10.2 Daily life and experiences in boarding schools

Boarding schools aimed to erase Native American culture through strict discipline and assimilation tactics. Students faced military-style regimens, abuse, and cultural suppression. English-only policies and vocational training replaced traditional practices, while uniforms erased cultural identities.

The personal impact on students was severe. Forcibly separated from families, many experienced trauma and cultural identity loss. This led to long-term consequences for individuals and communities, including intergenerational trauma and communication gaps between generations.

Oppressive Environment

Military-Style Discipline and Regimentation

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• Strict daily schedules governed every aspect of students' lives
• Students marched between activities in formation
• Punishments enforced for minor infractions (tardiness, speaking Native languages)
• Military-inspired hierarchies established among students
• Regimentation aimed to instill obedience and conformity
• Boarding schools modeled after military academies to break tribal bonds

Abuse and Control Mechanisms

• Physical abuse included beatings, withholding food, and solitary confinement
• Emotional abuse involved public humiliation and degrading language
• Sexual abuse cases reported at multiple institutions
• Uniform dress codes erased cultural identities
  • Traditional clothing and hairstyles prohibited
  • Identical European-style uniforms issued to all students
• Control extended to personal hygiene and appearance

Assimilation Tactics

Language and Cultural Suppression

• English-only policies strictly enforced in all aspects of school life
• Speaking Native languages resulted in severe punishments
• Traditional names replaced with English ones
• Native religious practices and spiritual beliefs forbidden
• Cultural ceremonies and traditions prohibited on school grounds
• Students taught to view their heritage as primitive and uncivilized

Vocational Training and Labor Exploitation

• Curriculum focused on manual labor and domestic skills
• Boys trained in farming, carpentry, and blacksmithing
• Girls taught cooking, sewing, and housekeeping
• Academic education often limited or substandard
• Students required to perform extensive unpaid labor for the school
• Work programs sometimes extended to local communities, providing cheap labor

Personal Impact

Family Separation and Emotional Trauma

• Children forcibly removed from families, often at young ages
• Limited or no contact with parents and siblings for extended periods
• Emotional bonds with family members weakened or severed
• Trauma of separation led to lifelong psychological effects
• Many students experienced feelings of abandonment and isolation
• Reuniting with families often difficult due to cultural and linguistic barriers

Cultural Identity Loss and Long-Term Consequences

• Traditional knowledge and practices not passed down to younger generations
• Students struggled to fit in both Native and non-Native societies after leaving school
• Loss of language created communication gaps between generations
• Many graduates experienced identity crises and cultural confusion
• Intergenerational trauma impacted Native communities for decades
• Some students internalized negative views of their own culture and heritage