Carlisle Indian Industrial School

Carlisle Indian Industrial School By: Zoua

Captain Richard Henry Pratt • Captain Pratt was the founder of Carlisle Indian Industrial School. • One of Captain Pratt’s famous saying is, “Kill the Indians, and save the men.” • Pratt didn’t want the Native children to practice any cultural practice or even have any traces of being Native. • 4 years before Pratt opened his own Boarding school, he guarded a group of prisoners from the Caddo, Southern Cheyenne, Comanche and Kiowa tribes from Fort Marion in Saint Augustine, Florida. Later Captain Pratt sent 17 of the prisoners to Hampton Institute, a boarding school for African-American children to adopt to European-American ways and living. • He had A theory that if other race’s children went to a boarding to learn the European-American ways, that they’ll adopt to the European-American ways. • 4 years after sending the 17 prisoners to Hampton Institute, they learned the European-American ways, and Pratt later opened his own boarding school, but for Native American children.

Beginning Of Carlisle • During the 1870’s Indian Boarding schools started. • But the first and most famous Indian boarding school was Carlisle Indian Boarding School. Opened in 1879. • Captain Richard Henry Pratt founded Carlisle. • At Carlisle all the Native children were to get all their hair cut off. • They were to not speak their Native language. • If they spoke their Native language they’ll get abused.

Appearance At Carlisle • The students who attended the boarding school all had to wear some kinds of uniforms. • The boys wore uniforms. The girls wore Victorian-style dresses. • No moccasins were to be worn, they had to all wear shoes. • The whole school system were military format, marching back and fourth between each classes. • They got ranked by their commanders, and had regular drills they had to participate in. • Some of the students would go in hiding because of the strictness and harshness of the rules. The whole purpose of boarding schools were for other races children to learn and become like a European American. • For Native boarding schools they had to get their hair chopped off, girls and boys. • The school system wanted the children to all be ‘civil’ • They (the children) each had to randomly choose an American name for themselves. • The children who attended sometime were forced to attend the school, but sometimes the family let their child go willingly.

Classes at Carlisle • Some children hated Carlisle, but some enjoyed it. • Half of the day, academic classes were given, and the other half were European-American traits classes. • Math, English, Writing, Art, and History were the academic classes. • If you’re a boy, Carpentry and Blacksmithing would be some classes you’ll get. • If you’re a girl, Sewing and Cooking would be some of the classes you’ll get. • Music was available for the ones who wanted to learn how to play an instrument.

Problems at and for Carlisle • Many things happened there, from children hiding away from the teachers to they getting beat. • Some children killed themselves, • Some gotten beaten to death by the headmaster or the teacher. • The children couldn’t speak their Native language without getting beaten. • They (the Native children) all had to have a American name that even they could hardly understand. The dominant culture (the European American) got Carlisle taken down. • About less then 100 years Carlisle was no longer in use. • Carlisle, in some POV was ‘cruel’ and was ‘the struggles’ • Because of their (Carlisle) acts, it became abandoned after less then 100 years

American Indian Movement • AIM is helping Native students to remember their cultural religion. • All members must perform the sun dance in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. • AIM has helped and continue to help many Natives Americans when they’re in need of justice.

Quotes • “The common schools are the stomachs of the country in which all people that come to us are assimilated within a generation. When a lion eats an ox, the lion does not become an ox but the ox becomes a lion.” ~Henry Ward Beecher • "When I go home I'm going to talk Indian!” ~Rose • “If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place. He put in your heart certain wishes and plans; in my heart he put other and different desires. Each man is good in the sight of the Great Spirit. It is not necessary,  that eagles should be crows.” ~Sitting Bull

Pictures Students and teachers at Carlisle Captain Pratt

Sources • http://home.epix.net/~landis/ • https://chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/primary-sources/291 • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlisle_Indian_Industrial_School • http://nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/html/chapter3.html

Carlisle Indian Industrial School