Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-08-04
PROGRESS OF EDUCATION AMONG THE
CHEROKEE INDIANS.


Ter, published in late number of the Nashville
Banner. The writer, it is probable, is resi-
dent of one of the eastern states, as in desert
bing the country inhabited by the Cherokees,
frequent reference is made, by way of compar-
ison, to the soil and products of New England
Though myself no phrenologist, yet as my
discernment is sufficient TO discover wnether
man is tall or short in stature; and even 10 per-
ceiye the difference between capacious ana
contracted forehead, may venture TO speak OF
What do know and testify of what have seen.
I can therefore saw that have seen among the
l,berokees some of the most finely formed men
which have ever come to my view. lneT STA
ture is about the same as ours, though many OF
the females when somewhat advanced In llie are
decidedly larger than common among whites,
In their ordinary appearance and department
they are manly and dignihed, and though they
feel and feel sensibly, their grievances, they
never whine. They are manly, and not re-
oardless of sefrespect, even In their com
plants.
While many ofthem are in good circumstan-
ces, and some wealthy, owning from one to
two hundred slaves (the criterion of property
through the whole SOUTH others, and many
Others have, and apparently desire, nothing be-
yond mere subsistence While few OF the
best houses in Georgia, west OF Augusta, belong
TO the CherokeeS, a large majority OF their
dwellings are log cabins but poorly furnished.
Even these however, contain wheel and a
loom. whose use is seen in the Bingham dresses
of the females, and in the cotton and wooden
clothes of the men. Some are clad in calico,
but most in fabrics of their own forming. Near
" every family plant field of corn, raise
few pigs keep one or more ponies, somewhat
larger than the Scotch pony, but smaller than
our smallest horses at the north. Messrs. Elias
Boudinot and John Ridge, two Cherokee chiefs
whom you saw sometime since at the north,
both live in CommodiouS houses, and apparent
" with more domestic comfort than have OF
ten seen. Mr.. II. has in front of his house,
more than one hundred acres of land to be in
corn the present season, which he thinks VIII
produce about forty bushels 10 the acre; the price
of which, at present, March, 1884, through
most of the nation, is from seyenty-hve to one
hundred cents bushel. He has also an or
chard of one hundred apple trees, and great
er number of peach trees.
Major Ridge, the father of John, is fine spe-
cimen of human nature; is well formed has
Commanding appearance, and head construct
ed as strictly according TO the principles OF
Entomology as that of Daniel Webster or the
late De Witt Clinton, or any other man within
nv knowledge. He is known both as warrior
and statesman; in addition to which he prov
ed himself an oratorin lyceum lecture heard
him give through his son as an interpreter. His
lecture was on the history of the nation. HIS
son succeeded him in an animated address, on
the present state of the Cherokees These ad-
dresses were followed by conversations on the
sun, moon, and stars, the cause of day and night,
the change of seasons eclIpSes, their ancient
customs superstitions, &c. The Major said
that the common opinion Of his nation had been,
that eclipses were produced by frog swallow
ing the moon.
The following facts will give you some idea
of the intellectual and moral character OF the
Cherokees, while they are not without interest
1lot.o IN tho rinino nj nafn m
and the treatment calculated to raise that ma
ture into a resemblance of the Creator, or to sink
il still lower than il was originally.
The Cherokee children in the school at Brain
ard, are more forward than the members OF any
school have seen in New England, who have
attended no longer time. Those who have at
tended two years can read, write and spell well.
The are also familiar with the elements OF arith-
metic geography, and grammar, and show
great skill and taste in writing composition, Tor
children of their age.
Nany-and the missionaries think nost--of
the pupils who make so good progress when at
school. when they go to their relatives, often be-
come intemperate, and perhaps use their know
ledge acquired at school for evil rather than
good This circumstance with many others,
and the opinion of the missionaries themselves,
confirms a belief have long entertained, that
the boards of missions have made a mistake
concerning an itineracy with their permanent
local establishments BY manual labor schools,
and neighborhood lyceums to be visited by It'll
nerating teachers all our native Indians, and L
believe all the tribes of Africans, could be civil
lied and chrstianized in'one generation, or in
half century.
A brother Of Mr.. Boudnot at the death ofhis
mother when four years old, could not speak
word of English. AT this time he exchanged
the family of his father for that of his brother,
and in three months could speak English WELL
but could not answer his father (who called to
see hm) question in Cherokee. That is, boy
four years old learnt one language and forgot
another in three months.
Many of the adult Cherokees, some fifty or
sixty years old, have learnt to read their lam
guage without any teacher but themselves, and
with no other impulse to make the attempt but
what originated in their own minds. Children
who have an English father and Cherokee mo-
Their, in almost every instance, learn the Ian
guage ofthe former first but at the age of three
wears they can generally speak both Language
es. The wives Of Boudinot and Ridge, who
were northern women, have four or five I'M