It was extending a model developed and practiced first at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, which opened in 1879 and was directed by Richard Henry Pratt, an Army officer.

The cornerstone of the first of eleven buildings that would make up the boarding school's campus was placed in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 people from across the state on October 18, 1892.

As part of the crowd's celebration, they congregated in the town of Mount Pleasant, Michigan and paraded to the school grounds some distance away in farmland.

The Grand Master of the Free and Accepted Masons was on hand to lead in the "ancient ritual" of laying the cornerstone.

In the coming years, the school expanded, building additional structures to accommodate all of the students and their daily activities.

[3][2] The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe maintains a YouTube channel documenting remembrance ceremonies for the students who attended and died there.

Many of the boys were abandoned; some were juvenile criminals who did not understand their crime or charges in court, and even more of the residents were mentally or physically handicapped.

[6] The tribe's latest plan is for the repair of campus buildings, including abatement of lead and asbestos, over a period of five to ten years.