Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-01-06
INDIAN SCHOOL ATCARLIsLE, IA.


Territory, civilized, industrious men,
Capt. Pratt, to whose effects this
change was due, was anxious TO con
timc IN this new Indian warfare,
where the weapons were christian
love and interest. His next victory
WIS The placing by the authority Of
the interior department of iUlty-nlnc
Indian children at Hampton lnsti-
tute.
The military barracks 1T Carlisle,
were uiloccupied by troops. Pleas
autly located, the commodious build
inys, well adapted to sucl, use, Capt.
Profit decided that this was the place
for an Indian school. Educational
work on an Indian reserve is doubly
difficult, because the teaching of the
schools is SO much eoumteracted by
the evil influences of home associa-
tons. When Capt. Pratt laid before
Sccretat, Seliuiz his plan Of utilizing
the Carlisle Barracks for an Indian
school, the Secretary at once gave 1t
his cordial support, and with the co
operation of the WalDepartmcnt, the
Ecboul was opened.
The first delegation Of eight four
boys and girls from Red Cloud and
Spotted Tails bands of Sioux arrived
in October, 1879. These children
were fresh from the lodges, utterly
wild and uncivilized, clad i'll their
savage yart, with long unkempt hair
and painted faces the task of civil
cation seemed hopeless. The first
lessons were on the uses Of soap and
water, of scissors and comb, and then
the blankets aud mOccasins We're
laid aside for coats and shoes and
dresses. The number of pupils at
present in tile school is 2l2. The
tribes represented arc Apacles, Ara
pahoes, Cheyennes, Comanchcs, kio-
was, Wichitas, Poncas, Pawnccs, Ncz
Perces, Menomonecs, kccclllc, Tow
aconnis, Pueblos, Selninoles, lowas,
Sacs, Foxes and Lipans. Applications
for the admission Of children from
other tribes are constantly received,
and it is anticipated that the number
will ere long reach 300, the full ca
pacity Of the school.
In deed as well as in name it is an
"Indian Training School, aud its
object is to make its students useful,
self-reliant people, competent to sup
port themselves by their own eXcr-
tons. They are therefore trained in
industrial pursuits. In the kitchen,
dining room and laundry The girls
receive careful instruction in house
hold duties. In the sewing room
they learn to cut, make and mend
garments. Many of them use the
sewing machine very skilfully, aud
it is quite amusing on mending days
to see the crowd of little ones gath
cred about the great basket of stock
ings to be darned.
Connected with the school are shops
where the boys receive instruction in
various trades. Those who are
apprcnticed spend two days at work
and fOul in school each week. There
are tailors, shoemakers, carpenters,
blacksmiths, timers, wagon and
harness makers, printers and bakers.
The wagon makers harness makers
and trimmers are kept busy in filling
orders for goods to be supplied by the.
Indian Department to Indians on the
reservations. The printers do con-
siderable work for the school, and one
of them, u Pawnee boy of fourteen,
edits a tiny paper, "School News.
which is made up from the unaided.
productions of the students. The.
other apprentices are employed in
neediul work for the school. All
receive sixteen cents u day for the
time they work, and thus they have.
opportunity for lessons in economy
aud prudence i'll spending money.
Twelve of the boys are organized into
q brass band, and are able to play.
quite u number of pieces in manner
which does them much credit. (
The teaching of the school rooms is
by such methods as experience has