Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-02-24
CLEVER sAyTEE INDIANS.
A DESCRIPTION oF LIFE on THE
sASTEH RESERVATION ~
KNoN COUNTY.


men. Some even have gone 40 far a.
70 say that he can never he civilized.
To see the fallacy Of this opinion let us
look for n moment up In tho northern
part or Knox County. Here live
people Of whom little Il heard. How.
ever, twenty-five years ago they were
more prominent In frontier history
than their brethren who recently
stirred up trouble la Pine Ridge can
ever expect 10 lie. Here live the
SaDtee band 81 Sioux who figured no
prominently In the Minnesota massl.
ere. After the trial, execution aud
Imprisonment Of the leaders VI the out
break the remainder u the band were
moved West aud located at Crow
Greek, ~ d., IN tho year 1868.
After three years' attempt 10 raise n
crop, and the expenditure Of 500 by
the government, they were moved
down the Missouri and located ON the
bottom lands between NiobinTa and
Bazilc, rivers occupying the land
where Niobrarn now stands. But "a
this land had been once entered Tor
settlement by whites, who had been
driven away by indians, they were
again moved East Of the Bazilc where
they have since remained. The agency
II about hitccn miles east " Niobmrn,
on thcAilssouH aud l. located on
"secOnd" bottom or fercc about iifty
feet above the river. Overlooking tho
bott0m,as II does, and bciug partly sur.
rounded by timber and high bluff, 10 II
a very pretty place, especially In the
summer when all Is green and frag.
rant.
Thc ngcnt In charge II James T..
Helms, who was recently appointed.
from Pawnce county. tbs Sant,es
are further advanced than other tribes
la Nebraska or Dakota, except perhaps
the Flnndrvau band Of Sioux who are
In Moody county, south Dakota.
They have their land Ia sovurHliy,
live Ia comfortable houses and behave
rs well M community OF the same
number Of whites would. The Santecs
exercise the hight 10 vote and hold
offices, there being several township
officers aud one county supervisor who
are Indians. In politics three.foufths
OF them are Republicns aud tho balance
democrats aud pfohlbltiOnists. There
are five churches ON the reserve, three
Episcopal andltwo Congregational, all
being we'll attended. This Santeos take
n live Interest IN the cause OF education
from the fact that they can 70 plainly
SET the results In their own tribe.
They have school facilities such M
few other tribes have, and NJ a rule
make the beat OF them. There are two
large schools here, one mission aud the
other government. In order that the
term emission" may he rightly under
stood II may DO we'll 10 state that the
government annually contracts with
the different missionary societies for
the education Of Indian children. The
latest available reports show that there
are 100 boarding schools aud l03 day
schools. OF these, tiity-nine boarding
and twcnty-six day schools are what
are termed omission schools that N,
schools owned and controlled by the
missionary associations who are under
contract With thu government 10 clothc,
feed aud care for the Indian children
placed there. The rate per capita per
anniim ranges from sos 10 Sl25, ac-
cording 10 location.
on the mission schools the Formal
Thinning school located nj Santec agen.
cy " One OF the best equipped Ia the
West. IL IL controlled by tho Amor.
can Missionary Association and ~
valued mt 100000. IL IN under the
management OF Rev. a. L.. Riggs,
who has guided II from lts Infancy,
SOME twenty years ago. This number
Of pupils IL about 100, who are taken
from all parts OF the Northwest, many
coming from Montana, Wyoming and
tho extreme north Of the Daiotas. The
aim Of tho Institution II 10 train preach
ers, teachers and Interpreters 10 20
among the tribes OF the northwest aud
bring them 10 "A higher state Of enllght-
eminent. The plan Of conducting the in-
stitution IL similar 10 that Of other
boarding schools.
The larger girls are domlciled at the
dakota home" while the smaller
ones inhablt tho "Blris Nest" The
Young men are Mt perkins hall" and
the boys ut "Whitncy hall" and the
cottage"
Each home Il In charge Of matron
who looks after her family and Is the
mother 10 all. In addition to study In
the school rooms the larger boys are
taught shoemaking, blaclsmithing and
carpentry. There In also well
equip d printing office In connection
with tho school where number OF
boys ARE being taught that branch.
There are published two monthly
papers IN the Dakota and One In the
English language, the work bcing
done largely by Indian boys. There
IL also large government school nj
Santce called the industrial boarding
school, which Is under the supervision
Of MIR. Charles II. Pierce, aud Is
considered nne OF the best la
the Indian shoot service. There
are about 40 pupils In attend
ance, nearly all Sanleo and P0ncn
children. The course OF study which
is prescribed by the commissioner OF
Indian affairs for all Indian schools Is
similar TO that OF the common schools
OF the State, though tho advancement
Is not No rapid. The boys are taught In
the agency shops In Iron aud wood
work, also harness and shoemahing.
This training Is given them during
tho winter, for In the summer all are
kept busy ON the large school farm.
All departments are presided over by
competent teachers who aim 10 make
the training M thoroughly practical ~
posslhle, and indeed II Il, for there arr
boys who can take n shoc from their
feet and repair II, or 40 10 the black
smith shop and make clevis or
sharpen piow. The girls under their
Instructors attend 10 the housework Of
tho school, being taught 10 wash, Iron,
cook anu make clothing. The larger
pupils spend ene-half OF their time In
Industrial work and are detailed nj the
beginning Of each month to different
departments. or the girls. one class
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