History of Indian-White Relations

Another means by which Indians were to be acculturated was through the creation of boarding schools, which Indian children were forced to attend. One such school was the Carlisle School in Pennsylvania. Children were forcibly removed from their families and sent away to these schools, which were often hundreds of miles from their homes; many children would not see their families again for several years. At the schools, Indian children were acculturated to Anglo ways—they were given English names and taught to speak English, practice Christianity, and dress in western attire. Any students caught speaking their native language or practicing native traditions would often be severely punished. The goal—to "civilize" Indian children by removing all traces of their native culture-- was succinctly stated by the founder of the Carlisle School, who wrote "kill the Indian, and save the man."

Carlisle Boys and Girls in School Uniform, Dormitories in Background 1879

Source: Photo Lot 81-12 06805000, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution

Portrait of Tom Torlino, in Partial Native Dress and Wearing Silver Cross Necklace 1882

Tom Torlino in 1885

Because the goal of the Carlisle School was to remove all traces of native culture, administrators typically photographed the children upon their arrival at the school and again a few months later to demonstrate their "progress" and improved appearance. These photos are of Tom Torlino, a Navajo youth, taken in 1886. The student file for Tom Torlino can be found at http://carlisleindian.dickinson.edu/student_files/tom-torlino-student-file

Source: Photo Lot 81-12 06805000, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution

Source: Photo Lot 81-12 06805000, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution