Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-08-12

Thsy ARE AN uScouTH sEr-AN ANPLt SfKL
FOR THE YEARLY MEETINGS. COMMITTEE.

II
FOR THE YEARLY MEETINGS. COMMITTEE. 4
Az the last yearly meeting of rrissds CLICK
ite,) at Philadelphia, a large committee, compo.
ed Of forty of the most philanthropic men anu
women, was appointed to assist In and oversees
Tue work among tho indians. To this commit
lee, and the apparent need for Us prompt action,
there arc several illusions In recent private let
ter from Mary b. Lightfoot, wife of Thomas
Lightfoot, the Agent at MOZART, Nebraska. Mrs.
Lightfoot is an enterpiising woman, strongly in
terestcd In education, and WINS always prominent
In the labor of assisting the Freed people at ths
South. From the letter referred to, we quote as
fillows,-
MOZART, eth Mo. 14th, 1863.
What field for missionary work Is here
among these poor Indian women and children,
and the men too, II any one could have the heart
to undertake them. They are pSaceablc and
friendly, and appear to have confidence in th"lr
agent; they come to him freely with oil their
complaints and wants, and we feel entirely safe |
ansng them and as far as our own personal COM
.fp,t is concerned, we are doing very well but as
we look around and see the moral degradation
aud all the physical needs to say nothing of their
spiritual nature we feel restless and inpatient TO
have some of the interest manifested in our late
Yearly meeting for this people, put Into the shape
ii labor and funds.
1.-THE Indians here have plenty of land-t the
Government does mitch for them = provides
schools, tsooks teachcre, aud 1t seems to us does
MI it can. They arc smart and sharp enough,
ind were they only trained to habits of industry,
cleanliness and economy they could soon drop
this miserable chiefship, give up the tribal ar
rangemcnt, which keeps back and SO wrongs the
women and children, and become citizcns but
this has to be done outside Of Government, or
rather by cooperating with Government In the
way ot missionary work and in n true missiond,y
spuit. This has been accomplished in Kansas IN
| the case Of the Delawares, who have broken ny
their old relations as tribe, become citizens AID
engagcd In farming and other avocatioas indivii-
ually. To looking ut all this from our own stand
point, we have exclaimcd, oh home or manu- !,
labor school Into which could be gathered the
many orphans and other girls and buys now r5v-
ing abont over the prairie wrapped in u blanket
often besgiug their food or q ring without; at
night sleeping on buffalo skins IN wictc.itd bark
huts The boys learning to smoke, chew and dtinh,
aud growing up to be idle and worthless rs .ii'i
men generally are, aud the girls to the position
and fate of an Indian squ4w. Could they thus
be gathered where they would have to drop their
lingo, and acquire our language, and learn to
study and work In a regular systematic way, hay
ing their hair cut, paint and dirt washed of, aud
a decent, comfortable dress put on them. Il,
seems to rs 1t would be what these poor children
heed. And we expect great things In this direc'
lion when that large Committee get iarly to
work They will find the /" fields white uuto the
harvest" and no doubt they will put iu thcil
sickles. Aud now, MS have no commission, aud
this is not official but private letter, am 20
Ing to say that do hope whcnn, that Committed
send out their delegates they will not be I'LL men
That experiment has been fairly tried, think
with the Indians. The Department aud Commits
sions have all been men, also the superintendent
agents. preachers, and mostly the teachers con
seouently the interests OF the women aud children
. have been overlooked and things stand as the.
do, at least so 1t appears 10 me, and speak onl.
for myself. Now, wonld IL not be well to tr.
what the Judgment, labor and influence oil con-
mittec of large-hearted, practical working We
: men, aided by men Of the same ilk, to sec to th
4 handbook I'LL up the estimates ard assist gcnor
: ally, would do? Ii one year undcr such an 90
Y mustraiion did not work change for the better
/, then would be willing to give il back This n
j, s,rge Is ncalctt 10 Philadelphia and easiest {
access, and the Sacety of Friends, If they SC
" proper, eau make their mark here with lcss trot
bic ard expense than at some Of the Other r.
i scarves. No other religious society has had hol
Il, of this for years, and there Is no prejudice anon
b. the Idians with which to contend. Of course
"a am mily talking to you, and not debating or To-
- ing cut work for the Committee or the Society
y they will no doubt do what they find for the
ID hands to do
4 Did / tell thee about my First day schoo
NJ Well, 1t is still in existence and pretty well q
Il. tended, the scholars coIhe Struggling In from
nc to O'Clock, thus managing to occupy the be
If part OF my First-day. II they could oil spc'
l.t,,lt t,.far md dr.. tba
al some good as 1t is. do not know that 1t is
I'd much account unless 1t should induce some
We wash and comb ups little, and, as we are to
that " cleanliness is next TO Godliness,'' perrin
If. it may count in that direction. Laot week re
an the commandments and talked little about theI
10 also the sermon on the mount" and sol
us scraps of poetry such as THEY could unds.sta
r., and appreciate. have read the two poems
We and the interpreter present they seemed pleas
to and interested, but fear shall run cut Of 81
nj able reading matter; do send Inc some.
to But my special interest Is in the day scho
nd which took charge of the first of this mon
,ut the teacher having resigned. The account {
led gave of 1t was not encouraging. The ex-age
nj employees and all have told me that the scht
no has never been success. In the first place,
ly. children could not attend secondly, they cot
ri not speak English and moreover, they would |
Id apply themselves il they did come land could To
rs. But you know my hope is large, so conclud
'ay to undertake It for time, and even II ! fail
nj. hall still helieve that some with more acu
N, and patience can make this school amount
are something,
Nv We'll, The opening came-and what set
Inc presented! company OF nnwashed untomo
yill PAINTED, ear-ringed, braceletted little human
IAN Tugs Boys from six to fourteen, with no GOV
Nil ing but calico shirt coming to the knees, an
in filthy blanket wrapped about them which u
pe- take off when they sat down or went out to pl
,ct. Young girls just coming into .womanhood ba
I'M headed and barefooted; their only garment
itb calico SKIRT sort Of blouse hanging just Dol
con the waist. They also had blanket around th
in or on their arm. Out Of 20 only four could
eIn would utter one word Of English. These f
ma are beginning to read a little-the rest appea
Del to know nothing and would do nothing but t
Who Iowa and repeat the alphabet after me as poin
} II 70 each letter with my pencil. felt that
Der. was more than bad bargained for; but perh
Of time and patience may work out something
y ter. The filth and nakedness could not endr
had no resource except my own pocket, VIII
did not very much like to fall bnck upon.
thought of the committe of 40, and the fund
their disposal, and had faith that they would mi
p is not, and could not wait to write so at the
int of three days l went to White Cloud, our neal
= store, five miles distant, and bought basin, SO
vi towels, six dollars worth Of stuff for pants
reid sent the children home for their mothers, anl
h. and went to work cutting out. She cut
~ aprons, and had the little girls to make them
der her superintendence. attended to the pal
ar 'He '.iothSio nCncu ui uhJs nnu Sutlc phch
I'M. morning and finished several suits. l have tt
' suits left on my hands for some who have
s. mothers. The children are well pleased, and
scs, little fellow who lived two miles away came Q
n, early next morning for milk his pants were
ishcd, but not the little jacket TO which they
ac- 70 be but'oned, but he had the pants on, hold
the them up with both hands.
ret. $500. -. -
er. -N--
in now THE HARVARD BOYS ARE DOING.
viii VIII We confess to greatly increased intel
is A IN the annroachinp hoat race in ENGLAND