Episode 19: Chilocco Military Veterans

Opened in 1884, Chilocco Indian School was one of the largest federally-funded boarding schools for Native American youth in the country. Located twenty miles north of Ponca City, Oklahoma, the school offered a half academic / half vocational curriculum, focused on assimilating Native students into the dominant culture. Like most boarding schools, Chilocco went through different phases of development, reflecting changes in the federal policy towards Native Americans. These changes were often prompted by the efforts of Native educators, community workers and activists, and shifting attitudes within the larger society. Throughout these shifts, however, the school's status as a National Guard center as well as boarding school made it unique. This month on Amplified Oklahoma, we're focusing on military veterans who attended the school. We'll hear interview excerpts with Wes Studi and Charles LeClair from the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program's archives. Later, former superintendent Jim Baker shares more about his involvement with alumni, especially in preserving the history of the school. Amplified Oklahoma is a production of the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at the Oklahoma State University Library. Show notes: https://library.okstate.edu/news/podcast/episode-19-chilocco-military-veterans