Crow woman says Carlisle boarding school bittersweet [Video]

BILLINGS – The Carlisle Industrial Indian School in Pennsylvania brought in thousands of Native American children from 1879 to 1918.

The school made the students shed their native culture to assimilate into American culture.

Dr. Janine Pease spoke at the Western Heritage Center on Thursday afternoon, in conjunction with an exhibit called, “Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories.”

In the evening, Pease, part of the adjunct faculty at Little Big Horn College, spoke at MSU Billings.

More than 100 years ago, 97 Crow students went to Carlisle for high school academics and vocational training.

Of that group, 77 came back to Montana, 17 did not complete their educations and three died.

Pease returned earlier this week after doing some research at the school, which has a legacy that she calls bittersweet.

“The bitter part about Carlisleis that it was a military school, and it demanded the students cut their hair,” Pease said. “They had to wear military uniforms, both …