In class this week, we presented our project about the boarding schools. These boarding school were a good way for these children to focus and learn many things with minimum distractions. However, it was a disrespectful process. These boarding schools isolated children from their homes, families, and original lifestyle. The boarding school officers basically tried to build a different person in each and every Indian child. They would try to change their minds when it came to their fate and other beliefs. Typically, these mind changing experiences were against what the Native Americans learned from their parents or other tribal members. Stripping these children of their culture didn’t sit well with the young ones. Even though speaking their tribal language was forbidden in these boarding schools, some managed to sneak and speak in their own language. Speaking anything other than English was awarded with some sort of punishment to make them think twice about it the next time they wanted to break the rules. Despite these punishments, some children still spoke their languages as they longed for their homes and families’ comfort. In attempts to run away, children would get caught by boarding officers or even die trying to get home. These deaths contributed to many others that were associated with boarding schools. Majority of the children who died had influenza or tuberculosis. Overall, these boarding school weren’t a real success even those the board had a few good intentions. They still dehumanized the Native Americans and didn’t make as much as a positive effect as they should have.
June 29, 2018