Final answer:
The reputation of the Steward Indian School changed from its founding in 1890 as part of a civilization policy aimed at assimilating Native American children into White society, to a more inclusive approach by the 1970s with reforms that recognized and corrected past abuses and cultural suppression.
Step-by-step explanation:
Change in the Reputation of Steward Indian School
The Steward Indian School, like many other Native American boarding schools established in the late nineteenth century, underwent significant changes in reputation from its founding in 1890 until the 1970s. Initially, these schools were part of a broader civilization policy aimed at assimilating Native American children into Euro-American culture. Students were forcibly removed from their homes and subject to harsh conditions, including being made to abandon their language, culture, and traditions. Over time, the detrimental effects of these policies became more widely recognized, leading to reforms. By the 1970s, secular education policies allowed for the inclusion of cultural practices, and legislation such as the Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 helped reverse some of the cultural suppression imposed by the earlier policies.
Meanwhile, initiatives to improve living conditions and health standards at these schools had begun to decrease the appalling mortality rates. However, damage inflicted on generations of Native American culture was profound, and the lasting impact of these boarding schools continues to affect Native communities. Eventually, many of the institutions evolved into education centers more respectful of Native identity, such as the transformation of one such school into Haskell Indian Nations University.