St. Boniface Indian School
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St. Boniface Indian School was a Roman Catholic American Indian School in Banning, California.
It belonged to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles.[1] It opened in 1890, providing vocational education to Cahuilla, Serrano, Luiseño, Kumeyaay, and other American Indians.[2][3]
The school had a forced Americanization program that was to make students follow Euro-American culture. There is a cemetery that has graves of deceased students.[4]
History
It began operations in 1890.[5] Bishop Francisco Mora y Borrell authorized the school and Mother Katharine Drexel provided funding to the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions for purchase of the land, construction, and operations.[6][7] Over its history, about 8,000 students attended the school.[6] Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet provided the teaching staff.[8]
The inspiration for the school's main building was the facility of the St. Joseph's Indian Normal School in Rensselaer, Indiana.[9]
St. Anthony's Industrial School in San Diego in 1907, with students sent to St. Boniface.[8]
Its role as an Indian school ended in 1952. The replacement institution, New Hope USA, was for adjudicated delinquents and students from low income backgrounds.[5]
The building was demolished in 1974.[6] A small abandoned cemetery remains.[10]