St. Anthony’s residential school was established in 1894 on the Seekaskootch, Onion Lake Reserve, on the north side of the Saskatchewan River. In 1927, the residential school relocated off reserve, six kilometers to the south of the original location. An Inspection Report from 1908 concluded that the school required fire escapes, while a 1924 report described the school as a firetrap. The school was twice destroyed by fire: once in 1895 and again in 1928. In 1918, nine children died of influenza. The building was poorly maintained and overcrowded. Despite new classrooms being built, overcrowding remained an ongoing issue during the 1950s. In 1969, the federal government took over the administration of the school until its closure in 1974.
