Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-07-29
RAM0NA'S CHILDREN.
Their Splendid Performance last
Night-Indian Education and
Its Results.
A Superb Showing for Worthy In
stitution That Brought Great
Good to the indian Youth.

The concert given by the pupils of Ra-
mona school at Gray's opera house last
night was one ofthe surprising things that
come from Indian education. The pro-
gram consisted of songs by the boys, in
strumental numbers of flute and violin
by two boys, and organ and piano num-
bers by several Of the girls, closing with
cantata, "Flower Praise" by the girls
of the school. The audience was large
and composed of appreciative and inter
csted listeners. The remarkable feature
of the concert was that this exhibition
was the result of only one years training
so far as the instrumental numbers are
concerned. The whole performance was
of the highest order. The songs render
ed by the boys were very interesting, and
showed that music to the Indian has
charms, while among the girls there were
some of the sweetest voices and a very
high order of musical talent.
That children SO young, most of them
under 10 years, could come before an
audience that greeted them last night,
when the curtain rose, and give such
long and pleasing variety of music is
startling revelation as to the possibili-
ties of Indian education. There was
quiet demeanor, and resolute determina-
tion on the face of every performer. The
embarrassment was evident, and a strug-
gle to master it was apparent in some in
stances by the suppressing of the tones
of the voice, yet not a break occurred
during the two hours of the performance.
The spirit of the whole exhibition
showed training of the highest order.
The English of the pupils was very
noticeable by the clear and natural enun-
tsaation. Children less than one year in
school, young ones, spoke with clear and
distinct articulation, hardly betraying
any native accent.
This exercise of last evening will be
remembered as the first, purely musical
entertainment given here by Indian
pupils.
But this concert is only an incidental
part of the work OF this school. Music is
prominent feature of the daily devo-
tional services and has no less influence
on the Indian than on the whito race.
While training on the instrument SO that
the children can preside at the organ is
important, and has its appropriate place
in all education, yet the industrial feature
of the school stands out among the prom
inent factors in Indian education. The
leading idea is to train the pupil in those
things that he can use at his own home
with the present surroundings of his peo-
pie. All education lifts men above the
environments upon higher place of ac-
tivity. With the Indian race education is
comparatively recent. The old genera
tion is present with all it's untdtored
habits, traditions and fixed customs, to
furnish the environments of the boy or
girl when school life is over. Hence it is
clear that the first step up in the plane of
living must not be too high. When tina
has prepared the race for the new con-
ditions of life, as the present educational
system will surely bring, then the edu-
Gated child will find his services in de-
mand. There is evidently at present
forcing process among the schools for
Indians. Americans do nothing by
halves. The unexpected progress, that
Indian children make in both industrial
and literary education, has led to placing
before the Indian youth the full advan-
tages of education that are possessed by
a race who for generations have lived un-
der its uplifting influences. It may
safely be affirmed that the Indian youth ir
most of our schools enjoy advantages
above those furnished to the average
American child. When it is considered what
the condition of parent is to-day and the
great step that his child has taken during
even three years of his school life, it
need not besurprising that the child 'goes
back" to his former life. He has nothing
elseeto do. It is this thought that con-
trolls Ramona school in all its work. The
pupils use such appliances as they can
have at homo. They do such work as is
now done in their home, but in a much
more crude way. The girls are made
good cooks, good washers and ironers,
good with the needle and the sewing ma
chine, indeed, in everything that belongs
to the well regulated home in the chris
tian family. The boys are taught farm
ing mainly, but also simple carpentery,
general "tinkering," shoe mending and in
the manufacture of fruit boxes the use