The residential school was preceded by a small day school, opened by J.C. Richardson in 1884 on the Little Black Bear Reserve and closed soon afterwards. In 1886, R. Toms reopened the day school and it operated until 1889, when the Woman's Missionary Society with the support of the Foreign Mission Committee of The Presbyterian Church in Canada and the Department of Indian Affairs built a new school just outside of the reserve’s boundaries. This was operated by The Presbyterian Church until 1924 when its operation was transferred to the United Church of Canada who managed it until its closure in 1949.

The Cooperating committee of Saskatchewan was formed when representatives of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches met at Regina, May 2, 1911, in order to facilitate cooperative activity in various localities in Saskatchewan. The formation of this Committee paralleled a similar action taken at the national level by the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational Churches. After mid-1923, this committee was called the Provincial Committee on Co-operation.

G.G. Heffelfinger was a Presbyterian and later United Church minister, whose Saskatchewan pastorates included Buchanan, Grenfell, Vanscoy, Melfort, Sixth Avenue United Church (Regina), and Watrous.

Born in Nebraska, Heffelfinger and his family moved to Drinkwater, Saskatchewan, in 1907. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1916. During the First World War, he served as a stretcher-bearer with the Canadian Medical Corps (12th Field Ambulance) overseas, and was awarded the Military Medal. After the war, Heffelfinger pursued theological training, at New College (Edinburgh) and St. Andrew's College (Saskatoon), and was ordained by the Presbyterian Church, in 1921. He married Jean Watkins, in 1922.

Heffelfinger served as minister in Buchanan, Saskatchewan, 1921–1924, and Fort William, Ontario, 1924–1929. He received his Bachelor of Divinity degree from United College (Winnipeg). Returning to Saskatchewan, he served in Grenfell, 1929–1933, Vanscoy, 1933–1934, Melfort, 1934–1936, and Oxbow, 1937–1942. After receiving a Bachelor of Education degree, he became Saskatchewan director for the Canadian Legion Educational Services.

After the Second World War, Heffelfinger served as minister at Sixth Avenue (later called St. John's) United Church, in Regina, 1946–1956, then at Atwood and Springfield (London Conference), in Ontario, until he retired, in 1962. Returning to Saskatchewan, he came out of retirement to serve as minister to Watrous, where he remained from 1962–1964.