No.^'Tir' ^^^' EASTERN CHEROKEE GROUPS — KUPFERER 287 



GROUP 2. APPRECIATIVE 



For many who endured the discipline of school, the memory of it 

 has been dulled by what they perceive to have been the positive 

 consequences. For some, it led to Hampton Institute in Virginia; 

 for others, to Carlisle. Younger ones went to Haskell or Chilocco. 

 They feel that they have learned proper ways to do things, proper 

 ways to behave, and they feel they are progressive. One woman 

 speaks of the boarding school: 



as a place where the classrooms were quiet and well disciplined. I told the 

 reservation principal that when they took out the military discipline, they ruined 

 the school. I remember our matron; she used to paddle me plenty, but I loved 

 her. That's where I got my knowledge of the better things in life, right there in 

 that boarding school. 



Still another says, "I was in boarding school when I was a girl and 

 went home only for the summer. I swore I wasn't going to live like 

 those people in Big Cove." The men remark, "Oh, it was rough all 

 right, but after that I went to Haskell, or Carlisle, or Hampton." 

 The theme is, "It was worth it." 



Those who completed, or nearly completed, the program are now 

 most of the Generalized Indians, the Middle Class, and a few Kural 

 Whites. Some of them did run away but were returned, and so home 

 ties were made more tenuous. Some of those in group 2 went on to 

 other schools and some did not, but in any event, this period in the 

 history of the reservation school system succeeded in bringing about 

 significant changes for part of the population. 



GROUP 3. BITTER 



Others, who also finished the boarding school, never mention the 

 rigidity of the training unless one probes for it. But other feelings 

 come to the fore. These suggest that from some place, either from 

 the school or from other sources, they acquired a feeling of inadequacy. 

 One man said: 



Segregated school for Indians is bad . . . the first time they go outside and bump 

 shoulders with Whites and get a kick in the pants, they come back home and 

 pull the blanket over their heads. I know how tough it was for me, how they 

 made me feel. I swore I'd never send my kids to Indian School. 



When the curriculum underwent revision during the CoUier ad- 

 ministration, some students were distressed : 



Back in the 30's when John Collier came in and put in all those crafts, we went 

 on strike. We felt we were wasting our time; they were making us go back- 

 wards. I had 24 units from here, and Cullowhee would only accept 15. 



An informant, somewhat incoherent because he had had too much 

 to drink, said of all Indian schools, "I went to Haskell from here 



