The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-03-15
Commencement Exercises at the Carlisle
Indian School.
CARLIsLE. Pa, MARcn Q. 1S9.

EDITOR Posi- account of our
Commencement on tho fifteenth an
niversary of the school and the sixth
graduating exercises might be of in
terost to your readers even at this
late day.
We'd Feb, %. having donned our
best, favored by natures beautiful
white covering, the merry Jingle of
sleigh bells aud the genial sunshine.
we awaited the arrival of special
train from Washington and Phila-
delphia which brought many distin-
guished visitors. Among these were
many Cabinet officers, Gov. officials.
congressman and patrons of the
school.
All repaired to the gymnasium in
the p. NJ. TO witness the military
calisthenic and gymnasium drills.
The regular daily exercises in Indian
club and dumb.bell work by both
boys and girls, with such excellent
health results, drew forth enthus-
iastic applause from all. Then fol-
lowed inspection of the Industrial
department where the boys and girls
were seen at their every day work in
the shops, sewing-room, etc.
In the evening the students gave
n musical program in the school
chapel. This was an eye opener to
some Of the visitors who thought the
Red Man knew nothing and could
learn nothing but the medicine
song" We have an excellent band
and choir.
The brief but the impressive
speeches made by the four visiting
Indian Chiefs was an interesting
feature of the evening. Lone Wolf
-siowaJ 81 -. .Jebos
"a Carlisle pupil in, ii. Then
followed Cloud Chief (Cheyenne)
Quanah Parker (Comanche) and
Black Coyote (Arapahoe). The ges-
lures and manifest earnestness of
the latter added greatly to his re-
marks. When he had finished, he
shook hands with all the great men"
as he called them, on the platform.
The children of thesetribes contrib.
uted the money from their own
savings to bring these chiefs here.
Some of the thoughts expressed by
chiefs were the following
1T was not accident that brought
us here but the purpose of the Great
Spirit As l look about and see the
faces of Indian young men and wo.
men. am thankful for the privilege
given our children.
"As YOU see me here in citizens
clothes, can neither read nor write,
but it is not my fault. In the past
the Indian people wasted their time
and it is their fault. / am sure the
Great Spirit raised Capt. Pratt
and put within him love for his In
dian brothers to help them. You
are many in numbers and the whole
Indian question rests on you. While
| am talking, God is listening and
he is glad l am sure, for, though
ignorant, l have the right spirit in
me to see the Indian children grow
up like white children. Carlisle is
on hill top. Everybody looks at it.
The white mans road is good. Try
hard to learn the white mans ways" I"
Commencement Day.
The dormitories or Quarters" as
they are called, and schools were in
spected in the A. NJ. Visitors
streamed through the schools from
0 to II o'clock hearing the children
recite.
The chapel being to small the com
mencement exercises were held in
the gymnasium, where nearly 200O
people assembled.
The class motto, Something vet
to be attained was suspended near
the center of the hall. Four original
orations and essays were delivered
by the graduates viz. "Man Alive
with greeting by Hugh Sowcea
(Pueblo). Reflection" by Minnie
Yandall Basmock)" Put yourself
in place" Martha Nopawat (Kiowa),
and Something yet to be attained"
with valedictory by VIM. Denomie
(Chippewa).
DR.. Hailmap, Supt. of Indian
schools, presented the diplomas to
the graduating class.
The speeches by Hon. j. Sterling
Morton, Secy of Agriculture, Judge