Indian Boarding Schools.
1.) Put yourself into the position of a Native American parent on a western reservation. If you had the opportunity to send your children to Pratt would you Consider and discuss what benefits andor what drawbacks there might be.
At that time, if I were a Native-American parent, I would of course hesitate to send my child to Lt. Henry Pratt. The intent of assimilating the native children through education may have a positive outcome but that was only felt by students after years and years of struggle and suffering from the hands of strict military style of teaching. Putting myself in those times, it is indeed horrifying for a parent to entrust hisher sondaughter to a complete stranger someone whom you know will do everything for the tribe and culture of Indians to be completely stripped from the children. Furthermore, as stated in the article, there were many Indian children in the boarding schools who ran away because of the bad treatment. For a parent hearing such stories of the horrors and the terrible situation of children in schools and knowing that my child will be treated cruelly there are enough reasons not to let my sondaughter go with Lt. Henry Pratt. From a parents perspective, the risk is too much to bear.
2.) Lets say you were a teenage child - put yourself into their position - would you go Why or why not
If I were a teenage child at that time, I would refuse to go to a boarding school. In those times, the importance of culture preservation and self-determination was inculcated on children even at an early age. For me, growing up with this kind of mindset is enough for an Indian teenager to resist going to a boarding school. The prospect of you being stripped by your cultural identity is outrageous enough. Furthermore, there is the fear of leaving your tribe and your family behind. Education, particularly learning a foreigners language and lifestyle, is not appealing at all and although there are indeed positive effects of education, it is only outweighed by the idea of being maltreated and abused while undergoing schooling.
At that time, if I were a Native-American parent, I would of course hesitate to send my child to Lt. Henry Pratt. The intent of assimilating the native children through education may have a positive outcome but that was only felt by students after years and years of struggle and suffering from the hands of strict military style of teaching. Putting myself in those times, it is indeed horrifying for a parent to entrust hisher sondaughter to a complete stranger someone whom you know will do everything for the tribe and culture of Indians to be completely stripped from the children. Furthermore, as stated in the article, there were many Indian children in the boarding schools who ran away because of the bad treatment. For a parent hearing such stories of the horrors and the terrible situation of children in schools and knowing that my child will be treated cruelly there are enough reasons not to let my sondaughter go with Lt. Henry Pratt. From a parents perspective, the risk is too much to bear.
2.) Lets say you were a teenage child - put yourself into their position - would you go Why or why not
If I were a teenage child at that time, I would refuse to go to a boarding school. In those times, the importance of culture preservation and self-determination was inculcated on children even at an early age. For me, growing up with this kind of mindset is enough for an Indian teenager to resist going to a boarding school. The prospect of you being stripped by your cultural identity is outrageous enough. Furthermore, there is the fear of leaving your tribe and your family behind. Education, particularly learning a foreigners language and lifestyle, is not appealing at all and although there are indeed positive effects of education, it is only outweighed by the idea of being maltreated and abused while undergoing schooling.
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