The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-06-06
The Potency of Environment.

Editorial of"Y" Journal, Colora, May l. 1891.
Captain Pratt, the able educator in charge
of the Indian Training School at Carlisle,
Pa, says, i'll an article which recently ap-
peared in the N. Y. Independent, "environ
the Indians with our language and civilized
habits and they will speedily become civil
lied Leave them in the environment OF
their savagery and they Will remain tribal
savages' He then cites the following case
Among the first students brought to Carlisle
in 1879, was light complexiored youth
whom we called Stephen, he was covered
with vermin, his hair was long and matted
just like that of the young Indians who &C
compani ed him, his age was about sixteen,
he came clad in regulation Indian costume,
leggins, mocasins aud blanket, he knew nc
word of English but could talk in Sioux as
fuently as the others. His teacher found in
the course of a few months that Stephen
had Il good mind and strong common sens,
still he learned the English language with
more difficulty and made slower progress
than the Indian youths who entered the
school with him. Subsequent inquiries de-
veloped the fact that the father and mother
of Stephen were white people, that he had
not y drop of Indian blood in his veins?
While crossing the plains TO California
the party, in which the boys parents wert
travelling was attacked by Indians, tie
father was killed, and the mother captured
Stephen was born about three months after
The mother married an Indian by whom
she had other children. She was invited tc
the Agency to meet The agent from Carl
isle, but declined to come saying that she
was an Indian now and had no desire to be
anything else, but desired that her white
boy should be educated with his race.
Captain Pratt adds this is but one.
know scores of similar cases.
Now this was surely remarkable in
stance of environment, where savage sur
roundings had totally obliterated inherited
civilized tendencies. You observe it wa
harder for Stephen to acquire knowledge
of his native tongue than for the tu
blooded Indians who entered the schoo
with him. Introducing this line of thought
into other channels. has led to the menta
inquiry. is not drum kenuess largely due tt
environment? Especially among the labor
ing classes . And is it consistent in wealthy
railroad corporations TO demand pertec
sobriety among traiumeD, and yet allow
| the environment of the saloon in clos
proximity to the track at every station
| Should not these employees, in self defense
demand that the liquor shops be removed
out of sight and hearing, along the entir
line, and that they be not required to carr!
whiskey as freight.
| Why are women as class not drunk
ards ? In looking back to my young days
| can not call to mind Il single young woman
of whom | had any knowledge, who ever
| became = druukard Yet | can recall tn
names Of at least fifty young men, born il
| this county, many, aye the majority o
whom, gave promise of leading lives o
usefulness, but ere they reached middle lif
they had fallen by the wayside? Many O
them have gone down to early dishonore'
graves, while the rest are living in povert,
and obscnrity. Is not this mainly due T.
| the environment of the saloon? Ii lnebriet.
il All inherited disease tits surely the onl
inherited malady known which is contin e
to sex If a woman be IN arried to ma
of dissoute habits, and they have family
we never find her concerned about tn
future of her daughters. She is neve
afraid that they will inherit the vice an
drunkenness of their father. But if sh
have sons that dread Is continually upo