Pipestone Indian Training School

The Pipestone Indian Training School (PITS, also called the Pipestone Indian School) was a Native American boarding school in Pipestone, Minnesota that was established in 1894, and closed in 1953. The school was operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, as one of its 18 non-reservation boarding schools and last of such to be closed. The site of the school is adjacent to Pipestone National Monument, and is now used by the national monument and Minnesota West Community and Technical College. The superintendent's house of the old boarding school is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The Pipestone Indian School was built on land taken from the Yankton reservation at the Pipestone Quarry. The Yankton people long contested that loss and won before the Supreme Court in 1926.

In 1894 the formation of the Pipestone Indian Training School was authorized on the uninhabited Yankton Pipestone reservation. At that time the majority of Native Americans in Minnesota were Ojibwa and they dominated the school's enrollment throughout its history. The school had grades 1–8 with a split curriculum, mornings and afternoon groups switching: academics and occupation skills. The school fielded both girls and boys sports teams Post WWI, the Pipestone student body became more diverse, but White Earth remained the primary source of students until the school closed. Attendance was voluntary and students needed to apply for admission. The School superintendent made recruiting visits to the various reservations, besides Minnesota's, to gain or maintain student enrollment. The last year the school was open over 300 students wanted to attend, however due to budget reductions just 130 from Minnesota were accepted. Post WWII newspapers portray the school as also being an orphanage in its last years of operation. Leaders of the Chippewa were against closing Pipestone School until something could be done to place the kids in permanent situations.

1895 The Superintendents of the Indian schools at Pipestone and Pierre S.D. both went to White Earth looking to enroll students. Pipestone got 8 or 9.

1897 The Saint Paul Globe reported 67 Ojibwa from the Detroit Lakes were en route to the Pipestone school.

1901 Pipestone's Chippewa students won 12 "individual' bronze medals in Agricultural Products at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Winners of awards had to pay for the manufacture of their medal. The exhibition executive committee issued Certificates of Award that were needed to order the medal won.

1902 School enrollment reported at 135 mostly Chippewa.

1905 The White Earth Tomahawk newspaper was cited for reporting the Pipestone School matron, Miss Roy, returned for the new school year accompanied by many White Earth students.