Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-06
EDUCATING INDIANS.
How india" children Thrive 4" aCiVs-
ltEed Country.

Carlisle, Pa, Dec. 29.-How 10 dispose
of the Indian Is n question which has been
s aeitating our government Tor years. VAR.
Gus methods have been proposed aud tried
and hut little good result, It any. has az
crued from any of them. The present
plan-that of bringing the Indian children
into u civilized portion OF our country,
placing them in schools and having them
instructed as our own C~htldren-seems the
most humane, reasonable, and feasible one
vet proposed. The question naturally arises,
will il be a success, or will II be but u
needless expenditure OF time and monty!
SO apparent has been the utter futility ut
previous attempts that many have to Il Ger
lain extent become prejudiced. and believe
that Il like result will follow from the pre-
sent plan. Taking the school lately eslab-
l,shtd here as Il critetlon, we
may safely say that good results are
sure TO follow from this method. Certain it
is that the people have not manifested as
much interest Ill any other IA in this, and 10
show the interest of the chiefs OF the tribes
here represented we ueed but state that
they have signltied their intention of visit
our people is not confined to this vicinity,
but is felt ,hrough,u, the state. 1t is this
that has prompted me to give the Times
\ ohiG ASRplI vi ~ SSuooiD "A'R'p6 Sy
not prove undressing to its many readers
The school is situated at what was form
erly known a. the "Gar.ison," a beautiful
spot a short distance northeast Of our
borough In order to make the children .
comfortable as possible, aud to have every
thing convenient, it was found necessary to
erect one or two new buildings, aud to
make some changes in the old ones. The
most important improvements are q new
chapel-a onc.s,ory frame building 36N6O
feet,-a building for the purpose Of
giving mechanical instruction, the establish
ment of an industrial department for the
making of clothing, the retitling and re-
furnishing OF the old hospital, the convert
ing ola building formerly used as 4 barrack
into 4 dormi,ory for the boys, containing
bathroom, laundry, reading rooms and an
Office, the converting OF another building
into Il d1rmitory for the girls, the arrange
ment of recitation and store rooms, and the
erection of fence around the buildings.
One hundred and titty.eight pupils are in
attendance, one hundred and fifteen boys
and toriy-.hree girls. Among the number
are two daughters and four sons of Spotted
Tail and several from the camps of Spotted
Tail and Red Cloud. All the children have
the large black eye, high cheek bone,
beautiful pearly teeth, and peculiar nose.
Eleven tribes are represented-Sioux,
Chippewa, Me- Perces, Cheyenne, Kiowa,
Ponca, Arapahoc, Comanche, Menomonie,
Nayajoe and Santee. The school Is under
the management Of Capt. Pratt and Lieut..
Brown. The instruction Of the children is
under the supervision of Miss Simple, a
lady Of considerable experience in educa.
tional matters. She is assisted in her work
by seven other lady teachers. The children
are graded according to their degree Of
proficiency. Some are already able to read
and write very we'll. The blackboard is
found to be the best means of ipstructing
the smaller children. Copies are given on
the board and the children follow them as
nearly as possible. In addition to this the
girls are being instructed in managing and
keeping their rooms in order, in sewing,
and in household duties. The boys are also
required to keep their rooms neat and in
good order. They are divided into three
companies and one detachment, and drill at
regular intervals. In going to and from
their meals they are arranged in the 3
order. All the children are requi. ed
to be nea. in their appearance at
the table and conduct themselves properly.
The have been taught to use the
knife and fork, and anyone to see them eat
would not think they had recently been
brought from The frontier. The children
have shown great ap,ness in learning, and
one would be surprised to see the progress
they have made in the short four
months they nave been here. They are
delighted with their new quarters and have
no desire to return to their native place.
Ever since they have arrived they have
been attending service in some Of the
charches. a party of six, who came from
the school at Hampton roads, have formed
themselves into a class in the Second
Presbyterian Sabbath school and are regu.
lar in their attendance. 1t is the inten-
tion to send a number to each Sabbath
school in town, and thus better acquaint
them with the habits Of christian people.
The past week has been an enjoyable one
to the young Indians. Some Of the Sab.
bath schools gave entertainments and in.
vited them to participate. On Christmas
evening exercises we're held in the new
chapel. The room was nicely decorated
for the occasion. Two large Christmas
treas laden with gifts received from
persons in all parts of the country, and
some from the chiefs Of the tribes, were
placed in the room opposite the main en-
trance. Every pupil received four Vi five
gifts. The majority Of the gifts were use.
ful, consisting Of linen collars and cuffs,
neckties, pictures, music books, handker-
chiefs, drawing states, etc. The pleasant
est part of the exercises was the singing of
"The Home Over There "We Praise
Thee, o Cod" By the Indian children.
Cspt. Pratt has been receiving gifts To-
the school for the past four weeks, among
the number being a printing press from a
lady in Philadelphia. 1t il proposed to
instruct them in the art Of printing.
With these facts before us-lhe interest
Of the people, the children and chiefs in
the work, the willingness of the children to
learn-can We say that the present alan
will be a failure ? Surely it is evide : to
every one that more good has resulted ,,om
it in the short time it has been in operation
than in all the methods heretofore tried.
Can we not give it still further encourage.