The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-06

UQaQ the I0eu.
Education is the hope of the American
Indian, if he is ever to become the Indian
American. Our Indian school system is
slowly growing. The attendance last year
was larger than ever before. Out of
total school population of $4,000 about
10000 are enrolled, with an average at
tendance of 1900 This is in all schools
training, contract and industrial. The at
tendance would be larger if we had better
accommodations. On some of the reser-
vations the Indians have been demanding
school buildings for years, and have been
promised them time and again, but they are
not yet built With few exceptions every
reservation school is crowded. One great
difficulty we have to contend against is the
poor health so common among the Indian
children. Disease is prevalent to an ex-
traordinary extent, and last year the
ravages of ia grippen were distressing
There were thousands of cases of it, and it
was necessary to close many of the schools
on account of it. The Indians as a whole
suffer much from pulmonary troubles,
sore eyes, scrofula and diseases of the skin.
/ have so much faith in the value of school
draining that favor putting Indian boys
End girls in the public schools wherever
possible. A few are already enjoying this
advantage, with good results, and, when
more and more of the Indians accept lands
in severalty and become citizens. think it
will be found that the public school, influ-
encing the children and the parents
through them, will be great agency of
civilization.
There have been many sneers in the
press at the Indian training schools, nota-
bly, the one ut Carlisle, Pa, and frontier
writers seem to be fond of pointing out
that the graduates of these schools almost
invariably, on returning to the reserva-
tions, relapse into their former condition.
1t is true that many who return to the res
eryations make little show for the care
and instruction that have been expended
upon them, but what else could be expect
Ell? They find themselves isolated by dress
AID habits, out of sympathy with their
surroundings, ostracized by their compan-
ions, and too frequently practically help
less. That they should relapse is not at all
surprising. and consequently we are en-
deavoring, with good success, to help as
many OF them as possible to go out in the
world and make their own way. Several
are now teaching, or fitting themselves to
teach, others are practicing medicine, some
are preaching, and still others are prepar-
ing for the practice of the law and other
professions 1t should be remembered.
too, that the Oldest of our training schools.
the one at Carlisle, has been in existence
but eleven years, and that there has been
little time in which to estimate from prac-
teal experience the influence which has
been exerted upon the pupils.
The progress which has been made bv
the civilized tribes of the Indian Territory
is encouragement for all who believe there
Is ultimate hope for the Indian race in this
country. The Cherokees, Choctaws, Semi
noies, Otoes and Others in the Indian Ter
ritory are industrious, prosperous, and
their children are enjoying as good facili-
ties as the children Of settlers in neighbor-
ing states. These nations support schools
and academies, asylums and churches.
They have their own newspapers, good
frame houses, often with carpets on the
floor, pictures on the walls and organs or
pianos. They have republican govern
ment, and the laws are wisely and effect
lively administered. 1t is not generally
known, even among well informed people,
that Christianity has made marked prog
".
At the last Indian conference of the Meth
odlst church south reports were present
ed which show $50 local preachers, 5000
Indian members, $500 white members, 100
Sunday schools, with a membership of
more than 1000, and 80 churches, valued at
nearly $4,000. In the Choctaw and Chick
asaw nations the Baptists have So church
es, with membership of more than 5000.
The Baptists have organized many church
es among other tribes also The Presby-
terians have about GO churches, with
membership of more than 1000, and the
Roman Catholics, with their customary
vigor, have many churches, schools and
asylums in various parts of the territory.
where the Indian has flair chance, and
happens to fall into the hands of an intel
ligent agent" continued Commissioner
Morgan, che is able to make a very good
showing, all the circumstances considered.
Let me cite to you an instance of this.
At the Santee agency, in Nebraska, the In
dams have pretty good land, and have had
an Intelligent and painstaking agent to
help them. They have 1900 acres of land
under cultivation in wheat, corn, oats,
fax and vegetables They raise as good
crops as their white neighbors. In good
years they have a surplus to sell beyond
their needs. Twenty-Five frame houses
and twenty barns and granaries were built
here last year, all the work being done by
indian mechanics, even to the apportion-
ing out of the material, no white men be-
ing employed. They even laid large
stone wall under the big stable at the
agency, and were properly proud of their
achievement. At this agency speciality
has been made of developing the mechani-
cal skill of the Indians, with good results.
Indians are superintendent and employees
The blacksmith, carpenter, miller harness
maker, wagon maker, overseer and issue
clerk are all full blood Indians The ply
stefan is a halfbreed The mechanics at
this agency earned last year nearly IS, 900.
Connected with each of the schools at this
agency is a training department, in which
the boys and girls are taught trades, fancy
work, housekeeping, farm work and care
Of stock. 1t is not surprising that the In
dams here are making rapid progress in
civilization and self dependence.
1.-The Indians themselves, at least The
most progressive and influential ones, are
coming to understand the present policy
OF the government, and are showing an in
creasing readiness to adapt themselves to
it. During the past year l have had per-
sonal interviews with prominent chiefs
and representative Indians from Wiscon-
sin. North and South Dakota, Oregon, New,
Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma and Indian
Territory, and / have been much gratified
with their Intelligent apprehension of the
situation, and with the willingness exhib-.
tied, as general thing, to accept lands in
severalty with individual citizenship AL
most without exception they have pleadea..l
for more and better schools. These arc
some of the reasons for the faith that is he
me in the fuLure of she Indian y