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I entered Residential School in 1963 when I was 7. The school was 200 miles away from home, and we stayed there 10 months out of the year, usually coming home for Xmas holidays and Easter. The bus came to Middleton's Store at McLeod Lake, and picked up all us kids every Labor Day weekend. That was how it was in the 1960s.
First day was absolute pandemonium! All the buses coming in from all the reserves in the north with kids from all the reserves. From places like Shelley, Fort St. James, Tache, Pinche, Portage, Stoney Creek, Burns Lake, Smithers, Hazelton, Moricetown, Takla, Babine, Fort Ware, Ingenika and McLeod Lake. And we all ended up at Lejac Indian Residential School to start school. We all met at the Rec room (on the boys' side) and the supervisors would come in and try to keep some order.
And the first thing they did was ask you your name, and where you were from. How old are you? They need to know how old you are so they can place you in one of the three dorms. All new kids (the young ones starting at 6 years old) would be in Juniors and the older ones (usually about 9-12) ended up in Intermediates. Then when you got really old you became a Senior.
The next thing is they would measure you, and give you brand new clothes: a pair of blue jeans, a shirt, a T-shirt, socks, shorts and a pair of runners. And a jacket.
Then you got a number.
Which you keep when you are at Lejac Indian Residential School. You always have the same number every year. And they write your number on everything, on the collar of your shirt, your socks, your pants, shoes, and even your shorts.
Marvin he got #31, Morice Joseph he's number 37, Dear John is 13, Kenny West is 81, Ronnie Duncan number 41, Max Duncan number 45, Terrance 23, Gilbert 16, Harley 70 and everybody. Oh yah, me I was 50. And sometimes a supervisor will come into Rec room or dorm and holler out your number! Instead of your name. And everybody knew they were calling you. Everybody knew everybody else's number. After while you don't even need a name anymore.
After you got your new clothes first day, they took away our 'home clothes' and put it down at the laundryroom which is past the potato room down the hallway. It's always real dark down that hallway past the kitchen. You get your home clothes whenever we return home either for the holidays, or at the end of the year. That's how it is. Around here....at Lejac.
