The effect of abundant resources on the history of Crow Reservation schools

Abstract

Bradley investigated federal, missionary, and public school records from 1870 to 1976 to study the effects of resource abundance on the Crow reservation schools. He found out that the main concern of the early reservation schools was simple survival; in the boarding schools the children's labor assured the needs of physical survival for everyone living on the premises. Has some information about Indian boarding schools and the way they treated their students as well as the emergence of the various day schools on the reservation. Also includes facts about the difficulties Crow students initially faced when trying to attend public schools in and around the reservation. As resources became more abundant, the reservation became less self-sufficient and relied heavily on federal monies to support a wide range of programs in the schools. The teachers focused more on academics, athletics, and programs specifically geared toward Crow students. He has some striking examples of waste within the reservation schools ranging from extremely long field trips and money wasted on athletic endeavors to teachers spending huge amounts of resources on professional improvement in the form of conferences and travel. Bradley also talks about the severe disciplinary problems found in many of the schools during this period. When the availability of resources began to decline in the early 1970s the academic standards were allowed to decline, majority of the Indian programs were dropped, and the focus shifted toward vocational education. Bradley also concluded that many educators were more interested in getting more pay and benefits than being good teachers. Has considerable information about various tribal members who were involved with the Crow school system.