Hayward Boarding School

The Hayward Indian School in Hawyward, Wisconsin, was opened in 1901 as a boarding school for the Chippewa of the Lac Courte Oreille Reservation. It was subordinate to the La Pointe Agency until 1904. About 1911 it was given agency duties for the reservation. The school was closed in 1934, and its duties were transferred to the Lac du Flambeau Agency.

The Hayward Indian Boarding School, located in Hayward, Wisconsin, was established on September 1, 1901 as a school predominantly for the Chippewa (Ojibwe) of the Lac Courte Oreille Reservation. The boarding school was operated and funded by the government on Christian values for over three decades.[2] In 1923, it housed a total of 1309 individuals: 251 boys under age 20, 232 girls under age 17, 386 men aged 20 and over, and 440 women aged 17 years and older (see Student Population 1923 table).[3]

Robert Laird McCormick, owner of the North Wisconsin Lumber Company, was an influential figure at the boarding school. McCormick pushed for the school to be built in Hayward, and published the article, "Many Reasons Why the US Government Indian School Should be Located on Section 15-41-9, near Hayward, Wis." in 1898.[4] The school eventually closed in 1934 during the Great Depression due to its being underfunded, understaffed, and overcrowded.[2]
The school was chronically underfunded, overcrowded, and inadequately staffed.[2][5] Overpopulation, poor sanitary conditions, unclean water, inconsistent heating, and imperfect sewage and ventilation systems caused diseases to be common among students.[5] The Hayward Indian School Hospital had a capacity for treating eleven patients at a time, with limited care options.[5] It was the only hospital within ten miles and was responsible for more than a thousand residents on the reservation. It had a high mortality rate among its patients because of the limited care options and size.[5]

Everyday life
At the Hayward Indian Boarding School, students were forced to assimilate to a more Christian lifestyle.[2] Native Americans were compelled to leave behind the ideas of their own beliefs and to learn the ideas of Christianity. Staff cut the students' hair and changed their names to English-language ones. Students lived a military or regimented routine, where they were given school uniforms to wear and followed a strict schedule, regulated by bells. In addition, the students marched and drilled daily.[2]

The people who ran the school thought these practices would produce faster assimilation. The purpose of the school was not just to teach students a skilled trade but was also a way to teach students Christian beliefs. Students who attended the Hayward Indian School had to adapt to European-American culture. Graduation rates were low due to poor academics. Most students had never seen or used many common American utensils, such as silverware. Along with learning American culture, students were allowed to participate in extracurricular sports, such as basketball, baseball, and football.[2] However, in the 1920s these activities were discontinued, due to lack of funding.[2]