As one of the last nonreservation boarding schools built for American Indian students in the United States, Sherman Institute (Riverside, California) benefited from lessons learned about student health from earlier boarding schools. Excessive student morbidity and mortality at early boarding schools had resulted in a lasting perception of these schools as death factories for Indian children. In the early 20th century, pressure from Progressive reformers made student health at the boarding schools an important issue, and the Indian Office implemented a wide range of preventive measures. This book draws on extensive, detailed, administrative records of Sherman Institute to focus on student health at the school from 1902 to 1922. The first three chapters describe the design of the physical plant, preventive health policies, and medical care. Health-related design features included replacement of large dormitories with smaller ones, "sleeping porches" and other ventilation measures, window screens, clean water, and proper sewage treatment. Preventive health measures included health education and instruction in hygiene for students, medical check-ups, proper nutrition, exercise, and disinfection and sanitation. The last four chapters present data on student morbidity and mortality and discuss tuberculosis, trachoma, and other illnesses and accidents. (Contains chapter notes, a bibliography, an index, and photographs.) (SV)