Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-06-05
InDIAN AsD xEeEo EDUCATION.

slvely known Old Point Comfort, Is an lnstl-
tuition that in certain respects has an interest
no other educ l;ionsl institution in the coun-
try presents. All educational Institutions have
features which attract the attention of those
who think that "the proper study of man
kind is man." but nearly the whole of these
are confined to the development Of the minds
and talents OF youth of our own race. The
Hampton Institute, on the contrary, is de-
voted to the training of young persons not OF
our race, that have not our tastes, modes DIRE
garding things and events, nor our traditions
and associations. 1t is training The children
of people who are in the condition our an
the woods, and fishermen on the waters, and
others whose immediate anc- Jtors have been
much in the same position as Walter SCOTS
Gurtb, the swineherd, and GAMBIA, the fool.
The training of such has the in
terest of an experiment, upon the
issue of which vast results depend. The
antbropologist cannot but teel a profound
concern in an effort that will show how far
modern skill can counteract the defects arts
ing from ancestral depreciation or ancestral
ignorance. Ire question of transmitted ten
denotes is here brought 10 q practical issue
that cannot but have it's effect upon modern
theories. The Hampton Institute is engaged
in impartiDg to Indians and negroes the
school education hitherto almost altogether
restricted to the white rAoe.-The ArrEAL
recently gave some account of The peculiar
difficulties that beset this task. The princi-
pal one, SO far as the experiment has gone,
appears to arise, not from anything Pc
culiar in the organization, but from the sur
roundings amid which the pupils have been
brought up. The white child, when he en-
tiers the school, has already fund of INTEL
ligent ideas, gathered from home and from
associations elsewhere. He hes listened to
conversations from those who, at least, read
the newspapers. He has at his command a
considerable vocabulary of words connected
with a wide range of knowlc 1ge,
and he has been used to hearing
ways, literally aud iguratively. When he
enters school he understands without effort
the words he meets with in the simple book
he begins to read in. Not 80 the negro child,
He has spoken and heard spoken at his home
only corrupt English, which often inca
pacitstes him from understanding most OF
the commonest words he meets with when he
has learned to read in book. instruction.
teaches him to utter the words, as instruction
would teach any oil US TO read the words of q
Hebrew book. But as the child may be
taught TO read Hebrew without any concep'
| tion Of the sense OF what he is reading, s1 il
| sometimes the case with the less Instructed
Jews, 80 the negro can be readily taught lc
read English, but it requires much effort tC
make him understand it. There is great
| amount of knowledge at the back of word
| which ia necessary to the understanding o
| words and what is associated with them. Fol
want of this knowledge, or from distortiel
of knowledge that is worse than ignoranct
and has 10 be unlearnsd, the negro youth labol
under an immense disadvantage, mes easy fol
those who are not very intimats acquainted
With them to understand. Wiz the Indian
It is sill worse, he does not know
our language and in his own Their,
are no books. AS far as these initial diff
culiies 60, it will be seen that they are tn,
results of outward conditions, and of them
selves indicate NO natural inferioriiy OF men
tai power. These remarks will enable tn,
reader better to comprehend the following &C
count of the anniversary proceedings at tn,
Hampton Institute two weeks ago. There
was large attendance to witness the pro
ceediBgs, and great interest uas manifested
The exercises were not a mere show fo
which the pupil had been drilled weeks be
torehand, but were the ordinary lessons anC
routine of the institution as it goes on ever,
day. The decent appearance and simpl
dress OF the pupils excited admiration a
suitable TO the occupations in which the!
were engaged. The girls especially made
pretty appearance in their plain, neat attire
The subjects Of the lessons included cIvi
government, history, literature, grammar
arithmetic and reading. An Indian class ha,
lesson in botany. In the shops connects
with the institute Indians work busiIy az car
penters, timer, harnessmakers, shoemaker
blscksmiths and wheelwrights. Negro stu
dents were in the sawmiu and wood. workin
departments, fourteen or fifteen of then
were at work at buildings in the fields. Their
is printing Office, where instruction
given in printing and book-binding, and i
one of the halls was displayed work of tn
pupils of both sexes in saetaIs wood, leathe
and cloth. The domestic industry of ID
house was found to be admirably conductet
in the kitchen, laundry and the gardens. i
these very useful training is given. Their
are night schools, ia which pupils are pre-
pared for the day schools; the church sci
vice was especially rsverential and pleasiu;
II such thing as moral atmosphere ca
be created, there were evidences of its e.
isteDcs; II encompasses the student from b
admission onward, and few resist its eleva
ing influence. Many Of the maturer pupil
are church members, and are spoken of high
ly BY the chaplain. They aid in prayer
meetings and teach in Sunday -school
The graduates read essays, the content
of which manifested great advancement
They were generally of practical natur,
some referring to their school experienc,
some relating TO the aim in life to which the
intended to devote themselves. Many of til
negroes intend 10 become teachers anaon
their own race, some graduates whs ar