Albuquerque Indian School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Albuquerque Indian School |
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Albuquerque Indian School in 1885
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| Address | |
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12th St. and Indian School Rd.
, New Mexico
87102
United States
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| Coordinates | 35°06′31″N 106°39′20″W / 35.1087°N 106.6555°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Native American boarding school |
| Established | 1881 |
| Closed | 1981 |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Orange and Black |
| Mascot | Braves |
The Albuquerque Indian School (AIS) was a special school for Native Americans in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was open from 1881 to 1981. This school was one of the oldest and largest boarding schools for Native American children in the United States.
For most of its history, the school was run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Like many government boarding schools, AIS aimed to teach students skills for life outside their tribal communities. It also taught them about American culture. The school focused on reading, writing, and job skills. Boys often learned about farming or working on railroads. Girls learned skills like cooking and sewing.
In the 1930s, ideas about Native American education began to change. The school started to offer more training in traditional crafts. These included pottery, weaving, and silversmithing.
In 1977, the All Indian Pueblo Council took over running the school. This group represents 20 Pueblo communities in New Mexico and Texas. By this time, the school buildings were in poor condition. The school closed soon after. Most of the empty buildings later burned down or were taken down. As of 2022, only one building remains. It is called the Employees' New Dormitory and Club.
Contents
What Was the School's History?
The Albuquerque Indian School first opened in 1881. It was in a village called Duranes, just north of Albuquerque. The school started with 40 students. It was run by a church group under a contract with the U.S. government.
In 1882, the school moved to its permanent location. This was at 12th Street and Indian School Road. By 1884, the school had 158 students. The BIA took over running the school directly in 1886.
In 1925, the school added high school grades. In the 1930s, the number of students reached its highest point, with about 1,400 students.
After 1953, fewer students enrolled at AIS. Many chose to attend public schools closer to their homes. In 1975, a new law called the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 was passed. This law allowed Native American tribes to have more control over their own affairs.
Because of this law, the All Indian Pueblo Council (AIPC) asked to run the school. They were given the contract in 1977. This made AIS the first BIA school to be run by a local tribal group.
The school buildings were in bad shape. The AIPC wanted to move the students to the Santa Fe Indian School. The BIA agreed to this move in 1981. This happened after some students got sick from a broken furnace. The merger with Santa Fe Indian School was completed later that year. AIS stopped being its own school.
What Happened After the School Closed?
After AIS closed, the campus was left empty. In 1984, the land was given to the AIPC. They still owned it in 2002.
Between 1981 and 1993, almost all the school buildings were destroyed. Many fires occurred, with 16 fires in 1987 alone. Most of these fires were thought to be set on purpose. When the last school building burned in 1993, people saw six men leaving the area.
The only building that survived was Building 232. This was the Employees' New Dormitory and Club. It was across the street from the main campus. This building was fixed up in 2013. It now houses the Native American Community Academy charter school.
In 2021, a newspaper reported on the discovery of the school's old cemetery. This investigation was started because of similar discoveries at residential schools in Canada. A park across the street from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center used to have a plaque. It said the park was a burial site for Zuni, Navajo, and Apache students.
What Was the Campus Like?
The AIS campus covered about 45 acres. It was located near 12th Street and Indian School Road. When the school closed, it had 44 buildings.
Three of the school buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they were important historical sites.
- Employees' New Dormitory and Club (Building 232), built in 1931.
- Gymnasium-Auditorium Building (Building 210), built in 1923.
- University of New Mexico Lodge (Building 219), built in 1917.
The Gymnasium and the Lodge later burned down. They were then removed from the historical register.
Who Were the Students?
Most students at AIS came from the Pueblos and the Navajo Nation. In 1887, most students were Pueblo (77%). About 5% were Navajo. The rest were from other groups like Mescalero Apache, Tohono Oʼodham, and Pima.
By 1904, the student makeup was 61% Pueblo and 36% Navajo. The number of Pueblo students dropped a lot after the 1950s. This was because more Pueblo students started going to day schools on their reservations. In 1960, most of the school's 1,000 students were Navajo (87%). Only 12% were Pueblo.
What About Sports?
AIS competed in sports through the New Mexico Activities Association. The school won state championships in several sports:
- Baseball (1941 and 1976)
- Boys' basketball (1928)
- Boys' track and field (1928)
The 1928 basketball team had a great record of 26 wins and only 1 loss. They won the state title. They even traveled to Chicago to play in a national tournament. However, they lost both of their games there.
Images for kids
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Albuquerque Indian School in 1885
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Girls in a sewing class at AIS, circa 1910
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The Employees' New Dormitory and Club, the sole remaining building
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Albuquerque Indian School campus circa 1910
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Baseball team at AIS, 1911
