Physical Violence between Students and Priests at the St.Michael's/Duck Lake Indian Residential School

Summary

Harold Greyeyes is a former student of the Lebret/Qu'Appelle school who then moved to the St. Michaels/Duck Lake School. Harold telling states that the main thing he learned at the Lebret IRS was obedience - a result of which he found it difficult to question authority. He recalls getting into a fight with a school supervisor, Peldren, at the St. Michaels/Duck Lake school. Harold claims that he and his cousin, Alec, found Peldren kicking his brother, Albert, and his cousin, Pat, while they kneeled in penance before him. At this sight, Harold ran towards Peldren and "hit him on the nose." At this point, two more priests arrived approached Harold, but then stopped and left with Peldren when Harold put up his fists as if to fight. According to Harold, nothing was done about the matter for a day or two and then he was called up in front of Father Latour and expelled from the school. An expulsion of which Harold claims, "I felt free. I had graduated." ----------------------------------------- After he left Lebret he went to Duck Lake IRS to help with the music program. One day as he was working in the barn his cousin came running to alert him that someone was hurting Greyeyes' brother. He came upon his younger brother and their cousin kneeling in penance in front of the boys supervisor, Peldren, who was kicking them as they knelt before him. Harold states that he ran up to the supervisor and kicked him as hard as he could with his work boots. The supervisor charged at him, but Greyeyes punched him in the face and broke his nose. At this point two more priests came upon the scene and all three started to back him into a corner. As Greyeyes put up his fists, they backed away. The next day the boy "graduated" or rather was expelled from the school.

Date
1894-00-00