Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1891-12-19
INJUNS.
One Branch of Rev. Bill
mans School.
TAUGHT TO BE RANCHBRS.
They Till the Soil and Study
Lessons.
Their Prospects for Becoming Future
Creditable Citizens-All " orkers
Their Work.

Indian Children are very like white
children in all respects, have the same
traits, similar resem bleances and differ
ances. They are tractable, are of diff
ferent degrees IN ability of learning on
ly they are perhaps just little less fine
IN instincts.
1t seems as if young Indian is just
an Indian and that is the end Of it.
That if girl she is only good to bring
up the rear of some procession Of ola
laden squaws of whom she is an exact
counterpart in dress and features, the
resemblance being in all but size, her
self laden with the ollss of smaller size
than borne by her companions, or with
black young Indian several sizes small
er than herself, who bears all manner of
joltipg and bumps without murmur;
if boy he is regarded as fitting and
excellent adornment In topping of a
wagon load" of wood of about three
time, the bulk Of the boy.
Such may be the end and aim of some
young Indians. With others it is not
These others are somewhat provided
for and Rev. Bil.man is in charge of a
school near the city which has teen
founded with the object of making good
citizens Of Indians, and credit rather
than burden to this great and glorious
United States, and particularly the
southwest.
Will it succeed? Perhaps it will. The
fact is the whole is somewhat as yet in
the experimental stage. The govern
ment desires to give them eight years
of continuous education, at the end of
which time they should be capable of
self support. AS few have yet reached
the point of graduation just what they
will be when free to do for themselves
is hardly ascertainable TO date. This
education is intended to be as practic-
al as possible, ard at the same time
provides fair amount of book knowl
edge. 1t is not intended to ill any of
the professions from the graduating
classes, neither are they prepared as
loI DIS of creation. Rather it is sought
to make self supporting, Industrious
| ranchers of them, They are taught to
farm-to SOW and reap and profit there
by. Their instruction. is quite as much
practical as theoretical and they put in
just as many hours in the field, under
an overseer, as in the school room under
an instructress.
Rev. Billman tells of the school work
ings;
"Osr children are IN divisions. IL
the morning one division of boys go to
the field and works there, spending az
ternoons in the school room, and alters
mates with boys of the other division.
These d elds are worked almost entirely
by our boys and they are good willing
workers. The school owns forty acres
of land ;and has this year rented 100
more, nearly all of which is sown to
wheat and barley"
The fields are indeed credltable in
appearance. They are we'll plowed, we'll
seeded and the irrigation bitches are
straight.
'One eff our boys laid out those rows"
said Rev. Billman, pointing to laterals
which were superlatively straight.
Stumps were nowhere to be seen on
the land, though a woodplle was shown
Of them, and was told to have lately
been removed, after remaining in the
ground and titled about for fifty years,
by former tenants of the land,
As We drove along the farm Rev. Bill
man explained that in addition TO work
done by the boys there were
eight families lately brought from the
villages, the heads of which helped
about the place.
We passed house pointed out as one
of their hahitations and were greeted
with a very dark complexioned but
welcome grin.
Good morning, Ramonr said MIR.
Billman pleasantly. "How are the
crops?"
A continuation of the grin-nothing
more.
THE felds"-pointirg fare they all
right?
"Si."
those old fellows stick to their Span
ish" said Mr.. Billman. "Yes, they are
good workers and like it here better
than at their villages,
"My little mani will You open the
gate?" This was to half dozen or so
bareneaded youngsters OF seven years
or suchoa matter, and Of most decided
Indian features, playing in corral. A
race between two or three was made for
the gate after moment for comprehen-
sion of what was wanted.
We drove to the fields snd saw Indian
boys ia a work gang shoveling bank
along an irrigating ditch, and working |
as faithful as beavers. The overseer
told them to go here and there and do |
thus and so and they did it. Better |
workmen could be asked of no race
The products Of TIE farm are applied |
to the support of the school. what | |
should like" said Mr.. Billman," is to get |
about 200 acres of land. This |
welcould till we'll with our boys.
II do not think" said Rev. Billman,
asked as to the future probabilities of |
the educated Indians and their need of |
further government AID" that the gov
eminent should do too much for them.
At school they take little care of their
clothes, because they expect toget more
when those they have are gone. A
judicious distribution of tools, / think,
is about all / would recommend for
them. 1t would be we'll for them to
know that they must be self reliant and
take care OF what they have"
Girls at the school are also practically
educated. They learn to cook, sew and
mend. They wash the dishes and make
the beds.
Their work is also detailed off so as to
divide it evenly among them, half OF
them being in the school room of morn
ings and at work afternoons, the other
half working mornings and at their
lessons afternoons.
The children speak English but find
some difficulty in acquiring it. due, Mr..
Billmsn says, to the language having
many words for which the Papago or