(311) INDIAN COVE, PICTOU COUNTY. NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN SCHOOL: 33; NUMBER OF PUPILS ENROLLED: 33; AVERAGE ATTENDANCE: 16;
Rev. J.D. McLeod, the Indian agent, reports on the school in this agency as follows: -
This school has for several years been in charge of Miss Gertrude McGirr, who holds a grade B scholarship for the province. The average attendance during the year was 16.4. Some of the children were absent from the reserve. A few families moved to the new car works at New Glasgow to work. Sometimes the children are kept at home to work, cutting wood or fishing for smelts. There were three pupils in grade VI, and three in grade VII The influence of the school in general has been highly beneficial. It is proposed to build a new handsome schoolhouse, which will greatly better conditions and promote progress.(461)Indian Cove Day School, Pictou County.
I visited this school on February 14. The day was fine, yet only 9 pupils were present, out of 25 enrolled. The average attendance, however, up to that date, was 15,
or 60 per cent of the number enrolled, which is considered good. The children of school age on the reserve, at the time, was reported to be 28, besides a few who were temporarily absent.
What impressed me as the distinctive features of the school were untidiness, and the absence of proper discipline - two conditions which make progress in such a place difficult, if at all possible.
Note
Document from page 311 was missing on the LAC website, but if fixed in future can be found here : http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/aboriginal-heritage/first-nations/indian-affairs-annual-reports/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=25762
Note
Annual Report of the Department of Indian Affairs for the Year Ended March 31 1913 (Ottawa: C.H. Parmelee, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, 1913), 313,461.