Life at Carlisle Indian Industrial School
The Carlisle Indian Industrial School, established in 1879 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was the flagship of the United States' Indian boarding school system, operating until 1918. This institution aimed to assimilate American Indian children into Euro-American culture, a mission that profoundly impacted the lives of thousands of students from over 142 Indian nations.
Historical Context and Founding
In the late 19th century, following the Indian Wars, the U.S. government implemented policies to assimilate Native Americans. The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was founded on the principle of "Kill the Indian, Save the Man," a philosophy articulated by its founder, Captain Richard Henry Pratt. Pratt, a military officer who had fought against Native American tribes, believed that Native American children could become successful American citizens if they abandoned their heritage.
The school was established at the site of Carlisle Barracks, a former military base with historical significance dating back to the colonial era and the Civil War. Its location on a railroad line facilitated the transportation of students from distant reservations, further isolating them from their families and cultures.
The Assimilation Process
Upon arrival at Carlisle, students underwent a radical transformation. The "civilizing process" began with clothes. The children were forced to change their manner of dress and to give up their traditional tribal ways. The boys all had long hair, which was a strong tradition in their cultures: it was cut short in Euro-American style. They were issued the clothes of white men. High collar stiff-bosomed shirts and suspenders fully three inches in width were uncomfortable. Administrators took “before and after” photos of students.
Cultural Transformation
Students were forbidden from speaking their native languages and were assigned new English names. Luther Standing Bear (Sicangu-Oglala), one of the first students, recounted being asked to choose a name from a list on the wall, randomly selecting "Luther." This erasure of identity was a central aspect of the school's mission to assimilate students into mainstream Euro-American culture.
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Daily Life and Discipline
Carlisle operated under a strict, quasi-military regime. Civilian school officials enforced military-style discipline at Carlisle. Students marched across the grounds to and from their classes, the dining hall, extra-curricular activities, and for regular inspections. They marched in groups like soldiers in military drills. When officials rang a bell, they shifted to new movements.
The school day was structured around academic classes and vocational training. Students studied English, math, geography, and music. Boys were taught industrial skills, such as carpentry, metalworking, and printing, while girls learned domestic skills like cooking, laundry, and sewing. The goal was to prepare American Indian students to work jobs outside of the reservation.
The "Outing" System
A unique feature of Carlisle was the "outing" system, where students lived and worked with white American families in eastern Pennsylvania. All pupils are expected to spend at least one year in a country home. During the winter, they attend the public school in their neighborhood. Patrons and pupils agree to certain rules governing their relations to each other and to the school. Pupils receive regular wages, a fixed portion going toward their personal expenses and the remainder being deposited in the school bank for them. No other branch of the educational work is of so much benefit as the “Outing.” No school can give home training on a small scale as the Indian should learn it in order to become Americanized. In the majority of country homes to which pupils go, they are considered as members of the family and are as carefully trained as are the sons and daughters of the family. During the past two years, the Outing System has been developed to furnish additional training and experience to students in the various trades which they learn at the school. Last summer there were nearly one hundred of our young men from the trades’ departments working under these conditions, and in many cases receiving regular journeyman’s wages.
Extracurricular Activities
Despite the harsh assimilation practices, Carlisle offered extracurricular activities such as sports teams, debate clubs, and marching bands. The school teams competed against prominent non-Indian schools and in regional championships. One of the greatest athletes of the 20th century attended Carlisle: Jim Thorpe of the Sac and Fox Nation. Thorpe won athletic competitions as a Carlisle student, won two gold medals in the 1912 Summer Olympics, and went on to be a professional football player. The Carlisle band was famous, too.
Student Perspectives and Experiences
While the school aimed to assimilate students, their experiences varied. Some found opportunities for personal growth and achievement, while others struggled with the loss of their culture and identity.
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Student Writings
Morrow looks specifically at writing done between 1904 and 1918 by students from the Anishinaabe communities of the Great Lakes and Plains regions. At this time, following the “closing of the frontier,” white Americans began viewing Native cultures with nostalgia, sparking a fad for Indian blankets, baskets, and other arts and crafts. In response, Carlisle’s publications, which were intended for a broad audience including government officials and members of the general public, encouraged more writing about Native American legends, customs, and history. A central part of the Carlisle School’s curriculum was preparing students to be “civilized” workers. Yet, in the editorial safe haven of the Indian culture pages, students detailed their tribes’ ways of working. Nineteen-year-old Margaret Blackwood wrote in the familiar form of an origin story, telling how her family’s hometown, Ontonagon, Michigan, got its name.
Challenges and Resistance
Many students faced emotional, psychological, and physical challenges due to the strict discipline and cultural suppression. Some ran away because of being homesick and unhappy.
Legacy and Impact
The Carlisle Indian Industrial School served as a model for 24 more off-reservation schools. Under the same military-style discipline, students at these schools learned domestic and industrial skills. The staff forced them to speak English and tried to destroy their ties to traditional cultures. government reported findings that children were abused, overworked, and underfed. Most off-reservation schools closed by the 1930s when Americans learned about how students were treated. Politicians chose to stop or decrease funding to the schools.
Apology and Reflection
In September 2000, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Kevin Grover issued an apology to Indian people for the emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual violence committed against children at off-reservation boarding schools.
Ongoing Significance
Today, the site of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School is home to the U.S. Army War College. The Army Heritage and Education Center at Carlisle Barracks offers a self-guided walking tour of the historic school grounds.
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