UNREST SPIRITS AT THE NDN BOARDING SCHOOL:

 BEING AT THE IBS ,INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL YOU GET THE FEELING OF BEING WATCHED AND IF YOU STAND STILL "YOU CAN FEEL THE EYES UPON YOU..."

THAT IS HOW MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE VISITED THE  SCHOOL OR ATTENDED IT  WILL TELL YOU HOW THEY FEEL, SOME ARE AFRAID TO GO INTO THE SCHOOL FOR FEAR OF ALL THE STORIES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD OVER THE YEARS OR FOR THE SIMPLE FACT OF HAVING AN EXPERIENCE THEMSELVES THERE.

WHILE OTHERS SIT OUTSIDE THE BUILDINGS TO HEAR THE SLAMMING OF DOORS , OR THE MUFFLED SOUNDS OF CHILDREN PLAYING.

ONCE IN A WHILE IF YOU ARE LUCKY YOU CAN GET A GLIMPSE OF MICHAEL, THE LITTLE BOY WHO DROWNED THERE MANY YEARS AGO, OR SO THEY SAY.

 AT ANY POINT YOU CAN HEAR WIND BLOWING THRU THE HALLS OF THE SCHOOL, WHEN THE NIGHT AIR IS CALM AND STILL OUTSIDE.

WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SO HAUNTED? IS IT HAUNTED? AND WHY ARE THEY STILL THERE....?

WE HAVE BEEN ON AN ON GOING INVESTIGATION HERE FOR YEARS TO FIND OUT (IF ANY) ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.

IN 1880, THE CHEYENNE BOARDING SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED AT CADDO SPRINGS (PRESENT CONCHO), ABOUT THREE MILES FROM DARLINGTON. IT WAS TWO MILES NORTH AND ABOUT A MILE EAST OF THE OLD AGENCY.

IN 1881, DR. AND MRS. W.M. WELLMAN WERE STATIONED AT DARLINGTON AND CONCHO. THE CHEYENNE AND ARAPAHO AGENCY WAS Located AT THIS TIME AT FORT RENO. DR. AND MRS. WELLMAN WERE SENT TO OKLAHOMA TERRITORY BY THE UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY FORMED BY THE CONGREGATIONAL AND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES FOR THE PURPOSE OF SENDING MISSIONARIES TO THE DIFFERENT INDIAN TRIBES IN THE OKLAHOMA AND INDIAN TERRITORIES.

AS THE CHEYENNE AND ARAPAHO SCHOOL  WAS SOMETIMES CONFUSED WITH THE AGENCY, AND ON MAY 1ST, 1930 SUPERINTENDENT L.S. BONNIN WROTE A LETTER  TO THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS WANTING TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL FROM CHEYENNE AND ARAPAHO SCHOOL TO THE CONCHO SCHOOL.

FOR MANY YRS THE SCHOOL INCLUDED GRADES ONE THRU TWELVE AND FEATURED A PROGRAM OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE. IT WAS DISCONTINUED IN 1952.

THE OLD SCHOOL STAYED OPEN UNTIL 1932 WHEN IT CLOSED ITS DOORS FOR TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NEW SCHOOL THAT WAS BEING BUILT.

THE NEW SCHOOL OPENED IN 1969 AND CLOSED ITS DOORS IN 1981 BECAUSE LACK OF FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THIS WAS A HEART BREAK MOMENT FOR THE NDNS WHO WENT THERE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.

MELVEN TALLBULL OUR TEAM CO-FOUNDERS FATHER WAS ARAPAHO CHIEF FOR 18,PLUS YRS BEFORE PASSING AWAY. MELVEN HAS TOLD US MANY STORIES THAT WERE TOLD TO HIM BY HIS FATHER CLARENCE TALLBULL.

A LOT HAS BEEN SEEN THRU THE CHILDREN'S EYES WHO ATTENDED THE SCHOOL, A LOT  OF FUN AND CHERISHED MOMENTS AS WELL AS A LOT OF HARDSHIP AND PAIN.

THE TEAM HAS HAD MANY ENCOUNTERS AT THE SCHOOL, ( MEMBERS TOUCHED, HAIR PLAYED WITH, HEARING VOICES OF CHILDREN , AND SEEING SHADOWS THAT FOLLOW YOU AROUND).

HERE IS SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE COLLECTED.

AT THIS TIME THE SCHOOL IS OFF LIMITS. THEY (THE TRIBE) IS NOT ALLOWING ANY MORE INVESTIGATIONS TO BE TAKEN PLACE AT THE SCHOOL. THEY ARE GETTING READY TO TEAR IT DOWN AND REPLACE IT WITH NEW BUILDINGS.

WHAT WILL THIS MEAN FOR THE NEW BUILDINGS?, WILL THE SPIRITS STILL STAY AROUND AND WALK THE HALLS OF THEIR NEW SURROUNDINGS? OR WILL THE GO ON , ON THEIR JOURNEY ACROSS THE RIVER WHERE RELATIVITIES ARE WAITING FOR THEM?

WHO IS TO SAY WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SCHOOL AND LAND THERE.

ALWAYS RESPECT THE SPIRITS OF THE  SPIRIT RIM .....AHO