New-York tribune., 1890-01-12
EFFECTS OF EDUCATING INDIANS.
GENERAL ARMSTRONG VIGOROUSLY DENIES
DAMAGING REPORTS

TO the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: write to deny the correctness Of the reports
from Washington credited TO Mr. Irvine Miller. secrc-
tary of the Commission 10 the effect that from
80 to 20 per cent of Hamptons and Carlsles indian
students die years after their return TO their
homes like sheep with the murrain'
The facts are these:
Comparing the first six years from 1873 70 1880
Of this school with the last nearly SIX. hnd that
of 72 deaths out Of total OF 397 returned pupils Gd
were Of those who came during the first period. and
that but have died at home since 17-4. OF "a
deaths at Hampton since 177r there have been but
since 1856 III the first years we picked up many
comparatively reluctant Indians from camps. lar-c
per cent of whom unsOInd bodily when they
came and died rapidly up 10 l--j. Since then, owing
to changed conditions and better selected material
from the increasing caccrncSs Of Indians TO come
East-more than We can takc-chchy from Western
schools. especially from the diocese Of bishop Hare,
who knows too much 10 send Ms choice pupils "to de
like sheep with the murrainn sickness and death
a minor matter; the worst Is over and the future
Is most hopeful 10 health. The situation is very
encouraging.
Further Government agents and teachers and mis-
sonares in the West are continually advising their
best Indian youth 10 come here. with small fear OF
Illness for those really sound in health
arrival are seldom sick and many all
ing ones have improved. Eastern school work
i9G7 enrolled is becoming more and more added
course for picked students from the West where
34,G17 enrolled in schools. The idea Of giving
advanced education to many Indians is just absurd
as 1t is to deny IL to the few: but Of those In the
East the large majority are htlcd only TO be farmer
and mechanics yet are worthy OF their better ad
vantages OF learning English and the wnte man
ways, especially by "Outiug,' among the farmers OF
Pennsylvania and MIssacu eit,.
COLLECTION is urged" SAYS Mr. Irvine Miller, that
several years IN the East teaches the y0nng Indians
10 deSpisc their hnsmcn, 10 lose the natural gratitude
and affection due their parents, whom they find on
their return HNlng IN ignorance squalOr ana WIct'hcu
ness, and their education makes gap which cannot
be abridged" Nothing could be- more contrary Z
experience and fact, 50 against Indian nature IN which
there is true nobility and hllal feeling that is a.
strong the love Of life: In the last twelve year
no such charge has been heard OF here. II is new
thing in the Indictment against Eastern schools They
do often. but by no means alWN>, md their homes
in squalor many have worked 10 improve them. and
in many parents have built new homes for their
returning children The alleged gap" is possible In
some cases there has been much fOollslnc>,. and
weakness, and nonsense on the part Of returned
Indians, but the following is the result Of onr --latest
and most complete largely pcrsonal-invcstisaton Of
the record Of returned Indians from the Hampton
school
Fifty are doing most excellent work; 1876 arc
doing well. living good, exemplary lives forty four
are doing fairly wel, eleven doing poorly and six
are vel married and have good homes. In eighteen
Of these families, both husband and wife are from
Hampton and that Is great gain. for then each
understands how best to help. the other
letter 10 General Whittlesey, written on september
II. 1857 hv Mis- Alice G. Fletcher. special Indian
desire again to bear testimony 10 the advantages
which an education of the reservation gives 10 an
Indian man or woman. Ihe dlr"reufc between the
young people Of the same age and apparent ability
who have had the different kinds of training has Iccn
marked in experience here. This tribe wholly
unprcpared for advent. and COnld not believe that
had hecn sent 10 allp them they never having asked
for allotment. read and explained the law but the
returned students took the law. read il for Themselves
assured the people II was trne and reconnted how
they had heard 0f II while at school among the white
people. These students great help 20 their
people and 70 work. FOur assistants 20 the
surveyor and others ave in my employ"
No speak from broader experience than
che. :. G. ARMSTRONG.
Hampton. Va. Jan. q, 1890.