“He knows the road to school, he can go if he wants to”
In Québec, systemic studies of Indian day schools from the end of the XIXth century to the first half of the XXth century are non-existent. Yet, 31 Indian day schools were in operation in the province to teach Indigenous children how to become little Canadians. Based on an analysis of the modus operandi of these institutions grounded in archival and historical research concerning the River Desert band and school life in the Outaouais region, this article traces the origin of the first Indian schools in Kitigan Zibi and explores the power play between the Indian Affairs administration and the band council on educational matters.