General Membership Meeting, Speaker, & Lunch

Date: 11/7/2022

Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

The General Membership Business Meeting and presentation will be held November 7th in the Steele Auditorium at the Arizona Heritage Center. Lunch will follow. 

Dr. John Nathan Mack will present “Inside and Out: The Sisters of St. Joseph, Chief Pasqual, and the education of Native children in Yuma.” The sisters of St. Joseph journeyed to the Arizona territory in the 19th century with the goal of establishing schools for Native children. The sisters entered a cultural and political world in which they were simultaneously “inside” and “out.” As insiders, they shared similar convictions to that of President Grant and the leaders of the BIA. They agreed that Native cultural beliefs and practices were significantly deficient. They firmly believed in the superiority of their own culture and religion. And they were committed to the transformative power of education to inculcate new ideas and practices in children. However, as Catholic educators, they were clearly outside the mainstream. Many of these women were recent immigrants with little experiential knowledge of U.S. political culture. Finally, this position of “outsider” was further emphasized by the fact that they were celibate women. Dr. Mack’s presentation discusses the dual position of these women, clarifying the unique approach they took to the education of Native children.

John Mack earned Master’s and Ph.D. at the University of Kansas. He teaches as an online senior lecturer in history at Georgia State University-Perimeter College.

Lunch may be purchased online or reserve your place with Mary McMahon and pay by cash or check by November 3rd at 5:00 PM.  Members with reservations are responsible for payment even if unable to attend.