Blog 6 - A Civil Education

Link to article - A Civil Education

In the article, "A Civil Education" published in Humanities, the author, Igor Torgeson, provides us information about the first boarding school for Native Americans. A U.S. Army Captain named Richard Pratt opened the first federal government Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The Indian boarding schools were believe to be a manifestation of the federal governments approach to dealing with the Indian tribes. We learn that the regimen of the school was tough for the students. When the children arrived at school, their clothes would be removed and destroyed. The students would also have their hair cut, and sometimes even shaved off completely. The students were taken out of their cultural clothing and put into uniforms, basically starting a new life. Many former students have said in interviews that they had a horrible experience at the boarding schools and compared it to boot camp. One former student had said, "it was the worst experience that has ever happened to me." The curriculum destroyed the culture of the Natives, families and traumatized by the forced separation of their family members going to boarding school. Also, many children had passed away because the health conditions at the school were so poor. Not only did the affect the children, but the families as well. Indian parents were told that the schools their children would be going to would provide healthier environments for their children. It was the opposite. The schools were aided with a rapid spread of sickness and diseases. Tuberculosis caused many children to have pass away. There were so many students that passed away, the cemetery they were buried in became a regular school ground. Margaret Archuleta, curator of fine art at the Heard Museum stated, "Just as the non-Indian population doesn't know about the schools, neither do we." He estimates that between 1880 and 1910, as many as 80 percent of all Indian children were enrolled in boarding schools.

In my opinion, I believe that this is a sad way for children to have an education. I am glad that today, there aren't as many schools like this who would traumatize young kids while trying to get an education. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have experience what these kids had to go through. I feel very grateful that growing up, my schools were great to me. From elementary school, even to college, I have had great memories and amazing teachers who had helped me with my education. It saddens me that it was not that way back then. For the Indian students to have been treated in such a horrible way, and were basically forced to forget about their culture, are strong survivors. The fact that the children at the boarding schools were so young, and that some of them had their lives taken due to bad health conditions, had a huge affect on their family. I would not want my family to experience the pain while I am away at school.