Concho Indian Boarding School facts for kids

The Concho Indian Boarding School was a special school for Native American children. It was also known as the Cheyenne-Arapaho Boarding School at Concho. This school helped children from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and later other Native American students. It taught grades 1 through 8.

The school ran from 1909 to 1983 in central Oklahoma. It was near the towns of Concho, Oklahoma and El Reno, Oklahoma. The name "Concho" comes from a Spanish word meaning "shell." It was named after Charles E. Shell, an agent for the U.S. government who worked with the Cheyenne and Arapaho people.

Learning at Concho School

Concho was one of many boarding schools created by the government in the early 1900s. These schools aimed to teach Native American children to live in mainstream American society. Like other schools from that time, Concho was run in a strict, military-like way.

Students woke up very early, around 5 a.m. They did military drills and then ate breakfast. Classes started by 6:00 each morning. For half the day, students learned subjects like reading, writing, and math. Older students spent the rest of the day doing chores. Boys often learned skills like carpentry or farming. Girls learned home skills, such as cooking and laundry.

The school had a large farm. It grew crops and raised animals to feed the students and staff. This also taught children about farming and taking care of the land. Boys milked cows, and girls helped prepare all the meals. They also learned to sew clothes.

Discipline was very strict. Students were punished if they spoke their native languages instead of English. Punishments included breaking large rocks or sawing wood. Each mistake meant an hour of labor.

At first, the school only taught grades 1 to 6. Students who wanted to continue their education had to go to other schools. By the 1920s, Concho School started to offer more like regular public schools. Students could play sports and take classes in music and art.

Later, Native American parents asked for changes. They wanted schools to include their cultures and languages. In the 1970s, new laws like the Indian Self-Determination and Education Act of 1975 helped tribes take control of their own schools. By the time Concho School closed in the early 1980s, it taught grades 1 to 8. It mostly served children who were orphans or needed a better home environment.

School History

The first school for Cheyenne and Arapaho children opened in 1871. It was at the Darlington Agency and was run by Quaker groups. In 1872, the government built a new facility, but Quakers still ran it. Few Cheyenne children attended this school. To encourage them, the Quakers divided the classroom for Arapaho and Cheyenne students.

In 1879, the school was renamed the Arapaho Manual Labor and Boarding School. A new school for Cheyenne students was built at Caddo Springs. By 1884, many children were attending these schools. They were also learning to farm and raise animals.

Another school, the Darlington Mission School, opened in 1881. It was run by Mennonites. A fire destroyed this building in 1882, and several children died. The school was rebuilt later that year. The Mennonites also opened a fourth school called Cantonment in 1882.

After 1891, the government changed its rules. It wanted schools to be more alike and set attendance goals. This led to fewer schools being available. By the mid-1890s, only about half of the school-aged children on the Cheyenne-Arapaho Reservation were going to school. The Darlington school closed in 1898, and Cantonment closed in 1901.

In 1908, both the Arapaho and Cheyenne boarding schools closed. The Darlington Agency moved to Concho in 1909. The new Concho Boarding School opened that same year. It focused on farming and being self-sufficient. Students worked on the farm every day. In 1932, another school, the Seger Indian Training School, closed. Its students moved to Concho.

In 1932, Concho Boarding School had 133 boys and 117 girls. The school faced challenges during the Dust Bowl years, with many dust storms. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt started a program called the Civilian Conservation Corps. A camp was set up at Concho to improve the school grounds and buildings.

From the 1940s to the 1960s, there were often talks about closing Indian schools. Leaders from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and the Kiowa Tribe worked hard to keep Concho Indian School open, and they succeeded. In 1962, some buildings were changed to help students who were having difficulties.

A new school complex was built in 1968. It included the Concho Demonstration School. This program worked with Southwestern State College. It aimed to help Indian students with language and cultural differences and give them special instruction.

In the 1960s and 1970s, more options for education appeared. Public schools grew, and some tribes started their own schools. Because of government budget cuts and fewer students, Concho School closed after the graduation ceremony on May 14, 1982. Even though parents and the tribe protested, the school permanently closed at the end of the 1983 school year.

Buildings for the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribe

In 1985, the school buildings were given to the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribe. The tribe hoped to use them for businesses. For many years, the buildings were empty and falling apart.

In 2014, an artist named Steven Grounds started painting large murals on the outside walls. He honored chiefs and leaders of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. These included Chief Black Kettle from the 1800s and Suzan Shown Harjo, who received a special award in 2014.

In 2015, the tribe planned to turn some of the buildings into a fitness center.

Concho Demonstration School

In 1962, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) started a new way to help students who were struggling. Earl C Intolubbe, a specialist from the Choctaw Nation, created a special school at Concho. It had small classrooms so each child could get more help. Students who had left other schools were placed in this program. Some returned to their old schools quickly, while others stayed at Concho for years. After six years, 60% of the students successfully returned to regular classes. Intolubbe retired in 1968 because he felt combining the Demonstration School with the main Boarding School would change its special purpose.

Notable alumni

• Clinton M. "Blackfeather" Youngbear
• Viola Hatch
• Dick West, artist