The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-11-27
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
INDIAN SCHOOL AT CARLISLE. PA

the d0VernmenI at w aSnluStOu SEVEN years ago,
under the able management of Capt. Il. II. Pratt,
of the 10th U. s. Cavalry who has been ever since
its successful superintendent. 1t is located in the
northeast suburb of Carlisle, in healthy spot in
the beautiful Cumberland Valley. 1t has now 2S9
boys and LAT girls, a total of 436, ranging from
six years old to twenty. These are from 40 In
dian tribes. The largest numbe from the Pueblos
40; the next Apaches, As; then Osages, As
Sioux-Rosebud, AZ; Sioux-Pine Ridge 81;
Omahas, IS; Pawnees, Cheyennes, Arapahoes and
on down to the Caddoes, Keechies, Lipans, Mo-
docs, Onondagas, Poncas, Quapaws, Sacs and
Foxes, and Wyandottes, who have one each.
This school is an industrial one and they work
one-half of each day. They alternate. One set
is in the school learning to read write, cipher and
higher branches of study. The other is in the
shops or on the farm. The trades are timers,
blacksmths, carpenters, shoemakers tailors, VS.
gon-makers, painters, bakers, farmers, harness
makers. There is nothing that brings the young
Indian forward like contact with the whites in
civilized life. They learn our language quicker,
lose their prejudice against the whites and the
whites against them. They manifest q greater
desire to seek some regular work at trades or ag-
riculture than disposition to shirk work. In
some things they are very apt; in others but Slow
They initiate well. Passing around in the school
room you will see horse drawn on the slate or
some other object. Last Friday week several
Apache boys, from IL to Is years of age, were ad-
mitted. was shown their writing which was so
good that you are led to suspect that they were in
school before. But the teacher said no.
They seem contented and happy. Some have
bright faces, indicating more than ordinary mind,
intelligence and refinement. Even the dude is
there. One fellow had his cane, his hat on one
side, his bright necktie la mode, they came
to dinner, before which all are required to wash
their hands, brush the hair, &c. Some few of the
girls were noticed to wear their capes little
cloak, something like the mother wore her blan-
ket. Among many there was ease and grace
Among all-Indian like-imperturbability Yet
they seemed pleased to be noticed and would
answer yes or no when spoken to.
The printers shop was curiosity. Strange to
say lady mot Indian) at the head of it,
All the printers were Indian boys from 16 to 10
years of age. They did their work we'll but slower
than white workmen. Theirpaper is called Eadle
Keatah Tab, or The Morning Star. Its motto is
"God helps them who help themselves" It has
original stories from the pupils, but very short
and contains short photographic news. In one of
its numbers I noticed this "Grasshopper is
working on the railroad in Missouri. Good !"
Grasshopper is an Indian Apache young man who
with another, named Cotton Balcatzah, ran away
during the last year. They were among the most
incorrigible in the party when they arrived. They
were punished for some offense by the denial of
privileges to 60 out of the grounds, and being
compelled to do "police" duty, they ran away and
were not heard from for five months when Grass
hopper wrote from Central Missouri to one of his
companions here. Capt Pratt, learning this, in
structed DR.. Given, the school physician and his
teacher, to write to him, and from that there has
been correspondence since. Grasshopper re-
lates that they went far St. Louis together
and there became separated and lost each other.
He went into Central Missouri and hired out to a
farmer. The postmaster of the place and the man
he is with say he is doing WE'LL He is working
his way back to Carlisle.
EducatOn fits them to do we'll Their whole
treatment at the school impresses them with love
for it, and when away to come back again. IT'S
true some on their return home 60 back to savage
ry life. A bright Indian educated here married
a young Indian woman graduate and returned to
their tribe. They came back to Carlisle and he
now has been engaged by Capt. Pratt officer.
They prefer this to their former life. Educate the
Indian and he will become civilized and love our
ways. Capt. Pratt says Throughout the year
the students of the higher grades, with few excep
tons, have been studious and obedient. They
grow rapidly in general intelligence, using library
books more constantly and subscribing for papers
and magazines. Two literary societies have been
well sustained and have proved admirable
stimulus to Independent thought and investigation.
In the higher grades we have anticipated more
than two years the action of the Government re-
quiring instruction in Indian schools as to the
nature of alcoholic drinks and narcotics and their
effects upon the human system, using as text
books alcohol and Hygiene and Browns Les
sons.'"
The Captain says "There is an entire freedom
from all forms of serious acute diseases as we'll as
from all prevailing epidemics." Yet death visits
them as well as in all other communities. "0f the
eleven deaths among our students during the year
past" he says, "eight died from phthisis, one
from tubercular epilepsy, one from dropsy,
result of chronic malaria, and one suicide" Thus
it will be seen that none were endemcal but near
ly all hereditary.
The Captain also says "The local religious in
fuence and assistance continues. Our students
welcome attendants in the several churches
and Sabbath schools of the town and into church
membership. The kindliest interest in their well
fare is shown on the part of all the churches and
1 count this cooperation one of the most whole
some and efficient aids to our work. We have the
services every Sunday of one or the other of the
several clergyman of Carlisle, without regard to
creed, who come to the school and preach for u.s."
Gen. Sherman once said "The Indians are the
enemies of civilization" But Gen. Sherman or
any other General will seek to overcome his enemy
by making him prolong his lines, scatter his forces
and then take him in detail. But the poor gener-
alship of civilization, when it attacks savagery,
forces its enemy to concentrate and that prolongs
the fight. Adopt some plan to humanely scatter
the Indians among the whites and see how soon
their savage ways will disappear. Had the color.
ed people been treated like the Indians they would
have remained savages. There is better way to
do this than to make slaves of them. Educate
them. Let the Government spend in schools but
a 1.-THE of what the Indian wars cost them and the
problem is solved of "What shall be done with the
Indian ?" We owe it to them. We haze stolen
their lands and forced them into exile now
girdle them with schools like the one In Carlisle.
The past has shown that the Indian can be edu-
Gated and really loves it, The common plea of
justice demands it. God demands justice of ma
tions as we'll as of individuals. We cannot give
them back their lands. We have aggrandzed
them so as now they have become the wealth of
the nation. Were they returned to the Indian he
could not use them. Pay for them out of our surplus
funds. Let the tariff alone and let it yield all it
cam Use it for the Indians Gods providence
points to this. OCCASIONAL.