The boarding school where “kill the Indian, save the man” was infused in the curriculum

The Carlisle Indian School Experiment

In 1879, Army officer Richard Pratt launched an experiment at an old military base in Pennsylvania. He forced over 7,800 Native children to abandon their culture, language, and families to become “civilized.”

Speaking their language meant punishment. Traditional clothes were banned. Students died from disease and poor care, and at least 180 children are buried in the school cemetery while even more never came home.

Here’s what happened at America’s first federal boarding school, memorialized at the Army War College campus you can explore in Pennsylvania.

Pratt Tested His Methods On Prisoners

Richard Pratt first tried his ideas on 72 Native American prisoners in 1875. These men from the Cheyenne, Kiowa, Comanche, and Caddo tribes were held at Fort Marion prison in Florida.

Pratt cut their hair and made them wear military uniforms instead of tribal clothing. He arranged for local teachers to teach them English. When the prisoners adapted to these changes, Pratt became convinced that Native Americans could be “civilized” through education.

This prison experiment shaped his approach for the Carlisle School, based on the idea that Native people needed to be removed from their communities.

How Pratt Convinced Chiefs To Send Children

In September 1879, Pratt traveled to Dakota Territory to find students for his new school. He visited the Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations to speak with Lakota Sioux leaders. Pratt told tribal chiefs like Spotted Tail and Red Cloud that learning English and white customs would help their children protect tribal interests.

He played on their fears about the future after recent defeats by the U.S. Army. Former prisoners from Fort Marion helped Pratt recruit more students from Kiowa and Cheyenne tribes. These men translated and helped convince families to send their children to Carlisle.

Students Arrived In The Middle Of Night

The first group of 82 Native children reached Carlisle at midnight on October 6, 1879. The group included 24 girls and 59 boys from western tribes. Many townspeople came to the train station despite the late hour.

They walked with the tired children to the Old Barracks, a former army building now turned into a school. When they arrived, Pratt found that the promised beds, food, and clothing hadn’t been delivered. The children slept on bare floors wrapped in the blankets they had brought from home.

How Students Lost Their Native Appearance

School staff immediately cut the boys’ long hair, which had deep spiritual meaning in many Native cultures. Girls also lost their traditional hairstyles. Students had to give up their tribal clothing and wear school uniforms.

Boys wore military-style outfits while girls wore Victorian-style dresses. The school photographer, John Choate, took “before and after” pictures of the students. These photos were used to show how the school was “civilizing” Native children by changing how they looked.

When Children Were Given New Names

School staff forced students to take English names instead of their Native ones. Some children picked names from a list, while others were simply assigned new names. Luther Standing Bear, one of the first students, remembered pointing at random words on a wall to get his first name.

The school gave him his father’s name, Standing Bear, as his last name. These name changes cut children off from their identity and heritage. Many students couldn’t even introduce themselves properly to family when they returned home.

Students Punished For Speaking Native Languages

Carlisle strictly forbade students from speaking their native languages. They could only use English on campus. Children caught speaking their language might have their mouths washed with soap or be given extra work as punishment.

Some were locked up alone. School staff placed children from the same tribe in different dormitory rooms. This prevented them from speaking their shared language and forced them to use English.

For young children who knew no English when they arrived, this rule created deep feelings of loneliness and confusion.

Military Drills And Harsh Punishments

Carlisle ran like a military camp. Students marched in formation and followed a strict schedule controlled by bells. The day began at 6:00 AM with roll call and inspections. Every hour was planned out with specific activities.

Children who broke rules were locked in the guardhouse or given hard physical labor as punishment. Staff watched students constantly and gave demerits for small mistakes like poor posture or talking out of turn.

This strict system aimed to teach obedience and erase tribal ways of life.

Students Worked Instead Of Studying

Students at Carlisle spent half their time working rather than studying in classrooms. This work was called “vocational training.” Boys learned trades like blacksmithing, carpentry, and farming.

Girls spent hours cooking, cleaning, and sewing. The “Outing System” sent students to live and work with white families, mostly during summers. These placements gave local families cheap workers while keeping students away from their own culture.

Pratt set up bank accounts for students to save their wages. Most of this money went toward school expenses rather than back to the students.

Diseases Killed Hundreds Of Students

Sickness spread quickly through Carlisle’s crowded buildings. Many students caught tuberculosis, influenza, and measles. At least 186 children died while at the school between 1879 and 1918.

They were buried in the school cemetery instead of being sent home to their families. More students died during their “outing” placements or were sent home only when they were too sick to recover.

Others died while traveling back to their reservations. Poor food, limited medical care, and sadness from being away from home made it harder for students to fight off illness.

Why The Government Closed The School

The Carlisle Indian School closed in 1918 after 39 years. The government said it needed the space for World War I efforts. By this time, more people had begun questioning whether forcing Native children to give up their culture was right or effective.

The property returned to Army control and became a hospital for wounded soldiers. Today it is the U.S. Army War College. Even though Carlisle closed, its approach continued at many other schools.

Pratt’s model spread to at least 24 other off-reservation schools and hundreds of reservation schools that ran well into the 1900s.

The Carlisle Indian School Today

You’ll find the former Carlisle Indian School at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The main entrance is on Claremont Road, near the intersection with Jim Thorpe Road.

The Indian School Cemetery remains the most significant historic site to visit. To access the cemetery, you must first check in at the Visitor Control Center for a pass. Bring a government-issued photo ID for each person over 18.

Self-guided tours allow you to explore the cemetery and see the few remaining school buildings. The Army Heritage and Education Center nearby offers exhibits on the school’s history.

Photography is permitted in outdoor areas but may be restricted in certain buildings. The barracks function as an active military installation, so follow all posted signs and security personnel instructions.

Read More from WhenInYourState.com:

• The Pennsylvania commune where German immigrants lived like medieval monks until 1934
• How America’s most wanted mobster turned his jail cell into a penthouse with rugs and radio
• Washington’s Fatal Mistake Led to the French & Indian War from This Pennsylvania Fort