Although the workload of the residential schools was often heavy, even excessive in many cases, students still managed sometimes to find a form of recreation in these assignments. Outdoor work represented 'good times for us,' recalled a St. Philip's alumnus, 'because we could get away from the building of the school and go out to the farm and work and enjoy ourselves for the afternoon. At the girls' school at Spanish, older students were assigned to wax and polish the wooden floors with upright circular machines. The bigger girls would work all day applying the wax and polishing it. 'Then the smaller ones would have the joy of being pulled around on old coats just to buff it up.' The small girls were babysat and amused simultaneously. As a variation, the girls 'skated' in old socks to buff the wax to a shine.

       Often the girls had to invent their own recreation because little of an organised nature was available. Both interview and pictorial evidence of the girls' schooldays suggest strongly that they were expected to entertain themselves, and to do so largely in decorous ways that had little impact on other groups within the school.

       Residential students also made their own entertainment and diversions with dolls and games. ln many cases the girls made their own dolls, either with cloth scraps scavenged from the sewing room, or more formally with materials and instruction supplied by supervisors. Indoor girls' games such as checkers, skipping, and even a form of bowling were also enjoyed. Many ex-students recalled that they particularly enjoyed listening to music, reading, or just talking quietly with friends and classmates. Boys could play on the fire escape at Fort Frances or 'on the mountain' at Spanish if more elaborate entertainments were unavailable. 'We made our own fun.'