Indian Boarding Schools: Civilizing the Native Spirit
Resources for Journal Page |
|
The following people had experiences
with the American Indian boarding schools. You may learn more
about their experiences by selecting the complete text link. After
you complete researching your character, click on the "My
character believed..." page.
Please note that it is not uncommon to find grammatical or spelling
errors in the quotations as they are taken directly from the original
documents.
|
| Comments by and
about Captain R. H. Pratt |
Click on the linked journals or
linked texts below to read the complete documents. |
Capt. R. H. Pratt
Founder of Carlisle Indian School |
"We can end their existence among
us as such separate people by a broad and generous system of English education
and training, which will reach all the 50,000 children and in a few years
remove all our trouble from them as a separate people and as separate tribes
among us, and instead of feeding, clothing and caring for them from year
to year, put them in condition to feed clothe and care for themselves.
Our experiences in many individual cases in the last few years make it
evident that not only may we fit him to go and come and abide in the land
where ever he may choose, and so lose his identity"
Origin
and History of work at Carlisle.[ The American missionary./ Volume 37,
Issue 4, April 1883]
|
Nez Perce Chief Joseph with
General O.O. Howard and
Colonel Pratt,
ca. 1885 |
"To Captain R.H. Pratt, the superintendent of this school, is due the
credit of conceiving and, so far as possible, of carrying out the idea
that 'the most effectual way of getting civilization into the Indian is
to get the Indian into civilization'."
Indian
Education at Carlisle. [The New England magazine. Volume 18, Issue 2, April
1895.] |
| Recollections
of an Indian girl, Zitkala Sa |
Zitkala Sa/Gertrude Bonnin
Photo used with
permission
of University of South Dakota
E. DeLoria
Collection
|
"Late in the morning, my friend Judewin gave me a terrible warning.
Judewin knew a few words of English; and she had overheard the paleface
woman talk about cutting our long, heavy hair. Our mothers had taught
us that only unskilled warriors who were captured had their hair shingled
by the enemy. Among our people, short hair was worn by mouners, and
shingled hair by cowards!"......
I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while until I felt the cold blades
of the scissors against my neck, and heard them gnaw off one of my thick
braids. Then I lost my spirit".
School
Days of an Indian Girl. [Atlantic Monthly./Volume 85,
Issue 508, February 1900] |
| Letters/Comments
from Boarding School Boys and Girls |
|
Dakota Indian mission school
|
SANTEE AGENCY, Neb., March 8, 1886
"My dear lady:
I am going to write to you. I am a Indian
girl, and my Dakota name is Winona, and my English name is Fannie Frazier
I am 12 years old. I stay here five years. I like to go to school......"
Letter
from a Little Indian Girl. [The American missionary. / Volume 40,
Issue 5, May 1886]
|
Indian boys at Hampton
|
"Went I was Indian, I used to water my father horse. I used to
hunt deer. I bring home my friend all eat. I used scout with
white men. I fight Indian some no like white people they fight. don't
fight now I come away my home to be like a man so I throw Indian ways."
Letters
from Indian Boys. [ The American missionary. Vol. 35, Issue 2, Feb 1881]
|
|
Plains Indians
|
". . . When I was a little boy I used to play all the time, now I like to work
hard like very much indeed, because if I work hard and get some
money not to go away, that is the reason we like them for I come
in Hampton normal I used to live in my tents and stay all time in
my tents when I was a little boy I used to take care of them ponies
all time and every morning and take the ponies in a nice grass is
and have good to eat them nice grass note to way to take care of
them. Now I am doing to school I would take care of them horse
and make fat horses any more because I will try and be contented..."
Letters
from Indian Boys. [The American missionary ] Vol. 34, Issue 6.
|
|
Etahdleuh Doanmve(?)
|
The following is an excerpt from a "short talk" given by Etahdleuh Doanmoe
("Boy Hunting") at the anniversary of Hampton Institute.
"I am a Kiowa Indian boy twenty three years old. My home is in the
Indian Territory...."
My
Home in Indian Territory. [The American missionary. Vol. 33, Issue 8, Aug. 1879]
|
| Letters/Reports
from Teachers and Missionaries |
Apache school children and
teacher |
"I left my home in Washington D.C.,the 20th of Nov., 1884, for Santee,
Nebraska to labor among the Indians."
Extract
from Letter of a Teacher [The American missionary. Vol. 39, Issue 5, May 1885] |
Teachers and Employees of
Ogallala Indian School-
P. E. Ag . S.D. (names unknown)
|
". . . At Cheyenne a member of fine-looking, well dressed young
Indian men came up to me and addressed me in English. I did not recognize
some of them and they told me they went to school to me in 75, 76, and
77. I remember them as dirty little long haired, blanket indians.
It made my heart strong to take these manly young men by the hand and to
hear them say, You were my first teacher".
Letter
from Miss Collins [The American missionary, Vol. 44, Isssue 2, Feb. 1890]
"...I am very glad to write to you about the Indian girls, because I
am so much interested in them. There are twenty-four in the boarding school,
their ages range from about six to eighteen years. They are quick learning
and do very nicely indeed, in drawing..."
Letter
from Missionary [The American Missionary./Vol.40, Issue 9, Sept. 1886.] |
| Parents Respond:
Letters to Children and School Officials/Resistance |
|
Carlotta Chiwiwi dictating
letter to daughter at Carlisle
Unidentified Mandan chiefs, 1872
|
"My Dear Daughter,
Ever since you left me I have worked hard, and put up
a good house, and am trying to be civilized like the whites, so you will
never hear anything bad from me. When Captain Pratt was here he came to
my house, and asked me to let you go to school...."
Indian
Education at Hampton and Carlisle. [Harper's new monthly magazine. Volume
62, Issue 371, April 1881]
Pine Ridge Agency, Dakota, April 15, 1880
My Dear Son,
I send my picture with this. You see that I had
my War Jacket on when taken, but I wear white man's clothes, and am trying
to live and act like white men. Be a good boy..."
Indian
Education at Hampton and Carlisle. [Harper's new monthly magazine.
Volume 62, Issue 371, April 1881]
"General Armstrong:
"My Friend - I never saw you, but I have a strong attachment
for you. I already wrote you two letters, as you know, but today
I have thought of you again.
"I had two boys big enough to help me to work, but you have them now.
I wanted them to learn your language, and I want you to look after them
as if they were your boys.
"This is all, my friend
"Fat Mandan is my name, and I shake your hand."
Indian
Education at Hampton and Carlisle.[Harper's new monthly magazine.
Volume 62, Issue 371, April 1881]
|
|
