South Edmonton Home for Mentally Defective Children opens

1919. During a 1916 conference in Victoria of Cabinet Ministers of the four western provinces, it was agreed that the development and maintenance of specialty hospitals be dispersed among the four provinces. It was decided that the “institute for imbiciles” be in British Columbia. The “institute for the blind” be in Saskatchewan, and a school for “incorrigible youths and the deaf and dumb” in Manitoba. Alberta was responsible for building a hospital for “mentally defective children”. The latter province was represented by Hon. JR Boyle, minister of education; Hon Chas Stewart, minister of public works, and WJ Harmer, deputy minister of railways and telephones. The goal of these ministers was to have the institutions be ready for the fall of 1917.

The building for Alberta's institution, the South Edmonton Home for Mentally Defective Children, was formerly used as the Red Deer College, and housed 40 to 50 children. During the First World War, it was temporarily taken over for the accommodation of soldiers with “shell shock”.

Eventually children deemed mentally defective be would be moved to the Provincial Training School upon its opening in 1921.

-Sheila Gibbons

South Edmonton Home for Mentally Defective Children opens

1919. During a 1916 conference in Victoria of Cabinet Ministers of the four western provinces, it was agreed that the development and maintenance of specialty hospitals be dispersed among the four provinces. It was decided that the “institute for imbiciles” be in British Columbia. The “institute for the blind” be in Saskatchewan, and a school for “incorrigible youths and the deaf and dumb” in Manitoba. Alberta was responsible for building a hospital for “mentally defective children”. The latter province was represented by Hon. JR Boyle, minister of education; Hon Chas Stewart, minister of public works, and WJ Harmer, deputy minister of railways and telephones. The goal of these ministers was to have the institutions be ready for the fall of 1917.

The building for Alberta's institution, the South Edmonton Home for Mentally Defective Children, was formerly used as the Red Deer College, and housed 40 to 50 children. During the First World War, it was temporarily taken over for the accommodation of soldiers with “shell shock”.

Eventually children deemed mentally defective be would be moved to the Provincial Training School upon its opening in 1921.

-Sheila Gibbons