Cherokee Nation Female Seminary

Quote:
" The Cherokee National Female Seminary School was founded on May 7, 1851. A related text describes it thus, "One of the first boarding schools for Native Americans was not created by the federal government, but was founded in 1851 by the Cherokee National Council." "

John Ross was the leader of the Cherokee Nation, and one who also became influential in beginning institutions for young Cherokees. One of those would be the Female Seminary Hall for the young Cherokee women. An institution that would come to be considered one of the best of its kind, west of the Mississippi.

Cherokee Female Seminary
Courtesy Cherokee Heritage Center

The Cherokee Nation was one who embraced education. Within its grasps it now had the syllabary by Sequoyah, and by the 1890's the Cherokees were considered to have some of the highest literacy skills than other citizens.

Though the Cherokee people seemed to desire to educate its people, it was said that the Women's Seminary did not offer instruction in their own Cherokee language. The women did however maintain a rigorous work schedule learning anything from Latin to Philosophy to Religion.


On Easter Sunday 1887 the Female Seminary burned to the ground, and was rebuilt May 7, 1889 in Tahlequah, Indian Territory.



1889 Tahlequah after rebuilding of Female Seminary
Courtesy Northeastern State University

Tahlequah was, and today still is, the Capital of the Cherokee Nation. A Cherokee word Talikwa, or Tellico, of which was considered an old Cherokee town.


Indian Territory was to become known as Oklahoma November 16, 1907 when it received statehood. In two years, 1909, the state of Oklahoma bought the Female Seminary Hall as Oklahoma was now joining the ranks of the state college system. The Cherokee Nation graduated the last of its students under the name in the spring of 1910.

Today the building is simply called, "Seminary Hall" and is a major focal point on the campus of Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma; and houses numerous classrooms with students from every walk of life attending.


Seminary Hall on Northeastern State University Campus
Courtesy of Oklahoma Native America

                                                                  
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Sources:
Tahlequah, Oklahoma - Cherokee Seminaries

http://wsharing.com/WSphotosTahlequahCS.htm

Cherokee Heritage Center

http://www.cherokeeheritage.org/attractions/female-seminaries/

  Photos Courtesy of:
Cherokee Heritage Center
Northeastern State University
Oklahoma Travel Native America