INTRODUCTION
These pages are designed, written
and executed
with the purpose of offering glimpses
into the Carlisle Indian School
and its history.
The Carlisle Indian School's mission
was to shape identity.
In its infancy, that shaping meant
to transform American Indian children
to resemble their so-called civilized
American
brothers and sisters.
As the experiment progressed, that
purpose shifted to one of "influence"
rather than "transformation," to
quote Francis Leupp,
U.S. Indian Commissioner, 1904.
It is our purpose to respectfully
honor those students
and their descendants who lived
the experiment,
to celebrate with those who prospered
from it,
and to grieve with those whose
lives were diminished by it.
This is a history that belongs to
all Americans
- the identities of all Americans
are shaped by the Carlisle experiment.
Much of the text on these pages
reflect the collaborative efforts of
Barbara Landis and Genevieve Bell,
and are not associated
with the Cumberland County Historical
Society.
Our express purpose in keeping
this history alive is to
encourage historians to envigorate
a troubling conversation
and to deliver
the Carlisle Indian School
student names
to their respective nations.
