Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-01-08
INDIAN SCHOOL ATcARLIsLE, PA,

Capt. Pratt, to whose effects THIS
change was due, was anxious to con-
tinue in this new Indian warfare,
where the weapons were christian
love and interest. His next victory
was the placing by the authority OF
the interior department Of forty-nine
Indian children at Hampton lnsti-
tute.
The military barracks at Carlisle,
were unoccupied by troops. Pleas
antly located, the commodious build
ings, well adapted to such use, Capt.
Prott 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 Counteracted by
the evil influences of home associa-
tons. When Capt. Prattlaid before
Secretary Schurz his plan Of utilizing
the Carlisle Barracks for IN Indian
school, the Secretary at once gave it
his cordial support, and with the CO.
operation of the War Department, the
school 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 in their
savage garb, with long unkempt hair
and painted faces--the task of civili-
cation seemed hopeless. The first
lessons were on the uses of soap and
water, of scissors and comb, and then
the blankets and moccasins were
| laid aside for coats and shoes and
dresses. The number Of pupils at
present in the school is 2l2. The
tribes represented are Apaches, Ara
pahoes, Cheyennes, Comanches, kio-
was, Wichitas, Poncas, Pawnees, Nez
Perccs, Menomonees, Keechie, Tow
aconnis, Pueblos, SeminOles, 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 Us well as in name it is an
"Indian Training School, and it's
object is to make it's students useful,
self-reliant people, competent to sup
port themselves by their own exer"
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, and
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
apprenticed spend two days at work
and four 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, o Pawnee boy of fourteen,
edits tiny paper, "School News,H
which is made up from the unaided
productions of the students, The
other apprentices are employed in
needful work for the school. All
receive sixteen cents a day for the
time they work, and thus they have
opportunity for lessons in economy
and prudence in spending money.
Twelve of the boys are organized into
a brass band, and are able to play
quite number of pieces in manner
which does them much credit.
The teaching of the school rooms is
by such methods as experience has
shown to be best adapted to pupils
with M l-pnu 1oI no - En,.I;,h HNbn