The Flandreau Indian Boarding School stands as a significant, albeit complex, chapter in the history of Native American education and the federal government’s assimilation policies. Its origins are intertwined with the relocation of the Minnesota Dakota people and the ambitions of local South Dakota politicians, painting a detailed picture of the forces that shaped its establishment and subsequent evolution.
Following their banishment from Minnesota, the Dakota people, resettled in South Dakota, voiced a strong desire for educational opportunities. This aspiration resonated with the non-Native residents of Flandreau, South Dakota, who saw the potential economic and social benefits of having a government-funded boarding school located near their burgeoning town. These converging interests laid the groundwork for the development of the Flandreau Indian Boarding School.
The political landscape of the time played a crucial role in securing the school’s establishment. Richard F. Pettigrew, a U.S. Senator from South Dakota and the original surveyor of Moody County, actively championed the school’s creation. He strategically ensured that his relatives homesteaded key areas surrounding Flandreau, potentially influencing the future site selection. During his 1889 campaign for the U.S. Senate, Pettigrew pledged to advocate for a government boarding school in Flandreau, a promise that resonated with Moody County citizens, including Native American voters, ultimately contributing to his election victory.
While Pettigrew seemingly convinced local residents of the advantages of an Indian school over having the state capitol in the area, he didn’t immediately fulfill his promise. The impetus for action came from Native American residents of surrounding Sioux reservations, who formally petitioned the government for the establishment of a boarding school in Flandreau.
These petitions gained traction when George Pettigrew, Senator Pettigrew’s cousin, hired John Eastman, on March 24, 1890, to lobby on their behalf in Washington. A letter from George to Eastman revealed the competitive landscape, noting Pipestone, Minnesota, was also seeking a boarding school, with George warning that Pipestone’s success would be detrimental to Flandreau’s chances. Eastman’s efforts involved gathering petitions from nearby reservations and delivering them to Senator Pettigrew in Washington, D.C.
The Senator acknowledged receipt of the petitions on May 13, 1890, and promised to present the information to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The legislative process culminated on August 13, when Pettigrew informed Eastman that an appropriation bill to finance the school had passed both houses of Congress and awaited presidential approval. In 1891, Congress formally allocated $72,000 for the purchase of a school site and the construction of three buildings.
The appropriation included $2,000 specifically earmarked for the acquisition of 160 acres of land near Flandreau for the Indian Industrial School. U.S. Indian Agent Helms and Hosea Locke, a local teacher, were tasked with selecting and securing options on potential land parcels.
On October 29, Agent Helms reported on a promising location approximately half a mile north of Flandreau, consisting of the north quarter mile of section twenty-one, priced at $48 per acre. In a somewhat predictable turn of events, this land belonged to Senator Pettigrew himself. Helms also mentioned another site located about two miles northwest of the village, available for $10 per acre, and other potentially suitable locations costing at least $3,000 or more. Despite these alternatives, on November 21, Helms recommended purchasing the land from Pettigrew.
The U.S. Indian Office subsequently dispatched an inspector, Cisney, to evaluate the land options. Cisney identified a parcel in the southeast quarter of section 28 but deemed it unsuitable due to its flatness, which would hinder adequate sewage disposal. Ultimately, he recommended the purchase of the Pettigrew tract for $2,000, citing it as the most advantageous option. The sale was finalized on March 30, 1891.
To provide temporary accommodations, employees moved an old school building from near the river to the highest point on the boarding school property. Construction of new, permanent buildings commenced soon thereafter. Even while classes were being held in these temporary structures, the Flandreau Indian Boarding School had already enrolled ninety-eight pupils.
By March 7, 1893, three permanent buildings had been completed. By this point, twelve staff members had been hired. Following Rigg’s death in 1893, the school was briefly renamed Riggs Institute.
The primary objective of these institutions was to serve as models for assimilation. The school’s mission was to provide vocational training and language skills to Native American students, thereby facilitating their integration into mainstream American society.
Initially, Congress only appropriated funds to operate the school through 1892. However, the project proved sufficiently successful, both in the eyes of the students and the broader community, to warrant its continuation as a long-term institution.
On March 3, 1893, Congress allocated $167 per pupil for each of the 100 students expected to attend the school. Additional funds were allocated to expand and improve the physical plant and curriculum at Flandreau Indian Boarding School. By July 1892, Congress had provided over $27,000 for the construction of permanent buildings. The government later acquired additional land to serve as an agricultural laboratory for the students.
The first permanent building constructed on the campus was Winona Hall, a two-story brick structure. The building served as a girls’ dormitory on the upper floors and a dining hall on the lower level, with a seating capacity for 150. It also housed an employee’s reception room, a girls’ reading and reception room, a dispensary, classrooms, the superintendent’s office, and a lavatory. Women students resided on the second floor. By 1895, due to overcrowding, the basement was repurposed to serve as a kitchen, dining room, and storerooms. The rapid increase in enrollment necessitated the construction of a brick and stone addition to the female dormitory, increasing its capacity to accommodate 300 students.
The second building constructed at the school, opened in 1892, was dedicated to classrooms. This two-story brick structure accommodated 150 students and contained four classrooms and a storeroom for books. In 1900, classroom accommodations were expanded, additions were added, and the school replaced the kerosene lighting system with electricity.
Over the following years, other buildings were added. Mayota Hall, the male dormitory, was constructed in 1892. This two-story brick building contained six bedrooms on each floor, along with a reading room and a dressing room on the first floor. The building housed sixty young men and two employees.
In 1893, the government constructed both a barn and the fourth major building on the campus. This brick barn housed the boiler house, fuel room, carpentry shop, laundry, and a bake oven capable of baking 300 loaves of bread at a time.
The following year, the school connected to the city water supply, providing improved water for drinking and laundry, as well as a modern sewer system with indoor bathrooms for both the male and female dormitories.
In 1895, the school received a government grant of $52,000 to enlarge the overall facility. With these funds, school officials built a hospital in the southwest corner of the campus, an eight-room two-story frame cottage for the superintendent, and a two-story brick dining hall.
The second floor of the dining hall, featuring four three-room apartments and a storage area, served as living quarters for the staff. The dining hall, "Tiyo Tipi" (meaning center tent or the central part of the village where feasts were held), was a two-storied round structure with a gabled roof and a stone foundation. The first floor contained a dining room that served 400 students, a kitchen, a bakery, and an employee office. Additional dormitories and classrooms were added later, in 1897 and 1898, respectively, to accommodate the growing student population.
Government inspectors documented the early development of the Flandreau Indian Boarding School. In 1897, Inspector James P. McLaughlin, serving under the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, evaluated the school. He described the brick buildings as being in relatively sound condition, requiring only minor rejoining work on the cement floors of the basement. He also briefly mentioned the two new buildings under construction and an addition to another. One of the new buildings comprised a dining room, kitchen, and bakery on the first floor, and dining room, employee quarters, bath, and closets on the second floor. The other new building housed a large boys’ quarters with a reading room and two large spare rooms on the first floor.
The school occupied 160 acres of land, with forty-six acres dedicated to cultivation. The remaining property was allocated to farm and school buildings or facilities. McLaughlin reported that the school’s cattle herd included twelve milk cows, one bull, thirteen young cattle, five horses, and five hogs. The forty-six acres under cultivation yielded 200 bushels of corn, 600 bushels of potatoes, 100 bushels of turnips, 100 bushels of other vegetables, and ten tons of hay. McLaughlin believed that Superintendent Leslie D. Davis of the Flandreau Indian School was an excellent choice for his position.
In 1899, another federal agent, Indian Inspector Cyrus Bede, visited the school. He reported that the school had 225 students in attendance, all of whom were responsible for cooking, cleaning, and tailoring. He described the facility as being in "good" condition and mentioned the recent appropriation of $3,000 for new construction and repairs. Bede also believed that the school was well-managed and was one of the best government plants he had seen. He suggested that additional appropriations for the expansion of buildings and grounds would benefit the school.
In 1900, James P. McLaughlin returned to examine the campus. He described the school as having twelve buildings (seven brick and five frame), with three dormitories that were formerly classroom buildings. He reported that the school cultivated thirteen acres of land, with twenty-five acres of potatoes and five acres of gardens, corn, and small grain. The farm also maintained a livestock herd of horses, milk cows, and cattle.
After 1900, the physical plant of the school continued to develop. In 1903, the school added a six-room vocational shop equipped with plumbing and lighting facilities. By 1909, the facility also housed a printing office, blacksmith shop, carpenter shop, manual training room, a harness and shoe shop, a tailor shop, and a painting department. This vocational equipment was intended to provide Native American students with the skills necessary for assimilation.
By 1913, the school encompassed 480 acres of land, with fifteen brick and eight frame buildings, all equipped with steam heat and electricity. The land had been purchased over the years, and the total value of the school was listed at $250,000.
Between 1923 and 1924, masonry students constructed a Library, Duplex, and Office building under the direction of masonry instructor George Rae. The students also built a one-story wood frame building, gaining valuable skills through these construction projects.
In contrast to the extensive construction projects of the early decades, there were fewer projects after the 1930s. Students constructed a new shop building in 1932, using the exercise for vocational classes. Students learned masonry skills during the pouring and working of concrete. The school purchased new equipment and machinery, including several latches, a large press, a power twin hammer, and a buffer, all for training students in skilled work.
In 1932, students also constructed a Home Economics building. This two-story structure was a carpentry class project from design to completion. The first and second floors housed the girls’ vocational commercial foods and sewing classes. In the basement was a nursery for thirty children.
During the 1970s, students constructed a cultural center intended to provide activities that would help Native Americans adapt to mainstream society. Flandreau also added a greenhouse and three mobile home classrooms in 1974-1975. These facilities celebrated American Indian cultures, provided additional classrooms for biology classes, and facilitated Title I programming under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
The new building projects of the 1960s and 1970s reflected a resurgence in cultural pride, as well as a renewed interest in seeking federal funding. The history of the Flandreau Indian Boarding School reflects changing federal policies toward Native Americans and their education.