To understand the importance and history is to understand the intricate history of “education” and “schools” among American Indian (Northern Cheyenne) people. In the early 1600s the Virginia Company encouraged settlers to kidnap American Indian (AI) children to begin “civilizing” the American Indian (AI) population. In 1819 US Congress passed the “Civilization Fund Act,” to fund boarding schools for all children.

 

The boarding school era forced removal which began in the mid-1800’s and lasted well into the 1970s contributed to the disintegration of all families (and communities) and the restructuring of the present-day education system on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Throughout the United States, and especially in Montana due to the rural geography and limited educational facilities on reservations, all children endured the boarding school trauma.

 

The long history of child maltreatment resulting from the boarding school era had dire consequences from parenting issues to root causes of educational systems failure. With this knowledge and the support of multiple state, local, federal, and tribal organizations, the Northern Cheyenne Tribal School is developing a school community to plan for an integrated circle/continuum of academic, health, cultural, family and community support.

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However, with our school over one hundred years old it is important to work on the aesthetics of the school. We want our children to be proud and welcome as they walk into their school.