Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-03
TRAINING THE INDIAN.
Commencement Exercises at tho San
tee Normal School


tee Normal School.
NfoBRARA, Neb., July 2.-TSpecial to THE
BEE. The closing exercises Of the Sa nteo
normal training school at Santee agency,
this county, tho largest industrial school
outside of Carlisle, Pa, ended Sunday even-
ing. This school was definitely started in
1870, though its beginnings were still back of
that, the father OF it's founder being one OF
the missionaries among tho Sioux Indians as
early as 1887. 1t was established for { he
purpose Of raising up teachers, preachers in
terpreters and business men among tho Sioux
nation. The progress has necessarily been
slow, having had TO plant the very idea Of
the thing in the Indian mind and carefully
tend its growth. But the success of tho
work has been well worth the years Of ear
nest, patient effort on the part of its princi-
pal, Rev. Alfred l.. Riggs, ID. D., and his corps
of able christian workers. 1t is under the
patronage OF the American Missionary asso-
citation, where work among tho freedmen OF
the south has met with unpnrallelcd results.
The following shows the studies pursued
and the Industrial work of the boys and
girls Advanced arithmetic, Al; intermedi-
ate arithmetic, 50; primary arithmetic, So;
bible theology, "a botany, 20; civil govern
ment. d; English composition, 1859; geogra
ply. 6S; bible history, 81. Unted States his
tory, 43; methods of teaching, II; instru-
ology, aud hygiene, l12; English reading, 172;
Dakota reading, 40; writing, 1917.
BLACKSMITH shop, 81; carpenter shop So;
shoe shop, 2S; farm, SS; printing Office 10;
domestic work, girls, 81.
The following is the programme of cxer-
cises, beginning with June ~: Examinations
Thursday, 900 q. m. and l 30 p. m; FRI
day, 300 a. m. School exhibit on-Friday,
200 p. IN. Normal cadets paradcEriday,
400 p. m. Principals reception--F'rt oay,
90 p. m Christian endeavor--Saturtay,
1880 y. m. Y. NJ. e. A.--Sunday, T;30 p. IN.
On Friday large delegation from sur
rounding towns was in attendance at the ex-
aminations, literary exercises. cadets pa
rade, shop exhibit and the principals recep-
tion. THE BEE correspondent mas witnessed
the closing exercises of this institution at
different times during the past fifteen years,
but only with the past five years has the
Indian had sufficient confidence IN his Eng
lish or sufficient Knowledge of its meaning,
TO intelligeutly Interpret it to an audience.
But there is granual growth 70 the higher
order of rectations, and everything in the
following programme is Of higher stand
ard than ever before attempted, and the
rendition was the best of any previous eff
forts:
Chorus a:ia:i "Praso the Lord"
Prayer.
Recitation .............."An Angels Visit"
Agnes huntsman, Santee Agency.
Song. ........ angels Ever Bright and Fair''
Jennie w. Cox, Santee Agency.
Recitation ..... 'The Song of the Printer"
Ernest z. Hopkins Fort Berthold.
Recitation. n.......,........."F -Four Sunbeams''
Gertrude SIMMONS, Yankton Agency.
Chorus THE Mountain Stream"
School.
Recitation ............."A Will and Way"
Joseph Hopkins, F'iandrau.
Recitation .......... ''The Burning Prairie"
Fanne Frazer, Sautec Agency.
w Mabel Riggs. :
Recitation. ............ Paul Revere's R,de'
Eunice Kitto. Santee Agency.
Chorus. .........,. star Spangled Banner''
School.
Recitation The Rising of '76"
Logan Is. Weston.
Song .'.........- NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." Juanlta'
Jennic ". Cox, Sautee Agency.
| Recitation =. "Iuventive Genius and Labor'
Charles w. Hoffman. Fort Berthold
| Chorus. s.............."R Red, White and Blue"
School.
Gyufnastics.
The parade was witnessed by large and
| intesested crowd of spectators, and the evo-
| lutlons were exceedingly well done. The
| boys take great interest in this exercise and
! the government will be asked to loan them
| some of the cast-oI musiets to enable the
| instructed 20 make complete soldiers OF them.
| In the evoning the reception was one of
| the most pleasing parts OF the exercises, and
| the large dining halt was comfortably filled
| with ladies and gentlemen and children to
congratulate MI. and Mrs. Riggs, while tho
glee club. composed of Indian young men and
women and some of the teachers, entertained
| the guests with stirring songs.
A large exhibit OF the industrial work of
this school will be made ut the exhibit of the
| National Educational association, which
| will behcld at Nashville. Tenn, July 16 to 20.
The children will leave Monday and Tues
| day for their respective homes in Dakota,
| Montana and wyoming.