Eliza Kaachehow1908-09-16
Ellen HartNot known
Emily Stanley1896-11-18
Emma MuskegapooNot known
Emma Stanley1902-03-06
Eva HooleNot known
Florence HartieNot known
Georgina House1918-11-14 – 1918-11-16
Gretchen Joshua1906-08-07
Irene Stoney1915-06-04
Isaac PainNot known
James Frank1913-12-01
Jane Baptiste1918-11-16
Jerimiah Hoole1912-01-01
Job. A. LepatacNot known
John BullNot known
John LevensNot known
John Sinclair1906-07-01 – 1906-07-31
Jonas SamsonNot known
Joseph Ma-Gwa-SewNot known
Joseph Poitois1887-01-19
Joshua Jacob1895-04-29
Joshua Jonesca. 1899-01-01
Joshua Saskatchewan1897-01-07
Lottie Ann McCorresterca. 1899-07-01
Louisa Steinhauer1908-08-14
Maggie Laroque1919-01-01
Mary Ann SamsonNot known
Mary Baptiste1903-09-01
Mary Sharphead1910-06-20
Melvin Reindeer1903-05-01 – 1903-05-31
Nellie Bremner1909-03-01
Peggy Bull1896-12-06
Philip Joshua (A)ca. 1919-01-01
Philip Joshua (B)Not known
Pruden AugustineNot known
Rachel Hairline1896-12-01 – 1896-12-31
Sarah BohnerNot known
Sarah Gaetz1904-05-01 – 1904-05-31
Sarah Mary McRae1902
Sarah Sampson1894-01-01
Sarah Soosay1918-11-14 – 1918-11-16
Solomon ApplegarthNot known
Sophia Julia Half1913-05-01 – 1913-05-31
Sophia Julia HalfNot known
Sophia Sinclairca. 1914
Sophie Rain1903-04-01 – 1903-04-30
Susan Sharpheadca. 1909 – 1910
William Bernard1904-05-20
William Cardinal1918-11-14 – 1918-11-16
William SauteauNot known