DOCUMENT A: Richard Henry Pratt’s Speech, 1892 (Excerpt)
Source: Excerpts from Richard Henry Pratt paper read at the Nineteenth Annual Conference of
Charities and Correction, at Denver, Colorado, in 1892.
…I has preached against colonizing the Indians, and in favor of
individualizing them. Carlisle [Indian School] fills young Indians with the spirit of
loyalty to the stars and stripes, and then moves them out into our communities to
show by their conduct and ability that the Indian is no different….he has the same
right to liberty and opportunity that the white and the negro have. Carlisle says to
the Indian that, if he gets his living by the sweat of his brow, and demonstrated to
the nation that he is a man, he does more good for his race than hundreds of his
fellows who cling to their tribal surroundings.
The highest purpose of all Indian schools ought to be only to prepare the
young Indian to enter the public and other schools of the country. The Indians
cannot understand or use American citizenship taught to them on Indian
reservations. They must get into the swim of American citizenship. They must feel
the touch of it day after day, until they become saturated with the spirit of it, and
thus become equal to it.
When we stop teaching the Indian that he is less than a man and recognize
that he is fully capable in all respects as we are, and that he only need the
opportunities and privileges which we possess to enable him to assert his
humanity and manhood; when we allow him the freedom of association and the
developing influences of social contact--then the Indian will quickly demonstrate
that he can be truly civilized, and he himself will solve the question of what to do
with the Indian.
Word Bank
colonizing – creating separate colonies, or places, for a group of people
temper – soothe and refine
swim – used differently today, se might say “flow” in this case
saturated - soaked
assert – declare
4.3.5 Boarding Schools 2014
DOCUMENT B: “The School Days of an Indian Girl,” 1900
Source: “The School Days of an Indian Girl.” Excerpt taken from The Atlantic Monthly,
February 1900
The first day was a bitter-cold one; for the snow still covered the ground,
and the trees were bare. A large bell rang for breakfast, its loud metallic voice
crashing into our sensitive ears. Though my spirit tore itself in a struggling for its
lost freedom, all was useless.
We were placed in a line of girls who were marching into the dining room.
As I walked noiselessly in my soft moccasins, I felt like sinking to the floor, for
my blanket had been stripped from my shoulders. While we marched in, the boys
entered at an opposite door.
Late in the morning, my friend Judewin gave me a terrible warning.
Judewin knew a few words of English; and she had overheard the paleface woman
talk about cutting our long, heavy hair. Our mothers had taught us that only
unskilled warriors who were captured had her hair [cut] by the enemy. Among our
people, short hair was worn by mourners and shingled hair by cowards!
I watched my chance, and when no one noticed I disappeared. I crept up the
stairs as quietly as I could in my squeaking shoes; my moccasins had been
exchanged for shoes. Along the hall I passed, without knowing where I was going.
Turning aside to an open door, I found a large room with three white beds in it. On
my hands and knees I crawled under the bed, and cuddled myself in the dark
corner. From my hiding place I peered out, shuddering with fear whenever I heard
footsteps nearby. I remember being dragged out, though I resisted by kicking and
scratching wildly. In spite of myself, I was carried downstairs and tied fast to a
chair.
I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while until I felt the cold blades of the
scissors against my neck, and heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I
lost my spirit. Since the day I was taken from my mother I had suffered. And now
my long hair was shingled like a coward’s! In my anguish I moaned for my
mother, but no one came to comfort me. Not a soul reasoned quietly with me, as
my own mother used to do; for now, I was only one of many little animals driven
by a herder.
Word Bank
shingled - hair tapered to a point down the back
anguish - suffering, pain, sorrow
4.3.5 Boarding Schools 2014