Saskatchewan Training School criticized again, this time for not releasing residents who are ready to leave

August 22, 1973. In 1968, Saskatchewan Training School (STS), created to care for the mentally handicapped, came under criticism for many things, the biggest of which was not supporting the residents enough and not securing their release into the community. The main critic at that time was a supervisor employed at the school. Working with the residents and within the “system,” the critic, Dr. Lorne Elkin, saw many ways mismanagement, poor community support, and, at times, non-existent family support led to a failed system for many of residents at STS. Elkin tried to show that the system employed by the government and STS was broken and in need of repair. Yet, when asked about it, Health Minister Gordon Grant told the Saskatchewan Association for Retarded Children “it was their task to generate the public interest necessary to initiate major steps” for change. (Minister Advises More “Pressure,” 1968, p.1. Emphasis added.) It seems that the provincial government was not looking to make any changes at that time.

Five years later, in 1973, the school came under criticism once again. In 1968, people leveled their criticisms at the inefficiency of the school and lack of support from all sides. Five years later, people were hearing more of the same, additionally there were allegations of foul practices occurring in the school. An article in the Moose Jaw Times-Herald claimed that two men had lived at the school for a combined total of 75 years (Minister Denies Reports, 1973). According to the article, both of the men of topic could function outside of the school, although one would require supervision. Still the school had yet to release them.

The director of the school, Dr, Wyn Gittins, argued that these two men were committed legally to STS and their family members had not tried to secure their release. Even the government came to the defence of the school. The Minister of Social Services, Alex Taylor, denied STS’s administration had committed any misconduct in relation to the men. In an attempt to shift the blame, he argued that if there were only better community support then residents, like the two men in the article, would reside at the school for a shorter time.

While the criticism was slightly different, deep down it was essentially the same. In 1973, STS was having the same issues it was in 1968 – namely that being long incarcerations and little outside support for the residents or the school overall. The government and the administration did little to change the situation the first time and thus it bubbled to the surface once again. Now it was up to them to try to repair the school’s image.

-Blaine Wickham

  • Minister Advises More “Pressure,” (1968, Feb 15). Moose Jaw Times-Herald, p. 1.

  • Minister Denies Reports of Investigations at STS, (1973, Aug. 22). Moose Jaw Times-Herald, p. 1.

  • Wickham, B. (2012, September). Valley View Centre Moose Jaw: Report prepared for the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport. Retrieved from http://www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/VVC

Saskatchewan Training School criticized again, this time for not releasing residents who are ready to leave

August 22, 1973. In 1968, Saskatchewan Training School (STS), created to care for the mentally handicapped, came under criticism for many things, the biggest of which was not supporting the residents enough and not securing their release into the community. The main critic at that time was a supervisor employed at the school. Working with the residents and within the “system,” the critic, Dr. Lorne Elkin, saw many ways mismanagement, poor community support, and, at times, non-existent family support led to a failed system for many of residents at STS. Elkin tried to show that the system employed by the government and STS was broken and in need of repair. Yet, when asked about it, Health Minister Gordon Grant told the Saskatchewan Association for Retarded Children “it was their task to generate the public interest necessary to initiate major steps” for change. (Minister Advises More “Pressure,” 1968, p.1. Emphasis added.) It seems that the provincial government was not looking to make any changes at that time.

Five years later, in 1973, the school came under criticism once again. In 1968, people leveled their criticisms at the inefficiency of the school and lack of support from all sides. Five years later, people were hearing more of the same, additionally there were allegations of foul practices occurring in the school. An article in the Moose Jaw Times-Herald claimed that two men had lived at the school for a combined total of 75 years (Minister Denies Reports, 1973). According to the article, both of the men of topic could function outside of the school, although one would require supervision. Still the school had yet to release them.

The director of the school, Dr, Wyn Gittins, argued that these two men were committed legally to STS and their family members had not tried to secure their release. Even the government came to the defence of the school. The Minister of Social Services, Alex Taylor, denied STS’s administration had committed any misconduct in relation to the men. In an attempt to shift the blame, he argued that if there were only better community support then residents, like the two men in the article, would reside at the school for a shorter time.

While the criticism was slightly different, deep down it was essentially the same. In 1973, STS was having the same issues it was in 1968 – namely that being long incarcerations and little outside support for the residents or the school overall. The government and the administration did little to change the situation the first time and thus it bubbled to the surface once again. Now it was up to them to try to repair the school’s image.

-Blaine Wickham

  • Minister Advises More “Pressure,” (1968, Feb 15). Moose Jaw Times-Herald, p. 1.

  • Minister Denies Reports of Investigations at STS, (1973, Aug. 22). Moose Jaw Times-Herald, p. 1.

  • Wickham, B. (2012, September). Valley View Centre Moose Jaw: Report prepared for the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport. Retrieved from http://www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/VVC