Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-06
EDUCATING INDIANS.


Carlisle, Pa, Dec. a0.-How 10 dispose
of the Indian Is a question which has been
agitating our government tor years. VAR.
Gus methods have been proposed and tried
and but little good result, If any. has at-
crucd from nny OF them. The present
plsn-ihat of bringing the Indian children
into a civilized portion OF our country,
placing them in schools and having them
instructed as our own Children-seeMs the
most humane, reasonable, and feasible one
yet proposed. The question naturally arises,
will it be u success, or will 1t be but II
needless expenditure OF time and montyg
So apparent has been the utter futiltty ut
previous attempts tina. many have TO II Ger
tain extent become prejudiced, and believe
thu, u like result will follow from the pre-
sent plan. Taking the school lately eslah-
l,shed here MS a criteilon, we
may safely say that good results are
sure TO follow from this method. Certain it
is that the people have not manifested rs
much interest i'll any other as in this, and TO
show the interest of the chiefs OF the tribes
here represented we need but state tn al
they have ~signltied their intention of visit
ing the school next March. The interest of
our people is not confined to this vicinity,
but is felt throughout the state. 1t il this
that has prompted me to give the Times
SOulI lSPoAt vi ~ SGiOOIy AOPiD6 ~ uhA!
not prove uninteresling to its many readers
The school is situated at what was form
erly known az the "Gar!ison," q beautiful
spot a short distance northeast Of our
borough, In order 10 make the children o
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 a new
chapel-a one-story frame building 36x60
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 a barraca
into a dormi,ory for the boys, containing
bathroom, laundry, reading rooms and an
Office, the converting OF another building
into a dormitory for the girls, the arrange
ment of recitation and store rooms, ami the
erection Of a new fence around the buildings.
One hundred aud titty.eight pupils are in
attendance, one hundred and fifteen boys
and forty-,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, Nez Perces, Cheyenne, Kiowa,
Ponca, Arapahoe, Comanche, Menomonie,
Nayaioe 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, Il
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 instructing
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 :
respective companies and march in regular
order. All the children are requi.e ed
to be neat 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 aptness in learning, and
one would be surprised to see the progress
they have made in the short four
months they have 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-
zion 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 Entertainment 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 ur five
gifls. The majority Of the gifts were u-e-
fu!, 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 Tor
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 "lan
will be a failure Surely it is evide : to
every one that more good has resulted nom
it in the short time it has been in operation
than in all the methods heretofore tried.