Chemawa Oregon Indian School Graduating Class 1912 Real Photo Postcard

Chemawa Indian School, established in 1880 near Salem, Oregon, was one of the earliest and longest-running off-reservation boarding schools for Native American children in the United States. Its primary mission, typical of its era, was to assimilate indigenous youth into mainstream American culture through vocational training, academic instruction, and the suppression of traditional languages and customs. The "First Graduation Class" in June 1912 marks a significant milestone in the school's history, representing the culmination of this educational model for its early students.

This postcard offers a poignant glimpse into the forced assimilation policies prevalent in federal Indian education during the early 20th century. Students, often removed from their families and tribal lands, were enrolled in institutions like Chemawa as part of a governmental effort to "civilize" Native Americans. The graduation photograph symbolizes the success, from the school's perspective, of these efforts to produce individuals equipped with skills and values deemed appropriate for American society, while also representing the profound cultural sacrifices made by the students themselves.