St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-19
ADDITIONAL ST.. PAUL NEWS.
ARIsTOCRATHC SIOUX
At the School for Indian Boys in
Swift County.

AT the ScnOOl Tor indian BOYS III
Swift County.
81 have recently visited The Indian school
in Swift county," remarked well-known
gentleman to GLOBE reporter yesterday,
in casual conversation, land / made a
pretty careful study of some of the details
of its management" In response to ques-
tons the gentleman continued: 1.-The
school is located on rising ground mile or
so west of Clontarf, small station on the
Breckenridge division of the st. Paul.
Minneapolis & Manitoba, about 140 miles
west Of St. Paul. 1t occupies two large
building, with its class rooms, dormtories,
recitation rooms, dining hall. ETC., and at
present has 100 or more boys in attendance
They come from Standing Rock, Turtle
Mountain, Devils Lake and other Indian
reservations in Dakota. and range in age
from and 10 to IS or 90. The boys are
taught reading. writing, arithmetic and the
other studies usual to primary and gram
mar school course, as well as all the details
OF farming, dairying, shOemaking, tailoring,
carpentering and other trades. The idea is
to teach them to be self-supporting and in
dustrious before they return to their homes.
Surrounding the school are 1000 acres of
land, only part of which is at present I'M
der cultivation. There are over one hun
dred head of cattle. besides horses and other
live stock. A fine large barn, with stalls for
100 head, and storage for 800 tons of hay,
has recently been completed, portion of
the carpenter work beng done by the boy
themselves. The class rooms are goods
sized rooms, well ventilated and heated.
The Indians, those who have been to school
year or so, read and write very well and
show equal proficiency in mathematics.
They are very quiet and orderly in their
classes. listen very attentively to their
teachers and seem deeply interested in their
studies. 1t is curious to note the pride they
have in their nationality or tribes. The
Sioux
ARE THE ARIsToCRATs,
they hold themselves rather aloof from the
others, and their superiority seems to be
acknowledged by the Indians flom less
prominent tribes. One of the brothers who
has charge Of the boys, was cutting their
hair one day when he noticed the difference
| in the contour of the head of one OF them
as compared with those who had just left
| the BARRIERS chair. You are not Sioux,
Joseph, are you?' he asked. The boy hung
! his head, heSitated and finally said with
evident shame No, 1 am Blackfoot
Morally, the boys are all that could be de-
sired. They are truthful. honest, never
| swear and though slow are careful and at
| tentive to their work. Some of them with
musical taste have manufactured two OIL
three homemade violins. quite creditable
productions, with which they amuse them
selves, playing Indian tunes in the evening.
| In short. they seem lively, good-natured.
happy crowd of boys. very well contented
with their school and its surroundings.
What the ultimate result of this system OF
educating the Indians will be, time. OF
course, alone can show. But there is every
reason to hope that in it will be found the
true solution to our vexed Indian question.
The Indian girls are also being educated al
Avoca, in Murray county and at St. JOSEPH
in Stearns. If these civilized boys anC
girls marty and settle down, as is expected
and hoped, our Indian population in a few
years will not only be self-supporting, bu
will be as industrious and useful citizens as
their white neighbors."