The History of the American Indian Education
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The History of the American Indian Education
In accordance with the local setup, society is the source of education. Despite the numerous changes in the present age, communities still have a role to play in the development of education in its whole entirety (Neuman, 2020). The participation of communities in the Education system mirrors wisdom, charisma, and various communal activities like household roles. Consequently, the American Indians have preserved, developed, and protected the sacredness of the community.
The article will comprise of researches from various scholars, the American Indian community, along with my family and friends. Interestingly, American Indian education has had a fair share of ups and downs because the American system of education determines the results of teaching and instruction. Nonetheless, the American Indian community has remained steadfast in its pursuit of tradition narration, survival, as well as the culture of the group (Sharpes, 2020).
Traditional Indian Education and European Intrusion (1492-1787)
Before the European intrusion, the American Indians had a special form of education. The community-based education system had a different cultural theme; therefore, embracing change was a challenge. Therefore, Indian education comprised of diverse roles contributed by each member of the community (Sharpes, 2020). Traditional Indian education believed in practical training; hence, there was a constant transmission of information from women to young ladies, men to boys, and elders to adolescents. The knowledge mainly encompassed the culture, religion, and history of the tribe.
However, after several wars and the European intrusion on the American Indian land, the education system was forcefully altered. The American Indians were referred to as the involuntary minorities based on their sheer will to embrace their cultural individuality in education through storytelling, prayers, listening, and memory skills. Therefore, in 1871, tribal education was broken (Neuman, 2020). The era encompassed a treaty formulation process between the American Indian (native tribes) and the U.S. government. In 1787, the U.S. government vowed to build good schools for the American Indian people in good faith.
Federalism and the Indian Treaty Period (1787-1871)
The American government changed the cultural, political, social, economic, and human-environment structures to suit their personal need of taking over the Indian natural resources and land. Therefore, the American government entered into agreements with the Indian people to peacefully create trade relations that would encourage mutual trade of surplus goods. However, the colonist had many misconceptions, myths, and misunderstandings about the American Indian people; hence, they perceived them as savages (Neuman, 2020).
The Europeans believed that the American Indians only understood the rule of war. Nonetheless, most of the treaties were implemented when Oneida, Stockbridge, and Tuscarora Indians (1794) signed another treaty with Seneca Nation (1792) to “civilize” the involuntary minorities (Reyhner, 2017). The “reservation” resulted in a massive land loss in exchange for medical care, agricultural and technical training as well as educational services. Therefore, in 1819, there was a cultural diffusion, and the first boarding school was formed based on the Indian Civilization Fund Act.
The Indian Boarding School (1617-Present)
Based on the cultural diffusion that had taken place, finally, the educational opportunity treaty that was signed ages ago came to pass (Reyhner, 2017). There was integration in the American Indian system since the learning institutions created were not highly influenced by the traditional system compared to the previous ones. The native man education system and beliefs were compromised for the following two decades. The first decade compromised of the missionary ruling during the 16th to19th century in different boarding schools. Consequently, the federal government took over the following era from the 19th to the mid-20th-century using federal schools.
The American government was still establishing proper avenues of taking over the natives’ resources through the Encomienda system of colonization. In 1611 the main French Society of Jesus and the Jesuits of the Roman Catholic Church introduced European studies as part of their Christian missions to the American Indian community (Neuman, 2020). The Christian missionaries settled in the Great Lakes region and beside the Mississippi and St. Lawrence Rivers. Later on, Protestants built schools for the Indian natives in 1617. Schools such as the Moor’s Charity School (currently called Dartmouth College), Harvard, and Hampton Institute offered the American- model of education.
Consequently, William and Mary College established a special guest room for Indian scholars in 1923. However, when William and Mary College invited the American Indians for a meeting, they refuted with some claims inability to deliver a wholesome student. Canassatego (Onondaga) complained of the incapability of the learning institutions to produce men who could fit in the American Indian community properly after school (Reyhner, 2017). The cultural clash was caused by the students, who, after graduating, could hardly participate in any community roles like hunting, counseling, or even fighting as warriors; hence, “good for nothing.”
Consequently, the federal period ensued, and it was characterized by further alienation of the American Indian students from their cultural identity and qualities. Despite the multiple religious and private boarding schools, the federal boarding school made the most significant impact on the American Indian Education history. A great example is Montana. Change continued to engulf the Indian Community as they were convinced the federal school was an opportunity to “offer the natives a white man’s life.” However, the American education system was a strategy to wipe out the American Indian culture in 20 years leading to the disappearance of the red people civilization (Reyhner, 2017). Therefore, American civilization had already taken over, and the American Indian civilization was already inferior.
In conclusion, the federal government paved the way for the establishment of more schools such as Haskell Institute (Kansas), Chilocco Indian School (Oklahoma), and Chemawa Indian School (Oregon) after the federal policy that prohibited the establishments of schools near reservations (Washington). Consequently, boarding became the mode of education for the next decades. However, the American Indian students always complained of loss, cruelty, and painful treatment in the learning institutions. Therefore, in the modern-day and age, the American Indian students have always preferred day schools to boarding schools. However, there are still some functional boarding schools with a sense of humanity (Reyhner, 2017).
References
Neuman, L. K. (2020). Indian play. U of Nebraska Press.
Reyhner, J., & Eder, J. (2017). American Indian education: A history. University of Oklahoma Press.
Sharpes, D. K. (2020). Education and the U.S. Government. Routledge.