The Phoenix Indian School

Book excerpt: "The story of the Phoenix Indian School tests the assumptions of those who analyze federal policy from a broad perspective. It is easily apparent that western schools developed a personality of their own, were affected by pressures not recognized by policy makers, and did not always follow national trends. Trennert's study is broken down into three parts. First is an administrative history of the school, centering around the superintendents who dominated the institution and implemented federal policy. Also included is a study of the unique relationship between the city of Phoenix and the school, which was purposely located in an urban area where interaction with whites was an important part of the assimilation program. White citizens had financial and other reasons for cooperating, and their role in Indian education is thoroughly explored. Finally, the study presents an in-depth look at the effect of assimilationist education on native children. From the Indian perspective, Trennert analyzes how the federal school program affected individuals. Surprisingly, he concludes that Indian schools such as the one in Phoenix were not all evil, and they failed educationally in good part because the federal government was unwilling to provide adequate support"--Book jacket.