Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-27
Early Indian tsyangeliza,ion.

Before Nebraska ana Kansas were organ
lied into territories, in May, 1854, treaties
were made with several Indian tribes, In
which these pre-occupants OF the soil ceded
their rights TO tho United States, excepting
the several reservations to which they were
to be removed and confined. These treaties
stipulated for the payment of annulties ac-
cordiug to population, portion of which,
with the consent of Indians was set apart
for education and the purchase of imple-
ments of civilized labor.
The commissioner of Indian affairs sub
mitted certain measures which were ap
proved by President Pierce, and which, If car
Iled out, it was believed would give every
child on the reservation an English educa-
ton.
The Presbyterian board had for some
years been conducting missions among three
of these tribes, viz, the 1owas, Sacs and
Olnahas, and gladly entered into contracts
with the government t9oarry out the avowed
policy of both in repect to these, and includ-
ing with them also the Otoes and kicka-
poos. eef
BY the terms of fthesecontracts. three new
building. each adapted for from seventy-ive
to one hundred childrea of both sexes, were
to be erected by the board on the reserva-
tions. The Iowas aud Sacs had already suf-
ticient accommodations in the mission house
built for them jointly ten years before. The
Omahas also had their mission house at
Bellevue: but as heirTeservation was sew
enty-fve miles further north another was
neeued, being one of the three new build
lngs required. HNpi
The erection of these manual labor board
ing-schoois, with the APPLIANCES and outfits,
in an unsettled countfy, where labor was
high and mechanical skin difficult to obtain,
where lumber had t6lbe drawn long dist
ances with OK teams, was fraaght with the
greatest'diificultes. = y'HS"+ .'t' f,'"
BY the provisionsof qhe Omaha treaty
grant of four contiguous quarter sections of
land, embracing the mission premises at
Bellevue, was made TO the board. This was
plated into town lots and a sufficient num-
Der sold to cover the expense OF the new
buildings and to stock them with clothing
and provisions.
Teachers also were engaged, whose sala-
ries and travelling expenses were met, not
from the indian anuuities, but from funds
furnished by tho churches, as in the case OF
other missionaries.
Thus the boards equipment was complete
for carrying out the beneficent plans OF Com
missioner Mannypenny and Secretary Nc
Clelland. of President Pierce's cabin eut.
Missionary teachers were on the ground,
with abundant supplies for the naked boys
and girls in the Nigwams, anxlously waiting
for their coming into the school, and using
what power they possessed to induce them
to come. But the children were kept at
home, and no compulsory inducement by the
government agent or the department at
Washington was applied to overcome native
indifference, or rather native prejudice, los
tered by unDrnclpled white men.
Another administration had succeeded the
one that proposed and executed the con-
| tracts, and at the end of five years. in 1860,
notice was given the board that these would
not be renewed, except in the case OF the
| Omahas, aud that, as requested by the In
| dians, their educational funds would be ap-
| piled to day schools under government
| control.
The changed policy Of the government re-
sulted in the Iowa and Sac building being
converted for "a time into an Indian orphan
| school for children of any of the tribes. aud
| supported exclusively from funds of the
| board, and in the Abandonment of the Otoe
| and KicSapoo buildings, which, being erected
| on the reservations, were lost TO the board
| though not without long and fruitless efforts
| to secure its equities in them.