Curated by: The Brigham City Heritage Tours Team
These buildings were originally officer quarters while Bushnell was open, which meant the buildings were relatively nicer and sturdier than some of the dormitory buildings. As a result, these buildings have remained in relatively decent shape, surviving both the closure of Bushnell as well as Intermountain.
Shortly after Intermountain opened, school officials hired prominent Chiricahua Apache artist Allan Houser. The idea of hiring Native American faculty was common in other Residential schools, as they helped students who struggled, but Intermountain was a pioneer in hiring an artist to help students create art that was reminiscent of their indigenous culture.
In art class, students created paintings and murals, screenprints, costumes for powwows, and even had an art club that taught students how to screen print some of their designs onto clothing, yearbooks, and other objects. The art program had several objectives and strategies that were in place specifically to encourage self-representation. They included to “encourage [students] to draw or paint what he knows best. To share [student] background in the art using ‘Indian motifs.’ To encourage research in [student’s] own background to have something to say in art.”
The solo parent program was implemented to help students finish their education, learn a trade, and also learn how to care for their children. To be included in the program, students had to be single parents, hence the name. The program was made entirely of women.
Solo parents lived in apartment-style housing that was separate from the other girls’ dorms. They attended classes during the day while their children went to a daycare located on campus. The daycare was located on the southeast side of the campus.
These buildings still stand and were transformed into apartments shortly after Intermountain closed.
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