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Holy Family School (St. Ignatius Indian School)

St. Ignatius, Montana
Details:

Dates of Operation: 1864–1919
Current Diocese: Helena
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska, 1864–1868
Vicariate Apostolic of Idaho, 1868–1883
Vicariate Apostolic of Montana, 1883-1884
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of Providence (formerly Daughters of Charity, Servants of the Poor), 1864–1919*
Jesuits (West Province), 1864–1919*
On a Reservation: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Blackfoot; Cheyenne; Coeur d’Alene; Colville; Cree; Flathead; Gros Ventre; Iroquois; Kalispel; Kootenai; Nez Perce; Ojibwe; Piegan; Salish; Snake; Spokane; Umatilla; Upper Pend d’Oreilles

Notes: The Sisters of Providence (formerly Daughters of Charity, Servants of the Poor) opened a boarding school for girls in 1864 (boys attended the Jesuits’ school). In 1878, the Jesuits opened an industrial and agricultural boarding school for boys over the age of 12, and the sisters opened their day school to boys under 12. In 1919, the sisters’ convent and school were destroyed by fire, and the sisters chose not to rebuild the school. See the entries for St. Ignatius, Villa Ursula, and St. Ignatius, St. Ignatius Indian Boarding School for more information.