Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-30
EDUCATING THE RED MEN.
Views Of the New superintendent of
Indian Affairs.

Samuel H. Albro, of Fredonia, New York, the
| newly-appointed superintendent Of Indian
schools, arrived in the city yesterday. To-day
he was at the Indian Office, and he told q
STAR reporter that he wanted to make himself
somewhat familiar with the Office before taking
active charge. He was introduced to the
clerks by Indian Commissioner Oberly. Mr..
Albro created favorable impression among
the officials of the Indian Bureau by his ap-
pearance and manner. He is a man of medium
height, inclined to be somewhat stout, and has
the clear-cut style of expressing himself char
| acteristic of practical man. He has been en-
gagged as an educator all his life and was prin-
cipal of the Normal School in Fredonia and re-
Gently one of the lecturers of the Teachers In
stitute. He is now about fifty years Of age.
While he has not given special attention to
the subject OF Indian education, yet he evil
IDENTIFY considers that it is an important feature
of the Government policy in dealing with the
TALK WITH MR. ALBRo.
In the course of brief conversation with a
STAR reporter to-day, he said that if Indian
children were educated the Indians would then
be in a fair way Of becoming citizens and able
to care for themselves. A sufficient number of
children should, however, receive the benefits
Of education to prevent the slipping back into
uncivilized habits which is natural when a
child is sent from a school back to its home.
As far as literary education was concerned, he
thought that only the elements should be
taught, and in this way the children's feet
would be set in the path of civilization and
their onward progress would be in accordance
with the natural development Of the human
mind. He expressed himself as being opposed
to what might be termed over education as
tending to unfit the Indian children for the
life they must lead when returned to their
homes.
ENLARGED POWER OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
The Office to which Mr.. Albro is appointed
has been in existence for the past six years, and
has been to a certain extent division of the
Indian Bureau. clause was inserted in the
Indian appropriation bill during the recent
session of Congress which entirely changed the
character and scope Of the offcs. The sAper-
intendent under the new law is required to
visit the schools where the Indians are taught
in whole or in part by Government appropria-
tions, and to report to the Secretary Of the In
terror any defects in these schools and what
changes needed to remedy them. The
superintendent can subject to the approval Of
the Secretary of the Interior, employ and dis
charge superintendents, teachers, and any
other person connected with schools wholly
supported by the Government, and with like
approval make such rules and regulations for
the conduct Of such schools as in his judgment
their good may require. The salary is fixed by
the law at $4,000 per annum, which is an in
crease of $1,000.
1t is not decided whether this Office shall be
entirely under the direction of the Secretary
of the Interior or whether the duties Of the
superintendent shall be performed through the
machinery OF the Indian Office.