Tag: education

General History1 Comment

Catholic Education at Grand Ronde Reservation

David G. Lewis, PhD

The Federal government’s role regarding Indian people was to figure out what to do with them. Tribes were in the way of American expansion and, removal of the tribes to reservations was not enough, because as reservations increased in numbers, the amounts owed the tribes, collectively, increased. Because of this, the Federal government began to institute policies that would cause the eventual elimination of Native people, because once they were no longer culturally “Natives” they would no longer need federal funds to support them. This policy became called “civilizing Indians.” It was thought that before the Indians could become citizens, … Continue reading Catholic Education at Grand Ronde Reservation

education, General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Native Issues, Oregon indians2 Comments

Two Schools at Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, 1863

David G. Lewis, PhD

There are a few reports that open the windows wide to a vision of the reservation, its changes, its struggles, and its peoples. In the 1863 Grand Ronde reports from the employees at the reservation there are great details about the two schools at the reservation. The schools were originally funded through treaty annuities, provisions guaranteed to provide services to the tribes on the reservations should they agree to sell their lands and remove to a permanent reservation. As I have noted in other essays, funding for all services was inconsistent and most services then were given for limited durations … Continue reading Two Schools at Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, 1863

education, General History, Grand Ronde Reservation, Native Issues, Oregon indians8 Comments

The 1867 Manual Labor School at Grand Ronde

David G. Lewis, PhD

In the 1860s the issue of education was at the fore of the duties of the Indian agents at Grand Ronde. Years of letters complained about irregular federal funding and support for this service to the tribes, a service supported by provisions in most of the ratified treaties. Still further Indian Agents were working to find ways to assimilate their Native charges, as this was the federal Indian policy of the time, but the agents did not have the federal support to have a sustained effort to get the natives converting to American culture. The school at Grand Ronde was … Continue reading The 1867 Manual Labor School at Grand Ronde

Anthropology, Grand Ronde Reservation, Oral HistoryLeave a comment

Indifference to the Needs of the Tribes: Testimony of William Miller, Physician at Grand Ronde, 1862

David G. Lewis, PhD

In 1862, there remained many problems at the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation. Problems of food and shelter, medicine and education where not solved yet. The seven treaties of western Oregon were ratified by 1856 (Molalla treaty is an outlier at 1859), and they all promised services for the tribes who removed, including education, food, shelter, and other services. In fact, the ratification of the treaties provided directed funds for just these purposes. Education had its own line item in the annual budgets for each treaty. Yet the Agents at the reservation were unable to get a school or adequate medical … Continue reading Indifference to the Needs of the Tribes: Testimony of William Miller, Physician at Grand Ronde, 1862

Native Issues1 Comment

Lessons from the Indian Internment at Indian Reservations and Boarding Schools

David G. Lewis, PhD

From the 1830’s (Indian Removal Act) to 1900 most of the Tribal Reservations were established in the United States holding a population of over 350,000 people. The people were moved from their original homelands to make way for white American settlement. For most tribes there was no choice but to remove. Most signed treaties selling all of their lands in exchange for money and a permanent reservation and basic services. Most funding supporting reservations came from the treaties. The tribes signed these treaties because they knew that if they tried to remain in their lands, they would be exterminated by … Continue reading Lessons from the Indian Internment at Indian Reservations and Boarding Schools