1. Has the information you have read thus far changed, in some way, your view of native communities? Provide at least one specific example and citation from the M3 Online Resources to support your opinions.
Prior to beginning this module, I wasn’t aware of how
extreme these boarding schools were. When you look at them from afar, it seems
they are typical schools, using bells to guide the students when to move on to
the next class/task. Having rules and regulations to keep some sort of order
amongst the students. When you look closer though, you see how horrible these
schools were. Students were basically told to forget everything they had
learned of their Native American heritage, and conform to the ways of the white
colonists. “Students were prohibited from speaking their native
languages and those caught "speaking Indian" were severely punished.
Later, many former students regretted that they lost the ability to speak their
native language fluently because of the years they spent in boarding school.”
(“Assimilation Through Education: Indian
Boarding Schools in the Pacific Northwest.”)
I did learn that not all
students had bad experiences in these boarding schools, some remember the
benefits of these schools, the education they received, playing sport, but most
of all the friendships they made. “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.” (“Assimilation Through Education: Indian Boarding
Schools in the Pacific Northwest.”)
Although there were benefits
of the boarding school, the fact still remains that these schools were the government’s
way of controlling the Native Americans. The Native Americans who attended
these schools weren’t allowed to think for themselves. As stated by Arnold
McKay, “My
main criticism of the boarding school is that it didn't allow you to do your
own thinking. You marched everywhere, you were governed by the bell and bugle,
you were told when to go to bed and when to get up, your whole life was
governed. As a result, you didn't learn how to become an independent thinker.” (“Assimilation Through Education: Indian Boarding
Schools in the Pacific Northwest.”)
Works Cited
“Assimilation Through Education: Indian
Boarding Schools in the Pacific Northwest.” :::
American Indians
of the Pacific Northwest Collection :::content.lib.washington.edu/aipnw/marr.html.
Thank you for taking the time to research this subject. I too am learning how the government used such demeaning ways to take away the heritage of the Native Indians. The debate I want to share is I had to think hard about what advantages the schools would have. The few advantages I came up with is if the children's plight in life would be to live in a white world then the school taught them how to speak English, read and write English and learn white culture. Looking back in time the schools can be said to be anti-Native Indian but if you fast forward the children who went to these schools they perhaps, are the attorneys, professors, doctors and engineers of Native decent who have gone on and made a mark in this world.
ReplyDeleteI agree. While I don't condone the way the government went about it, and I don't agree that the Natives should have been forced to lose their heritage, many of the students who attended these schools went on to be quite accomplished. Perhaps they attended some of the less controlling schools. Or, as you said, they decided if they were going to be forced to live in a white man's world, they might as well be as successful as they could be so that maybe they could assist their families in the future.
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