1. H OW D ID A MERICAN I NDIAN B OARDING S CHOOLS A FFECT T HE N ATIVE A MERICANS ’ C ULTURE ?

2. A MERICAN I NDIAN POPULATION AT THE END OF THE 19 TH 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

3. M AIN 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?

4. T RADITIONAL WAY OF EDUCATING I NDIAN CHILDREN Education for responsibilities by working with and imitating their elders Grandparents’ important role Respect for wisdom and council from the wise men

5. T HE W HITE P ERSPECTIVE „Friends of the American Natives” – reform- minded Euro-American group Assimilate Native Americans into Euro-American society

6. R ICHARD H. P RATT Veteran of Indian wars „Kill the Indian in him, and save the man.” 1879 – Carlisle independent Indian school

7. C ARLISLE B OARDING S CHOOL Tribal dress or clothing not permitted Indian names changed to „pronounceable” names Native languages banned Christianity encouraged „Outing system”

8. T HOMAS J EFFERSON M ORGAN 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

9. „F ILL YOUNG I NDIANS 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

10. C LASSROOM AT C ARLISLE

11. Navajo boy as he entered Carlisle Indian school and after the „reforming” process Young boys in uniform at the Albuquerque Indian School

12. P ARENTS ’ D ILEMMA 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

13. L UTHER S TANDING B EAR Teacher, clerk, minister, interpreter, actor One of the first Carlisle students Land of The Spotted Eagle

14. L UTHER S TANDING B EAR 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

15. C ONCLUSION 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

16. T HANK Y OU F OR Y OUR A TTENTION !