clen99
09-30-2002, 01:39 PM
I moved this reply from another forum. thought people might be interested.
I just wanted to add to the thread that there was a "mental" hospital in existence for about 30 years in Canton, South Dakota in which "incompetent," crazy, beligirent, non-cooperative Indians were sent.
Most if not all who were sent there died there that I can recall.
Canton Hospital was open from approximately 1900-1930 at which time a physician came out from Washington after several complaints
about the treatment of the "patients" there. The conditions were appalling--people were left alone for long periods of time naked or part naked and dirty, they were emotionally, physically and sexually abused. The food was often wormy, rotten, inedible leftovers from other places. Virtually all of the women who had children on the premises died as did their infants. Also, women were raped by the attendents.
The physician from Washington immediately fired the head of the hospital and over some months everyone who was still alive was
transferred to facilities back east.
The people committed to this place were Indians from all over the country. The property was taken over by the town of Canton and turned into a golf course. The caretaker there, however, is somewhat considerate of the events and helps protect the small graveyard in the middle of the course. The golfers, however, are not as respectful and regularly enter the graveyard to retrieve or hit golfballs.
I have been to this graveyard several times; most of the names listed on the plaque are in whatever language the person spoke, some are
French-origin surnames and some are Anglo. One or two are listed by one name only.
If anyone is interested in the full story and the list of names, let me know and I can get all of that information for you.
I just wanted to add to the thread that there was a "mental" hospital in existence for about 30 years in Canton, South Dakota in which "incompetent," crazy, beligirent, non-cooperative Indians were sent.
Most if not all who were sent there died there that I can recall.
Canton Hospital was open from approximately 1900-1930 at which time a physician came out from Washington after several complaints
about the treatment of the "patients" there. The conditions were appalling--people were left alone for long periods of time naked or part naked and dirty, they were emotionally, physically and sexually abused. The food was often wormy, rotten, inedible leftovers from other places. Virtually all of the women who had children on the premises died as did their infants. Also, women were raped by the attendents.
The physician from Washington immediately fired the head of the hospital and over some months everyone who was still alive was
transferred to facilities back east.
The people committed to this place were Indians from all over the country. The property was taken over by the town of Canton and turned into a golf course. The caretaker there, however, is somewhat considerate of the events and helps protect the small graveyard in the middle of the course. The golfers, however, are not as respectful and regularly enter the graveyard to retrieve or hit golfballs.
I have been to this graveyard several times; most of the names listed on the plaque are in whatever language the person spoke, some are
French-origin surnames and some are Anglo. One or two are listed by one name only.
If anyone is interested in the full story and the list of names, let me know and I can get all of that information for you.