Assimilation Through Education Traditional Cache
Mr. & Mrs. Kensquach: Done
Assimilation Through Education
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(not chosen)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The goal of Indian education from the 1880s through the 1920s was
to assimilate Indian people into the melting pot of America by
placing them in institutions where traditional ways could be
replaced by those sanctioned by the government.
Indian Boarding School
Movement
The Indian boarding school movement began in the post Civil War era
when idealistic reformers turned their attention to the plight of
Indian people. Whereas before many Americans regarded the native
people with either fear or loathing, the reformers believed that
with the proper education and treatment Indians could become just
like other citizens. They convinced the leaders of Congress that
education could change at least some of the Indian population into
patriotic and productive members of society. One of the first
efforts to accomplish this goal was the Carlisle Indian School in
Pennsylvania, founded by Captain Richard Henry Pratt in 1879.
Following the model of Carlisle, additional off reservation
boarding schools were established in other parts of the country,
including Forest Grove, Oregon (later known as Chemawa)
In the Pacific Northwest, Chemawa Indian School became the largest
off reservation boarding school and drew pupils from throughout the
region and Alaska. Chemawa had originally been located at Forest
Grove, Oregon, but was moved to Salem in 1885 after officials
determined that the original site lacked adequate agricultural
land. By 1920 Chemawa enrolled 903 students from 90 different
tribes, nearly a third coming from Alaska.
Negatives and
Positives
For some students, the desire for freedom and the pull of their
family combined with strong discontent caused them to run away. At
Chemawa, for example, there were 46 "desertions" recorded in 1921,
followed by 70 in 1922. Punishment of runaways was usually harsh,
as the offenders became examples held up before their fellow
students. Not all experiences at the boarding schools were negative
for all students. In hindsight, former students acknowledge
benefits they gained from their education, and there were happy
moments for some. Sports, games and friendships are examples of
experiences remembered in a positive light. As the years went by
and most students persevered, strong friendships developed.
Occasionally a friendship might end up in marriage, although this
certainly was not encouraged by the school. Young people from one
culture group met boys and girls from other areas.
Illness was another serious problem at the boarding schools.
Crowded conditions and only the basic medical care no doubt
contributed to the spread of diseases such as measles, influenza
and tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was especially feared and at the
Tulalip Indian School the dormitories were kept cold by leaving the
windows open at night. Several students were sent to sanitariums in
Idaho or Nevada. In a letter issued to superintendents in 1913, the
Indian Office advised disinfecting all textbooks at the end of each
school year to reduce the chance of spreading disease. Hospital
reports for Tulalip indicate that collectively boys spent a total
of 110 days in the hospital during one month and girls 125 days.
Death was not an unknown occurrence either. At Chemawa, a cemetery
contains headstones of 189 students who died at the school, and
these represent only the ones whose bodies were not returned home
for burial.
All federal boarding schools, whether on or off reservation,
shared certain characteristics. The Bureau of Indian Affairs issued
directives that were followed by superintendents throughout the
nation. Even the architecture and landscaping appeared similar from
one institution to the next. By the 1920s the Bureau of Indian
Affairs had changed its opinion about boarding schools, responding
to complaints that the schools were too expensive and that they
encouraged dependency more than self-sufficiency. By 1923, the
majority of Indian children nationwide attended public schools. A
report on Indian education issued in 1928 revealed glaring
deficiencies in the boarding schools, including poor diet,
overcrowding, below-standard medical service, excessive labor by
the students and substandard teaching. The 1930s witnessed many
changes in federal Indian policy, among which was a shift in
educational philosophy. Classroom lessons could now reflect the
diversity of Indian cultures. States assumed more control over
Indian education as more children enrolled in public schools. Most
of the boarding schools were closed by this time, Tulalip in 1932
and Cushman in 1920, leaving Chemawa as the sole government
boarding school remaining in the Pacific Northwest.Common features
included a military style regimen, a strict adherence to English
language only, an emphasis on farming, and a schedule that equally
split academic and vocational training. The Chemawa Indian School
is the oldest continuously operating boarding school in the United
States and numbers its graduates in the thousands.
Cache is not located on private
property. Please be respectful to those who rest here and do not
trespass.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Vaqvna fghqragf jrer nyfb gnhtug Puevfgvnavgl naq vgf flzobyf.
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures