Chilocco Indian Agricultural School Alumni Oral History Project
Oklahoma Oral History Research Program - Oklahoma State University Library
Description
The Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, located in north central Oklahoma, operated from 1884-1980 as one of a handful of federal off-reservation Indian boarding schools in the United States. Thousands of students passed through the school's iconic entryway arch during its nearly century-long existence. Even today, Chilocco continues to be a powerful site for memory for its remaining alumni from over 127 tribes, as well as the Native people, directly or indirectly impacted by its history and scholars and students throughout the world who seek to understand its role within the larger context of U.S. Indian boarding schools.
The oral history collection represents a two year collaborative project between the Chilocco National Alumni Association (CNAA) and the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program (OOHRP) at the Oklahoma State University Library. It started as a request from the CNAA Veterans Project Committee to document the first-person stories of their numerous veteran alumni through oral history interviews. However, with additional funding help from the Tom J. and Edna M. Carson Foundation, this project quickly grew into a more ambitious undertaking.
The CNAA identified and OOHRP conducted oral history interviews with more than 40 Chilocco veterans and other alumni and held two scanning events for alumni at the annual Chilocco Homecoming. This collection contains over 1,100 images of campus facilities, students and staff, activities, and events.
| Subjects | |
| Call Number | okso_sok |
| Dates | 2016 - |
Interviews in Chilocco Indian Agricultural School Alumni Oral History Project
| Oral History Interview | Description |
|---|---|
| Alfred Frejo 05/27/2016 | Alfred Frejo (Pawnee) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School as a postgraduate student in the early 1960s. He talks about his time there in the auto mechanics department and how he got involved with… |
| Amos Harjo Jr. 05/28/2016 | Amos Harjo Jr. (Seminole) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in the 1960s and before completing high school he joined the military. He recalls his time at Chilocco where he participated in athletics… |
| Anile Locust 09/23/2016 | Anile Locust (Keetoowah), a 1966 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about her time at the school and how she decided to join the military. She attributes the schedule and shared living… |
| Art Hill Jr. 06/16/2017 | Art Hill, Jr. (Cheyenne and Oneida) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School 1979-1980, his freshman year in high school. He talks about his father's connection to Chilocco and his own decision to… |
| Billy May 06/02/2018 | Billy May (Chickasaw), a 1951 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, discusses his early life living in California and his time as a student at the school. He talks about joining the Marine Corps… |
| Bunnie McCosar 05/27/2016 | Bunnie McCosar (Muscogee), a 1956 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about attending Indian boarding schools and about having an interest in military service at an early age. He shares… |
| Charles Burris 05/27/2016 | Charles Burris (Choctaw), a graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, shares some of his memories as a student there where he was involved with athletics and a member of the National Guard unit.… |
| Charles Chupco 06/17/2017 | Charles Chupco (Creek), a 1960 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his time on campus and some of his memories as a student, like working in auto mechanics and participating in… |
| Charles LeClair 05/28/2016 | Charles LeClair (Ponca, Potawatomi, Kaw), a 1948 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his path to Chilocco and some of his experiences there, such as being involved with boxing… |
| Charley Johnson 11/04/2016 | Charley Johnson (Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw), a 1964 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his journey to Chilocco and some of his experiences there. He explains how the disciplined… |
| Claudine King 04/02/2018 | Claudine King (Chickasaw), a 1952 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about transferring to the school and shares some of her memories from her time as a student there. She describes… |
| Davene Alford 05/28/2016 | Davene Alford (Seminole), a 1946 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, followed in the footsteps of her family to attend the school. She talks about her family's history with the school and… |
| Dean Hudson 05/28/2016 | Dean Hudson (Choctaw), a 1962 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, shares his reasons for attending Chilocco and talks about some of the different activities in which he was involved, especially… |
| Denise Jones 09/26/2017 | Denise Jones (Ponca, Absentee Shawnee), a fourth generation Chilocco student, attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School for the 1979/1980 school year. She talks about her family's history with the school… |
| Dolly BaDonie 06/01/2018 | "Dolly BaDonie (Yakama), a 1968 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, discusses her early life on a Yakama Indian reservation in the state of Washington and the difficult time she had in convincing… |
| Don Patterson 05/22/2018 | Don Patterson (Tonkawa) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School a few years before deciding to volunteer for military service in 1957. He reminisces about his student days and talks about his involvement… |
| Frank Kekahbah 05/27/2016 | Frank Kekahbah (Kaw, Potawatomi), a 1954 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his route to Chilocco and his involvement with various school activities. He describes the regimented… |
| Garland Kent 05/22/2018 | Garland Kent (Otoe/Ponca/Iowa), a 1958 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, looks back fondly on his time as a student there. He discusses the activities he was involved in, the various chores… |
| George England 04/08/2017 | George England (Cherokee), a 1953 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about spending his youth near the school and then attending it. He mentions some of his student experiences and… |
| George Miguel 06/01/2018 | George Miguel (Tohono O'odham), a 1960 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, describes his time at the school and his journey getting there. He discusses his service in the United States National… |
| James Paul Noel 06/01/2018 | James Paul Noel (Cherokee/Choctaw), a 1965 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his childhood and the problems he faced as a Native American student in public schools. He explains… |
| Jim Baker 04/12/2016 | Jim Baker (Choctaw) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School and later served as superintendent of the school. He shares some of his experiences at Chilocco as a student and as the superintendent.… |
| Joe Thornton 09/23/2016 | Joe Thornton (Cherokee), a 1934 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his family and how he came to be at the school. He describes a few of his student experiences and how he first… |
| John Peacock 12/15/2016 | John Peacock (Shawnee, Kickapoo), a 1969 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about enrolling in the school and adjusting to a new way of life. He describes activities he was involved… |
| Judy Haumpy 01/29/2018 | Judy Haumpy (Muscogee Creek, Absentee Shawnee), a 1965 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about her life before, during, and after attending the school. She discusses the many different… |
| Keith Franklin 06/16/2017 | Keith Franklin (Sac and Fox), a 1957 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his journey to Chilocco and some of his early challenges with boarding school life. He describes a few… |
| Matthew Tiger & Caroline Tiger 06/01/2018 | Matthew and Caroline Tiger (Creek/Arapaho), 1966 graduates of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, have been married for over fifty years and recall their time with each other at Chilocco. They discuss… |
| Maurice Howe 05/27/2016 | Maurice Howe (Ponca) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School as a postgraduate student. He talks about some of his memories as a student and how training in the operation and maintenance of heavy… |
| Mitchell Cypress 05/28/2016 | Mitchell Cypress (Seminole), a 1966 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, recalls moving to Chilocco from Florida and some of the challenges of going to school so far from home. He talks some… |
| Nancy Elliott & Ramona McCready 06/01/2018 | Nancy Elliott (Cherokee) and Ramona McCready (Choctaw), 1957 graduates of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, fondly recall their memories as best friends at the school. McCready reminisces over how she… |
| Nathan Benton 05/28/2016 | Nathan Benton (Choctaw), an instructor at Chilocco Indian Agricultural School 1956-1980, talks about his childhood and the various Indian schools he attended. He explains how he received an education in… |
| Norene Starr 06/11/2018 | Norene Starr (Cheyenne), a 1978 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, recalls moving between foster homes until as a teenager she was adopted by the parents of a Chilocco friend. She talks about… |
| Richard Mendez 05/27/2016 | Richard Mendez (Shoshone) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in 1964, but left after one year and joined the Marines. He talks about his journey to Chilocco and some of the challenges he faced… |
| Robert Buzzard 04/08/2017 | Robert Buzzard (Cherokee), a 1957 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about spending his youth near Chilocco before enrolling in the school in the ninth grade. He describes what life… |
| T. J. Burris 05/28/2016 | T. J. Burris (Choctaw), a 1951 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his life before Chilocco and some of his experiences as a student. He discusses joining the National Guard unit… |
| Thelma McCarty 06/01/2018 | Thelma McCarty (Ponca), a 1955 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, discusses her upbringing in rural Oklahoma and her fond memories of Chilocco. She describes her adjustment to boarding school,… |
| Virginia McDonald Rush 05/02/2017 | Virginia McDonald Rush (Ponca), a 1956 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about her time at Chilocco and some of her activities, like band and the cosmetology program. She shares why… |
| Wes Studi 05/28/2016 | Wes Studi (Cherokee), a 1964 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, discusses his path to and through Chilocco. He mentions some of the duties and experiences he had during his time at the school… |
| Woody Kinney 06/17/2017 | Woody Kinney attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School as a postgraduate from 1961 to 1963 where he focused on the printing trade for his vocational education. He talks about some of his professors… |