I felt sad for the parents because they didn't hear from they're children for long periods of time. When they were able to write home the employees read the letters, so if the children wrote bad things about the school I bet those letters was not sent out. Some children died at these schools and I wonder if the parents were notified right away? I would be furious if my child died at school!
I felt helpless for the Indian children while they were going through this process. They were put on a place away from they're family, friends, language, culture and religion. They were forced to change they're whole way of life.
I was proud of the children; they didn't complain or rebel for the most part. I was proud of the children, I enjoyed reading, when the children made a lot of money for the school through they're gardening and farming.
What I did like was that they ended up changing the curriculum. It took time but the government realized that they're process wasn't working. The government finally started forming day schools or public schools on the reservations. I felt that the first chapter kind of jumped around a lot, but overall I enjoyed reading this book.
The first picture is a pic of one of chilocco's buildings.
ReplyDeleteI remember speaking to this lady who attended boarding school in South Dakota and she spoke of writing letters home and sometimes the letters never made it home. She said the staff would have to read them first and if they didn't like what they read they would throw the letters away. She also told of one Christmas her mom made a care package for her with cookies and candy and her mom had sent it, well she never ended up getting the package and she found out somehow that the employees of the school ate it! How sad is that?
ReplyDeleteHello Wylee,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. You gave me two different point of views. I've also heard stories about the boarding schools and the book seemed to give me a little information about how all the boarding school began. I was very reluctant to believe anything good could come out of the boarding schools. I do believe that when I read about the change of the curriculum and how they were going to be taught other things besides just gardening and sewing I also became a lot more interested in the further readings.
Hey Wylee,
ReplyDeleteYour post shows a lot of emotion and I like that, I am feeling a lot of the same emotions you are. Anger at how these children were treated being young and so strong at the time, but they did really have no other choice. I was also proud of how they handled the situation. I just look at what if we took children from the white society and placed them in native culture, there would be no extreme cruelty shown. As you said although it took time the government finally changed their ways and curriculum and also started the day school. GO PACK!!!!!! Super bowl bound!!!!