Figure 1.-- This cabinet card portrait shows a group of seven Native American boys in the military-style clothing of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BOIA) Schools. This school was in Ward 104, located in Toledo Iowa. It is undated, but the mount style anc color suggests the ealy 1900s, probably about 1900-05. The studio was Clara Ensminger, Toledo, Iowa. Duren H Ward took photographs in the Meskwaki settlements located in the same area, many before 1905. They are now archived in the the Iowa State Archives contains many identified pre 1905 identified photos assembled by him during his expedition to the settlement. Toledo is located in Tama County Iowa, the home of a Meskwaki settlement. We are not sure, however, that these boys are Meskwaki. The BOIA schools we believee were boarding schools located away from tribal areas so the U.S. Government could better acculturate the children. Thus these boys may be fom other tribes, only the school was located near the Meskwaki settlement. Hopefully reades will know more about this. |
