“The pupils make fair progress, though necessarily somewhat slow because of their total ignorance of the English language.”

From a 1906 report by Reverend Jabez Marsh, an Anglican missionary who opened the first residential school in the NWT in Hay River in 1894.¹

“I have succeeded in teaching several of the Eskimos to read in syllabic characters; they are very eager to learn.?

Edmund Peck, written in 1877

“The culture, customs, traditions, skills and way of life of the Indian and Eskimo must be given their rightful place in the schools and in the course of study there are many things non-professionals can teach better than you (teachers) can, and we must avail ourselves of all the resources of the community.”

Norm Mcpherson at Teacher Orientation in 1972

1. These three quotes are from Dreams & Visions Education in the Northwest Territories from Early Days to 1984 by Norman Mcpherson, pulished by GNWT Department of Education, 1991