The Portland daily press., 1886-04-09
INDIAN SCHOOLS.
The Statements Of Messrs. Holman
and Cannon Refuted.


1t is almost enough to shake ones faith in
the aggregate wisdom of our representative
Lawmakers to read the stupendous misstate-
ments made in the House on March 18th by
Messrs. Holman, Cannon, Ryan and Peel,
the Congressional committee appointed to in
vestigate the condition of education among
the Indians with the purpose of influencing
government. The debate was on the appro-
priation for Indian education; the point at
ISSUE the efficiency Of the Eastern Industrial
Schools at Hampton, Carlisle and the Lin
coin Institute at Philadelphia. Mr. Holman
speaking was thus appealed to by Mr.. Can
non Quoted from the Congressional Record:
"Let me ask the gentleman from Indiana if it is
not true that, upon the most careful inquiry
which he has been able to make, and from extern
sive travel among the Indians, that, without ex-
ception the Indian children educated at Carlisle
Hampton, and elsewhere. off the reservations
who were not given employment by the govern
mental a very early period lapsed into barbar-
ISM and if it is not true that their condition was
frequently worse than if they had not been edu-
Mr.. Hoiman.-"Oh, yes; that think issto be
answered in the affirmative, etc."
Judge Holman afterward rather qualified
his statement but Mr.. Cannon toward the
close of the discussion restated his position
more strongly:
1--WE made diligent Inquiry. across the continent
| on the north and across the continent on the
south, and we could not find that there was one
student of all the hundreds educated at Carlisle
or Hampton, or in any one of the schools off the
reservations, but had gone back to their savage
life in very short time, except few that were
employed by the government OF the United
States"
The swallow flight across the continent of
four politicians bent on summer holiday
may not afford the best facilities for collect
ng evidence; perhaps they could not find''
the Hampton students; all the same they
were there We have the testimony of min
listers, missionaries and teachers, absolutely
disinterested men and women, who have
lived among the Indians from one to twelve
years. and seen successive bands of Indian
youths and girls go East stay their four
years, and return to lead fairly industrious
and civilized life, struggling all the time
with obstacles of which we have no concep-
ton.
Altogether too much is known throughout
the country about the results of the expert
ments in Indian education, to allow the
lenged. The active and -philanthropic MEM
bers of both the Indian Rights Associations
are to be found in nearly every state in the
Union, giving their whole time and good
deal of money to investigating, observing and
sitting evidence with regard to different
methods of dealing with Indians, the end
being to fit them for the full privileges of
citizenship in the United States. None of
these people wish to work for a cause whose
failure is foregone conclusion. They are
unsalaried, receiving no emolument. They
are continually sending qualified persons
West to estimate the results of their efforts,
Against the negative testimony of the Con-
gressional committee we submit the follow
ing.-MisS Helen W. Ludlow of Hampton,
Va, a lady of character and ability, with
eight years experience in teaching Indians,
was sent out the past summer to investigate
the record of Hampton's returned students
She says:
II spent over two months of last summer in Da-
kota, visiting all the agencies there, from which
Hampton has drawn Indian students. With the
exception OF Cheyenne River, where had but a
few hours, stayed at each of these agencies from
four to ten days, and am greatly indebted to the
courtesy of their various officers for full opportu
mites afforded me for observation. To these six
agencies have been returned from Hampton, at
various times within the last five years, 1872 stu
dents: AT young women and girls, 50 young men
and boys, OF an average age of twenty years, and
In most cases. after three years course at Hamp
ton. Over fifty Of these saw myself. Of each Of
them, by name, have special and detailed ac-
counts, gathered from their agents, missionaries
teachers and employers. This is the record, good
and bad.
to their savage life,' elapsed into barbarsm," to
the extent of wearing blanket. One of the four
boy ~ who finds his accustomed dress the most
comfortable. The two others are young women,
for whom there is less excuse; they were urged
husbands and masters. One more young man re-
turned to the blanket and dances for time, but
White mans road" Still another doomed the
blanket, when too weak to work for other clothes,
but pathetically begged to be buried "like white
man." Nine-twO girls and seven boys-are re-
ported as bad lazy, vicious and troublesome,
though they keep themselves in citizens dress and
and twenty-five boys-are doing fairly wel.n
Seventy-two OF the 1872, VIZ twenty-six girls and
markedly well' ever since their return home The
boys have worked at their trades, OF on their
farms or at other, manual labor, or as clerks or
teachers; the girls as assistants in schools or
helping their parents. Eight have married well
and are keeping house for themselves Not such
the whole number nineteen have died.
To look into the question of government en-
ployment, Mr.. Cannon declared: 1--WE could not
savage life in a very short time, except few that
were employed by the government Judge Hol-
by the Tbey a 5qey are
ported by the government just as every con-
gresham is. or any other person in government
employ, who does, or Is supposed to do, so much
honest work for so much pay. Out of the 1872 but
thirty-nine have been in government employ at
done Every we'll" If Judge Holman had made
his weakest statement his strong one, if he had
called earnest attention to the fact that without
Indian, like any other weak mortal is every apt
to go down instead OF up, he would have been an
n0unc1ng a UNIVERSAL LruJn winch cannot pc zoo
often urged in the work of civlzing the Indian"
The above testimony by Miss Ludlow is
abundantly borne out by Miss Elaine Good
ale, who spent months among the Dakota
Sioux. Also by Mr.. Herbert Welsh, Secreta-
ry of the Indian Rights Association, who has
paid three visits, in the last four years, to
the Great Sioux reservation, and one to the
Navajo reservation in New Mexico. Also by
the Ri Rev. William Hare, ID. d., Bishop
of the Episcopal church in southern Dakota,
who has spent twelve years among Indians,
whose children have been largely represent
ed IN these Eastern schools.
captain Pratt opened the Carlisle school in
1879 Since then he has had 1041 students.
1 Inc record of the returned students of Car
l Isl Is most satisfactory; but seven out of
the lO4l ever haying been charged with Grim
ma ma conduct. Congress allows to Carlisle
$l7I5 year per capita, to Hampton S167. The
buildings, machinery and appliances for
work at both these schools are largely the
outcome of private benevolence. WV
Judge. Holman advises that, because. in
his opinion, the day schools on the Reserya-
tions have done less in the way of educating
and civilizing than is desirable, they should