A Brief History
Native Americans have long experienced settlers coming to the Americas. Their presence on Native land proved to be fatal for Native Americans and sparked the beginning of the long narrative of assimilation. Part of the process of assimilation that effected Native Americans was the implementation of boarding schools. There are numerous first hand accounts of Native Americans who experienced violence, harsh limitations and life-long scars from their time in boarding schools. These schools are a part of a larger Native American history that tells of the white washing of a population. The overall experience went hand in hand with Captain Richard Henry Pratt’s idea of, “kill the Indian save the man”.
Young boys praying by their bedside with a missionary.
The first “Indian School” in the Pacific Northwest was a product of the Oregon Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church, officially beginning in 1835, that was stationed on the Reservation itself. The mission’s goal was to bring Indians into society and help them to be equally functioning as the rest of the country. They brought in children who had no parents or any form of support. Historian Robert Gatke claimed that some students were brought to the school by their parents so that they could learn the “white man’s religion and life” (Gatke, 70). In these schools, the missionary workers also became the teachers for kids. In doing so, missionaries were able to teach Natives the essentials of the “white way of life” that the parents were looking for, especially basic Christian theology. Gatke asserted that,
“Its emphasis upon the necessity of personal cleanliness, and other things which are inherent in the Christian home were elements of education to the Indian and half-breed children which even surpassed in value those more formal elements taught in the class room” (Gatke, 73).
The students weren’t justing learning basic reading, writing and arithmetic, but also a new kind of religion that would bring a fresh set of morals, values and beliefs to the children. Their form of care was paternalistic, placing their view of the proper way of life upon another group of people that didn’t necessarily benefit those being taught. Although missionaries were showing God’s love by providing food and health for kids and teaching them new things they weren’t getting at home, their system of education set the precedent for schools to come, paving the way for more severe assimilation and deeper effects. As time went on, the boarding schools transformed into being largely focused on diminishing all Native Americans culture and strongly opposed any kind of schooling that would raise them up to an equal level with whites.
The view of Natives pre-Civil War was most commonly labeling Indians the “noble savage”. Natives were depicted standing upright and strong with a bow and arrow, but wearing paint and jewelry, with little clothing. Although they had a detailed culture and civilization, they were seen as backwards and unable to coexist as they were with whites. Their language and agriculture was not satisfactory compared to the civilized white Americans. In the 1880s, reformers believed that with the proper teaching, Natives could be raised up to live and work in mainstream society (“Assimilation Through Education”, Marr). With this approach, schools were established off the Reservation, completely removing kids from any influence they may receive from living at home that could negatively effect the assimilation process. One of the first and largest off-Reservation schools in the Pacific Northwest was the Chemawa Indian school. It was originally in Forest Grove, but after a fire and growth spurt moved permanently to Salem (Collins 1998: 398). Edwin Chalcraft became the fourteenth superintendent for the school and was close friends with Richard Henry Pratt, the originator of Indian schools and assimilation. Pratt gained experience as a military man and jailer, applying his knowledge in those areas to Indian schools. He wrote,
“‘I do not believe that amongst his people an Indian can be made to feel all the advantages of a civilized life nor the manhood of supporting himself and of standing out alone and battling for life as an American citizen,’ …Assimilation, he argued, required ‘removal’ and ‘personal isolation’” (Collins 1998: 401).
Pratt believed that the only way that Indians could be properly incorporated into society was through boarding schools where, from a young age, kids were brought up in the “American way”, far removed from their families and washed of any Indian remnants. The government agreed with his initiative and implemented into all new schools being built, including Chalcraft’s Chemawa Indian School. Students were limited to English only, given a new wardrobe and hair and stripped of anything else that was representative of their past life. This was the beginning of the dismantling of a culture.
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October 7, 2021 at 9:38 pm
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August 29, 2022 at 11:42 am
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According to a survey report, India has the highest number of schools in the world.
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January 23, 2023 at 6:56 am
This article provides a thorough and poignant look into the history of Native American assimilation through boarding schools, and the devastating consequences they had on a whole people. It is a necessary reminder of our past and a powerful commentary on the importance of understanding and learning from our history.
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February 8, 2024 at 4:21 pm
The historical trauma inflicted upon Native Americans through the implementation of boarding schools is a sobering reminder of the dark chapters in our shared history. These schools, often touted as institutions of education, were instead sites of cultural erasure, violence, and intergenerational trauma. It’s essential to acknowledge and confront this painful legacy, especially within educational settings. By learning about and reflecting on these injustices, we can strive for a more inclusive and empathetic approach to education. Perhaps initiatives in best schools in horamavucould include teachings about Native American history and experiences, fostering greater awareness and understanding among students.
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