Over 50 years of combined experience and knowledge on Indigenous culture, writing and production.

Longhouse Publishing in Mission, British Columbia produces and publishes First Nation culturally-related materials including books and other print materials.

St. Mary's

The Legacy of an Indian Residential School

The story of St. Mary’s residential school on the Fraser River is an insightful and readable account brought alive through the testimonials of 46 courageous former students from the 1940s through to the 1980s, who agreed to tell their story, while Glavin’s narrative outlines the devastating role the relationship between government and clergy had on the history of Indigenous people today.

Both poignant and tragic, and not always what we want to hear, these testimonials with the addition of Glavin’s narrative, will hopefully lead us to a better understanding of the residential school tragedy, and help the healing process to advance.

19 new interview excerpts not included in the 2002 edition have been added along with 29 new archival photographs, some never published before.

There are Integrated Learning Packages for Social Studies 10, 11 & 12 developed by a BC Indigenous Educator. These ILPs are based on the contents of the book, and follow the 2005 British Columbia education curriculum criteria. See our educational page for more information.

We want to acknowledge the high sensitivity behind this work, which can trigger the reader in various ways. Please be gentle with yourself as you embark upon this path of understanding the truth behind these stories, and hopefully the healing that can come from it. Kevin Barlow, October 18, 2023 (Mi’kmaw)