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Comment: New School. New Name. New Beginning For a New Name: 'I do not have a suggestion for a name that suits a welcome to cultural diversity, but I know that clinging onto the history of a Colonel whose legacy includes the 'triumph' of wiping out populations of Native Americans from their own soil, is not a way to celebrate this.' - MEGAN HADLEY. By Megan Hadley Personal commentary With the structure of an entirely new building, our small town is finally given an opportunity to apply emphasis to a new beginning, by accepting people as they come and welcoming them. Having lived in Columbia my entire life I received the first four years of primary education within the classrooms of Colonel William Casey. At present, I am a semester away from a bachelor's degree from Lindsey Wilson College and will take the G.R.E. for graduate school in the spring. Despite all of this, until I read the comment about who Colonel William Casey was today, I did not know. I recognize that Casey played a significant role in the expansion of education in this county. However it is not a history that is taught in that particular school nor was it taught to me, thus defeating the purpose of naming the school after him. Despite the role he played in the progress of institutionalizing education, as Hill has stated, Casey traded Indian scalps (which were in 'high fashion) in the effort to make the west a 'safe' place for white people to live. I have taken several history classes; I know the story, and have also taken classes that focused on the cultural diversity of Native American Literature. This Literature presents the desolate, devastated culture that was wiped out by white men. We came, we saw, and we conquered a culture that was already present on this continent. Something that is often understated is just how diverse and widespread the Native American was that actually spread over all of the American territory. We often wrongly categorize thousands of different tribes under the same cultural identity: Native American. However, there were several hundred tribes with distinctive cultural differences. There were Plains Indians, Island Indians, Hill Indians, Valley Indians, etc. Not only did we wipe out an entire culture, we picked up the fragments of what was left, separated it from what it had always known as home and moved it to a place more convenient for the white man. What my race has done to African Americans as well as to Native Americans is embarrassing and treturous. It does not seem right to celebrate these aspects of history. This particular time period, around the eighteenth century, was full of primitive beliefs and inconsiderate quests for power. Our country and our culture has advanced far beyond the closed minds of the early settlers, who forced their own views, religion, cultural values, beliefs, language and education on what they considered 'primitive beings' with no value to the culture that had previously existed. Even in primary school when you learn the significance of Thanksgiving, it is always shared knowledge that the natives welcomed the white man, and then they turned around and revolted against them, against their welcoming and against the kind act of teaching us how to grow crops; directly relating to the big debate that's been going on in this town lately. Furthermore, no matter how much esteem someone has, they cannot be right about everything and their perspective is not the only one that exists. Allowing someone to make choices for the general population is not fair for the residents within that population. This country was founded on the rights of the public, if we choose to refrain from thinking for ourselves, we're rejecting the very right that thousands of soldiers died for. Despite what the lifelong residents of Columbia prefer, our streets are finally becoming diverse with the tastes of different cultures. This is the same kind of environment that Lindsey's campus thrives on, and it creates an interesting atmosphere for learning. Just because these people are different or new, does not mean that they are bad or that their beliefs are wrong. Furthermore, it is the children of these newcomers (who have CHOSEN our town to make their home) whose children are going to obtain their education within the walls of our education system. Because of this, it seems only fair to welcome them. I do not have a suggestion for a name that suits a welcome to cultural diversity, but I know that clinging onto the history of a Colonel whose legacy includes the 'triumph' of wiping out populations of Native Americans from their own soil, is not a way to celebrate this. With the structure of an entirely new building, our small town is finally given an opportunity to apply emphasis to a new beginning, by accepting people as they come and welcoming them. - Megan Hadley This story was posted on 2012-09-14 07:41:33
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