A number of the initial group of children - perhaps half of the ten - were surrendered for economic reasons, such as being orphans or the children of poverty-stricken parents. At least three others were sent to school for differing reasons. A Plains Cree was sent to learn about the white people's religion, and an Assiniboine-Cree to learn to read and write, and a Chipewyan to be 'taught more than the Indians knew,' all suggesting a desire to learn the ways of the strange newcomers.

    Parental visits were discouraged, and recruitment of children from more remote areas was favored because their families could not visit them. West noted that he had trouble with children whose parents were in or near the settlement, but all children 'whose parents were more remote, soon became reconciled to restraint, and were happy on the establishment.'

    Given its brief existence, John West's boarding-school experiment could not have introduced substantial and lasting change. The CMS missionary quickly came into conflict with the Hudson's Bay Company and its fiery governor, George Simpson. At its heart, this clash was the old one between fur-trade commerce and sedentary agriculture. Simpson thought that Natives 'are already too much enlightened' as a result of the influence of the Nor'Westers, 'and more of it would in my opinion do harm instead of good to the fur trade. I have always remarked that an enlightened Indian is good for nothing.'