Ahousaht Indian Residential School

The Ahousaht Indian Residential School was a school within the Canadian Indian residential school system that operated in Ahousaht, British Columbia from 1904 to 1940. The school was located on Flores Island south of the Marktosis Indian Reserve #15, on land owned by the Women's Missionary Society. The Ahousaht Indian Residential School began as a day school run by the Presbyterian Church of Canada that opened in 1895. In 1904 the federal government funded a transition to a residential facility under the supervision of Reverend J.C. Butchart. In June 1904, prior to the start of the residential school year, five Ahousaht chiefs - Chief Billy, old Chief Moquiney, Chief Benson, Chief Atlin, and Chief Nokamas - petitioned the government with concerns about the school. They protested the actions of the Presbyterian Church, including missionary John Russell, whom they accused of keeping children at the school against the wishes of their parents. The Board of Home Missions of the United Church of Canada took over operation of the school in 1925. The original school was a three-storey building with accommodations for 50 students. The school burned down in 1916 and a day school program offered classes until a new building with capacity for 25 students was built. Male students helped rebuild, as part of their vocational training. The school again burned down on January 26, 1940. Indian

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