Assimilation's Agent: My Life As A Superintendent In The Indian Boarding School System

Features of Assimilation's Agent: My Life as a Superintendent in the Indian Boarding School System

Assimilations Agent reveals the life and opinions of Edwin L Chalcraft 18551943 a superintendent in the federal Indian boarding schools during the critical period of forced assimilation in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Chalcraft was hired by the Office of Indian Affairs now known as the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1883 During his nearly four decades of service he worked at a number of Indian boarding schools and agencies including the Chehalis Indian School in Oakville Washington Puyallup Indian School in Tacoma Washington Chemawa Indian School in Salem Oregon Wind River Indian School in Wind River Wyoming Jones Male Academy in Hartshorne Oklahoma and Siletz Indian Agency in OregonIn this memoir Chalcraft discusses the Grant peace policy the inspection system allotment the treatment of tuberculosis corporal punishment alcoholism and patronage Extensive coverage is also given to the Indian Shaker Church and the governments response to this perceived threat to assimilation Assimilations Agent illuminates the sometimes treacherous political maneuverings and difficult decisions faced by government officials at Indian boarding schools It offers a rarely heard and today controversial topdown view of government policies to educate and assimilate IndiansDrawing on a large collection of unpublished letters and documents Cary C Collinss introduction and notes furnish important historical background and context Assimilations Agent illustrates the governments longterm program for dealing with Native peoples and the shortcomings of its approach during one of the most consequential eras in the long and often troubled history of American Indian and white relations