File Hills drowning death of Archie Feather
On November 4, 1912 a report was made of a “sad drowning accident” involving “three little boys from 7 – 10 years of age.” On November 1, the children were playing on the bank of the lake and one of them, Archie Feather (7 years old), had a hand sleigh and was running on the thin ice quite close to shore, and he was pushed out on the ice by the other boys and he went through the ice. “The parents of the child feel very keenly about the matter and think there was gross carelessness on the part of those in charge of the school in allowing children of this age entrusted to their care to play near a lake, especially when the ice is just forming. The Principal tells me he warned the children in the morning and again at noon not to go on the ice.” The Department of Indian Affairs responded: “To my mind this is a case in which it is pretty clear that negligence has resulted in loss of life.” The grant would not be paid until there was sufficient staff at the school.
