HOW DID AMERICAN INDIAN BOARDING

SCHOOLS AFFECT THE NATIVE AMERICANS’

CULTURE?

AMERICAN INDIAN POPULATION AT THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY

Population of 250,000 (not including the Indians of Alaska)

School population of 21,000 to be provided with school privileges

The Government had an overflowing Treasury

Problem: the Government wanted to convert the Natives into white American Christian citizens

MAIN QUOESTIONS

Is the white man’s way better for the Indian?

Who can have the competence of weighing and valuing the Indian ideals and spiritual concepts, or of substituting them with other values?

Is it wise to urge upon the Indians a foreign social form?

TRADITIONAL WAY OF EDUCATING INDIAN CHILDREN

Education for responsibilities by working with and imitating their elders

Grandparents’ important role

Respect for wisdom and council from the wise men

THE WHITE PERSPECTIVE

„Friends of the American Natives” – reform-minded Euro-American group

Assimilate Native Americans into Euro-American society

RICHARD H. PRATT

Veteran of Indian wars

„Kill the Indian in him, and save the man.”

1879 – Carlisle independent Indian school

CARLISLE BOARDING SCHOOL

Tribal dress or clothing not permitted

Indian names changed to „pronounceable” names

Native languages banned

Christianity encouraged

„Outing system”

THOMAS JEFFERSON MORGAN

National school system prepares Indian children “for American citizenship and assimilation into the national life”

Expanded the number of Indian boarding schools from 7 to 19

Controlled activities through a detailed set of rules

„FILL YOUNG INDIANS WITH THE SPIRIT OF LOYALTY TO THE STARS

AND STRIPES” Daily life similar to quasi-military lifestyle

English was the official language

„Christian” name in place of Indian name

Diet focused on meat and starches

Poor health conditions

Punishment was common - withdrawal of privileges or the assignment of extra work details

CLASSROOM AT CARLISLE

Navajo boy as he entered Carlisle Indian

school and after the

„reforming” process

Young boys in uniform at the Albuquerque Indian

School

PARENTS’ DILEMMA

Traditionalists opposed as they rightly understood the objectives were contradictory to traditional Indian life

However, because of the poverty and hopelessness children were sent to find a more prosperous life

LUTHER STANDING BEAR

Teacher, clerk, minister, interpreter, actor

One of the first Carlisle students

Land of The Spotted Eagle

LUTHER STANDING BEAR

Worked in Philadelphia, then returned to the reservation

Though white people had much to teach to Indians, Indians also had much to teach them

Tyranny, stupidity, and lack of vision brought about the situation that was referred to as the ‘Indian’ problem

CONCLUSION

Structure and political support for boarding schools eroded in early 1900s

The assimilationists had failed, Indian culture had survived

Possible solution: double education for the Indian youth

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