James George Milne (1867-1955), my grandfather, was the farmer and farming instructor at the Brandon Indian School in Manitoba from September 1899 to Summer 1906. 

Prior to that, from 1899-1900, he was Foreman at the Indian Head Experimental farm in Saskatchewan. Prior to that, from 1889-1899, he was a Farming Instructor at the Regina Indian Industrial School in Saskatchewan. In 1906, he and his family moved to Craik, Saskatchewan, where he managed a farm until 1910, at which time he moved to Coronation, Alberta to establish a homestead. My Uncle Harold Milne stayed to farm the homestead so, at my grandfather's death, these photos were in his hands. 

Upon his death in 1955, the photos were passed on to his sister, my Aunt Annie (Milne) Moir, an avid genealogist (before computers). When she died in 2006 at the age of 103, the photos fell into the hands of her two daughters, who passed them on to my eldest sister, who passed them on/off to me in the summer of 2012. I am very happy that they have found a good home with the Brandon Photo Archives—an excellent and thorough site.

Unless otherwise noted, the Brandon Industrial School photos are courtesy of Larry Harris, Houston, TX, gr-gr-grandson, of Thomas B. Barner.

Information from Barner family records confirming timelines is courtesy of Lea Schmidt, Saskatchewan, gr-gr-granddaughter of Thomas B. Barner.

Children were taught how to tend the animals, which, by 1912, numbered 50 head of cattle, 12 horses and two colts, 45 hogs, and 100 hens. In 1916, after the farm’s stock was increased to make up for a failed harvest, there were 120 head of cattle, 30 horses, and 50 pigs.

Both the Brandon and the Regina schools were Indian Residential Schools, two among so many being given negative attention for much of this century. I am assured by Milne Family research that Grandfather James was a very tolerant and hard-working individual with a fine sense of humour and an open mind. He would have focused only on working hard, teaching his students useful skills, would not have imposed his beliefs on them nor attempted to extinguish their indigenous cultures. The combined job of farmer and farming instructor required a lot of hard work: planting and harvesting crops, taking care of horses, milking cows, feeding chickens, collecting eggs and teaching the male students  how to perform these tasks. His goal was to establish a homestead in Alberta, which he did after working hard for many years, including for two residential schools. The responsibilities of T. B. Barner, the gardener and gargening instructor at the Brandon School. were no less arduous, as the 1900 reports confirm.  

<>Mary Lynn Milne

South Surrey, BC
mlmilne@hotmail.com