Arlena Bateman

T00554734

Primary Document Assignment

History 3510

Tracy Penny Light

November 7, 2017

The author of the document, “Isabelle Knockwood Remembers the Shubanecadie Residential School” primarily focuses on the lack of transparency provided from the government to the indigenous people and the overwhelming power they held as a result. The author provides first-hand memories of time spent at the school as well as letters that support her claims of the governing bodies control and the length that they would go to. It will be examined how this lack of transparency was a tactic to have families enroll their children willingly and how the power these governing bodies such as agents and principals were used against the indigenous people.

The book, Material Memory: Documents in Post-Confederation History by Jeff Keshen and Suzanne Morton includes the document, “Isabelle Knockwood Remembers the Shubanecadie Residential School” which gives a first-hand account of someone who attended this Residential School at a very early age. It showed how some poorer families thought the school would offer more opportunities and Isabelle found this to be the reason her father enrolled her as well. It’s a point of view that works well with my thesis on what made certain indigenous families sign and agree to enroll their children willingly to these schools. It exposes the same misconceptions that many had, in that they thought the school would not only provide an education but also a better environment. Unfortunately, the government took advantage of the indigenous families who perhaps could not read the English documents and signed unknowingly over full legal rights. As stated, “The Department would send letter out to the Indian Agents reminding them that when the parents signed the admission form they had given Father Mackey guardianship over their children even when they were on vacation.”[1] This reiterates the control the government exercised over the indigenous people.

Although, this article is based on memories and information obtained by the author over time and initially statements such as “the nuns and especially the principle, Father Mackey, had absolute control over us”[2] could be seen as biased. However, the author provides letters from principal Father Mackay and Indian agents during this time to corroborate her story, “He is, in effect, their Indian agent, and even more than that, their personal guardian.”[3] It exposes the fact these governing bodies were intent on taking full guardianship and control of the children. This power given to this particular principal, Father Mackey was revealed to be abused. It is revealed that he did not have the best interests of the students and went to great lengths to keep them from their families. As Indian agent Clairence Spinney states, “these people went so far as [to] have a man go to the school for their children. They did not get their children. Father Mackey would not let them take the children.”[4] It was shown that even when a child was sick, he went to great measures to keep the child away from their family as stated by Isabelle, “Father Mackey evidently disliked the suggestion that Pauline be transferred from the hospital to which he had sent her or that she should not return to the school, and he wrote to the Department of Indian Affairs insisting that the child would probably be better soon.”[5] It also revealed that he would send police to homes to retrieve students that had run away. These letters throughout Knockwood’s document provide the evidence needed to substantiate the story told by the author. After all, Knockwood is initially relying on memories of what she experienced which others could say is biased or influenced by other accounts. However, by utilizing the letters from the principal and Indian agent during this period gives even more credibility to her personal accounts. The fact that the government, principal and staff were given such a level of authority over the children and the families is addressed, and in her case, the misuse of power by the principal of this Residential School. The damning evidence from the letters are essential in supporting these stories as they reiterate the abuse of power. Without such documentation, these stories would be seen as alleged. The author seems matter of fact in her writing without real accusations which lends more credibility and further substantiates the brutalities that occurred in some Residential Schools.

 

Bibliography:

Knockwood, Isabelle, “Isabelle Knockwood Remembers the Shubenacadie Residential School,” in Jeffrey Keshen and Suzanne Morton, Material Memory: Documents in Post-Confederation History, Addison Wesley Longman Ltd, 1998. 47-51.

Endnotes:

[1] Isabelle Knockwood, “Isabelle Knockwood Remembers the Shubenacadie Residential School,” Material Memory: Documents in Post-Confederation History, (Addison Wesley Longman Ltd, 1998), 48.

[2] Ibid, 47.

[3] Ibid, 49.

[4] Ibid, 49.

[5] Ibid, 48.