History of Carlisle Indian School and return of children’s remains who died at school subject of new documentary

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 iStock

FILE PHOTO: Graves of Native American youths who attended the Carlisle Indian Industrial School are seen on June 26, 2016.

Airdate: Monday, November 15, 2021

In 2017, a delegation of Northern Arapaho tribal members traveled from Wyoming to Carlisle, in Cumberland County, to retrieve remains of three children who died at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in the 1880s. That emotional journey is chronicled in a new documentary Home From School: The Children of Carlisle, that will be broadcast on WITF-TV Tuesday, November 23 at 9 p.m.

The film explores the history of the Carlisle school, which was the first in the country designed to conform Native Americans into the ways and culture of White America. It included cutting the students’ hair, banning their native languages and customs and forcing them into military-style, remedial education with an emphasis on Christianity.

Monday’s Smart Talk features a discussion of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and the documentary with Geoff O’Gara, Writer, Producer and Director, Home From School: The Children of Carlisle, Barb Landis, Historian, retired Cumberland County Historical Society,  Archives and Library Specialist, Jim Gerencser, Dickinson College Archivist and co-director of the Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center, Jordan Dresser, Associate Producer of Home From School: The Children of Carlisle and Chairman of the Northern Arapaho Business Council.