Chapter 5: To End the Story

"We at Carter Seminary believe that a free society is dependent upon education for the transmission of values, traditions, and ideals. We believe education must enhance the dignity of the individual. Dignity connotes knowledge, self-confidence, self-discipline, and responsibility." ~Carter Seminary Philosophy, present day~





Amanda, shares her thoughts and feelings of learning the story of her grandmother, sharing the stories of other Chickasaw women who continued the legacy of the Bloomfield Blossoms and the importance of literacy and education among the Chickasaws. Ida Mae Pratt passed away in 1978 when Amanda was only seven years old. Not having a chance to truly get to know her grandmother she asks Hettie McCauley King in July of 1996 what her grandmother was like and Hettie responds, "Well, you missed a lot, because she was a fine person. and a lot of fun." Being a grand-daughter of a Bloomfield student, her grandmother encouraged her father to finish high school and attend college just as her parents encouraged her to attend graduate school and teach. Valuing continuance, Amanda understands that though the loss of culture was painful, change was also something that followed.





Proudly, Amanda ends her book with, "The legacy my grandmother left me is the same legacy all of the women who attended Bloomfield and Carter left their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren-a legacy of hope and hardiness, of family and friendship, a belief in tradition, but an ability to change. I have been looking for the right words nanaumpoli otalhi, to end the story, but I do not have them, cannot have them, because I know that listening to stories and telling them is a matter of continuance. And in that spirit, I will not end this story--I will add my name."

Amanda J. Cobb
November 1, 1999





Both Photos were taken from the book. The first photo is of Ida Mae Pratt in her school uniform taken in 1925. The second photo is from the Bloomfield/Carter Alumni Association guest register. Ida Mae Pratt Cobb, attended this reunion and signed her name on May 20, 1978. She had signed that she attended the Bloomfied Academy for Chickasaw women in 1924-1925.

Chapter 4: The Women's Story

On speaking English and forbidding Chickasaw:

"They didn't want anyone to speak Chickasaw...just English."

-Fanny Hughes Bass (1911-1914)-

"I remember one girl who came after school had started, and I think I was in probably the second or third grade, and she would not go to class...she didn't understand what they were trying to tell her because she did not speak English..."

-Jeanne Liddell Cochran (1929-1933)-

"My mother didn't allow it. My daddy didn't allow it. My mother...talked the Chickasaw language...Well, you see, my daddy was white. And we were in a white district, I guess you would say."

-Ida Bell Hughes Martin (1920-1930)-

Jeanne also recalls her grandmother and mother refusing to teach her and her sisters to speak Chickasaw. She goes on to say that she had an uncle who would teach them. She also says that she regrets not learning fluently. She recalls being told by her grandmother "the way of the Indian was gone, and we had to learn the way of the white people."

On WWI & WWII:

"In my class we knitted dish rags for World War I. They were approximately a foot square...It so happened later on I knitted a sweater for World War II. That was good training for us."

"We...knit scarves and...even packed medical kits...for the men."

-Dorothy Wall Holt (1940-1947)-

The women also recall the amount of emotions that was expressed when the announcement of the War ended. Some hollered, some screamed, and some mourned the loss of their brothers.

The Curriculum:

"...when Thanksgiving came along, we had everything but the turkey...The costumes, the hats, the buckles on the shoes..."

-Fannye Williford Skaggs & Leona Williford Isaac (1933-1947)-

"We were required to write letters...and they read those letters."

-Pauline Williford Adkins (1932-1941)-

"Letters were all censored. And if you put anything in there in there like 'I don't like school' or something about one of your teachers, they would make you do it over. And they read all...outgoing and incoming mail. it was all censored."

-Frances Griffin Robinson (1927-1929)-

Aside from learning manners, literacy, and domestics women of the Chickasaws also shared recollections of memorizing poems, plays, and songs that they recited during programs, and assemblys. Aside from reciting by memorization they performed not only for their parents but they also recall performing for social clubs in the Ardmore community. Performing and public speaking were part of life in the Bloomfield and Carter Academy schools.

Chapter 3: Chickasaw Girls' School

Among the Chickasaw families, it was often considered a privilege and a family tradition to attend and become a Bloomfield Academy student. Before the
uprising of the first building, families had moved to the local town of Kemp, Oklahoma. Anticipating the opening of the Bloomfield Academy, a neighborhood school was established for both boys and girls until the construction of the buildings were complete. It was noted that the education of full-blooded children were signigificant as they were receiving more education and played a much stronger role in the leadership of their tribal government, business and other affairs of the nation. Solely focusing on solving the "indian problem" by "civilizing and christiainizing," the Chickasaws found the importance of literacy.

The faculty of Bloomfield Academy included Reverand John Harpole Carr a trained carpenter who also physically helped build the school,his wife Anglina Hosmer Carr, and Susan (Sarah) J. Johnson whom they recruited from New England. Angelina who graduated from Mount Holyoke planned the schools curriculum. Additional teachers were later recruited who had attended women academies or schools similar to Mount Holyoke, institutions that played significant roles in increasing women's literacy and opportunities. They purposely chose women because they believed that women were the perfect choice for Indian school services, they had no other employment options, and that they were nurturing. They had the ability to teach morals, values, manners, and provide a refined atmosphere by role modeling and influencing christianity in their daily lifestyles. Bloomfield Academy's daily school schedule also patterned that of Mount Holyoke's with morning classes from 8:30 to 12:30 with a recess. The afternoons were devoted to literacy instruction and the evenings focused on domestic literacy instruction. It was noted and shared that some of the women were instructed to cut, make and mend their own clothing. Religious literacy, the prominent and heavily emphasized occured every morning before breakfast, every evening before dinner and on Sundays. Although this ritual was not required, the girls would memorize scriptures from the bible and recite the verses before meals, teachers also participated.

The Bloomfield Academy for Chickasaw's curriculum was considered "equal to the course of study offered in present day junior colleges" and included advanced subjects such as logic, chemistry, astronomy, botany, and of course the general traditional courses. The high academic standards under the Douglas H. Johnston and Elihu B. Hinshaw administration, led to prestigious measures. Students known as the Bloomfield Blossoms, strived toward "true womanhood" an ideal that placed women on pedastals as pious and pure, domestic and dutiful. The commencement at Bloomfield was a tradition, a celebration and also an important social event in the Chickasaw Nation. Oral and written examinations came first. The examinations were public, parents and friends were allowed to participate in questioning the students, this was noted to last several days.

"The class of 1904 chose white Japanese silk for their identical, ankle-length gowns; they were considered "fashion plates of lovliness." The students also wore black mortar-board academic caps, which were embroidered with the initials "B.B." (Bloomfield Blossoms) in bright yellow." (Listening to our Grandmothers' stories, pg. 60)

The Chickasaws did not provide literacy for their daughters so they could become servants, they recieved literacy instruction to become wives of leaders in the nation and in the community. So that they can be prepared to participate in both Indian and White communities, and to live a successful life.

"Be dignified and cultured young ladies.

Be a graduate of some institution.

Do not tease whatever you do.

Away with selfishness, we are not living for selves alone but for the happiness of those with whom we come in contact.

You will want to be measured by your success.

Higher up the cherry tree grows the cherry.

Have it said that you are from Bloomfield."

~Nettie Burris~

Photos were retrieved from google image.