The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-24
coMpULsoRY INDIAN EDUcA rIox.
The Rrd Chudr-p DO Not Go 20 Distant
Schools Unlesr Their Parents Consent.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 23LOne OF the mark ed
improvements introduced by Commissioner
Browning into the system OF Indian education
has been the adoption Of rule that children
are not to be forced to go to schools outside Of
the reservations against the will OF their
parents.
For some years zeal for compulsory educa-
ton has outrun discretion in the Bureau ~
Indian Affairs Congress. in the act OF March
3, 1891. authorized the Commissioner to g max 9
and enforce by proper means. such rules and
regulations ms will secure tho attendance Of
Indian children Of suitable age and health at
schools established and mnin, aine cd for their
benefit" This law was passed. as will be seen.
under Commissioner Morgan, whose urgency
Tor compulsory education was very great. It
made no difference between reservation and
non-reservation schools. applying the com
pulsory system to both. and It also left to the
Commissioner. subject to the direction OF the
Secretary of the Interior. the making OF the
rules on this subject. Tho only restrictions
were that the children should lie OF suitable
ago and health" and that the enforcement OF
tho rules should be {" By proper means" p.
Under this law the Com missioner proceeded
to dofne the age limit as over five and under
eighteen years. which was going about as far
as possible while for health the certificate OF
n physician after examination was required
WHICH was u Wise pTONlblOn, assuming the
physician to 10 competent and tho examine
tion to he adequate. The rules proceeded to
declare that II there were not enough day
schools on the reservation. or IL ior any other
reason the good OF the children shall clearly
require that they be sent away from home to
school," they were to he so sent. 1t was added
that the consent OF parents was to be procured
" practicable. yet the refusal to give that con-
sent did OF alter tho rule. Two other regula.
tions on this subject may properly DO quoted:
Cases Of refusal to allow children to he schools
either on or on reservations or OF opposition 20 tho
proper officers in their attempts To secure the school
attendance OF Indian children shall be referred to tho
Indian once. accompanied BY explicit atom euts act
ting forth the circumstances OF each Such pun
iShment or penalties ms the circumstances may seem
to call for will be prescribed by this office.
It shalt be proper for after reporting the facts
and being specially authorized to the Indian police
force TO compel attendance at school wherever neces
sAry.
Ono OF the fruits Of the stern policy thus in
dictated was the keam's Canon Affair in which
Black HORSES band OF Navajos resisted tho
attempts OF the agents to put their children at
the agency school. The agent tried to obtain
the use o! the army to carry out his educa-
tional projects. but Gen. McCook drew the
line there. However. while declining to shoot
down the turbulent red men, no succeeded. by
was an instance OF refusal to allow the at
tendance OF children at the agency school 1t
can be understood how great the difference is
and how much better founded the objections
may lie. in Individual cases. to having chill
against the will Of their parents. Even in,
telligent white people. who recognize the
TO it on such tcrms Thoy might heartily I sn.
prove u law recurring their children ~ lie put
10 school within the city town. or county
"a vat m all al md
atty 81 having their supply OF food decreased
or under line, Imprisonment. or other punish
hans hundreds Of miles away. perhaps ever to
the hot regions Of Louisiana or omonG the
drawbacks.
to n 1Gt s%H Part o. the ,Pp
sent away to distant schools is believed TO
come from fear that they may get N aud die
that one reason why there was such opposition
was that so many OF Thorn died on their return
to their reservations, principally from pulmo-
matter were exaggerated or not It is easy TO
understand ma that they might alarm Indian
ABLE to ascertain the real facts dep"nd inc I'M I'M
stead upon distorted rumors And even apart
from this special reason, i seems but lust to
respect the parental feelings which among
these ignorant red men may powerfully iniiu-
ence them to desire to keep their children with
away. for an sIsence OF perhaps months or
years. Tor purposes whose importance they
cannot appreciate as white men do.
10 show how tar zeal Tor compulsory educa-
ton hal zone, 1t may 6e mentinned that tho
solicitation Of Com missioner Morgan, declared
may in his, discretion, withhold rations.
parents or guardians who refuse or neglect to
send and keep their children OF proper choo
each year" lSut very soon after tax ing nos
session Of his Office Commissioner BROWNING
the following instructions gu are advissi
that hereafter no children are TO he taken
schools without the full consent Of the parrnts
AMI the approval Q! the agent. The consent Of
the parents must be voluntary and not ia any
degree or manner the result OF coercion"
There is NJ necessary conflict letwscp tho
law OF March g. lSu, and the new regulations.
sending children away from the reservation.
anu besides even the punishment Of taking
authorized under the law Of iSij. is male
discretionary with the Secretary. Yet Il is easy
,o see ghsnEs OF snirt in tEe new Essula'
Ing statement, in his last annual report that
he had not Yet found II necessary 10 resort 10
tendance Of pupils at schools anywhere which
I h1 law gave hum In that document he puts /
the argument FOR his policy very strongly:
90 wTits and TO spsaL lag tsn aud how % work aui
go,' aud boarding. 'shaol; should bs provided 40d
sLohl DC attended but tue tuFrible taxing
dTen long ds AHCe from their agAtnat VIII
~ their parcntA aud often % localt,es 30 dlHsTcnt
irC IA taeir GnuCs To- mae ne change ea-
egriinsiy lryns - 60 M" ma ter OF very douhtful
sped "uCy ENsn ~ OIAut auG supsTEtIous Parents
have TgulS and her parental feelings are ENABLED
10 eunsdsIaiipn u1ubtlrSs difference 10 Their sA
Will sometimes uegTve their cAglreh uI edI- :
eAt.onal advantages m nanTesefyat. school /
whose value CAu be appreciated nettheE bV /
parent nor, rhld Yet an oYersealuus aurmpt 10
sntoIc. even ps.sinsi. apt 70 arouse di.Jrusi aHI
an1 agonism, Shtrh IN the long prevents rathsr
no promotes tLs god dcs rsd ID It comes %
be undoT>;u"l hN tulAus that theE 81 at,rnI
y ho.s d slnul alshd distant schools tney will bs
ready 60 lstun 10 tbs arguments favor Of Iouser
LcEn 81 schooling and more thorough course OF m
gstFIa training Than most TeseTrAt hp0is eau
3neE
The sound sense Indicated in those conclu-
Known. ever since their adonhvn In bssrtiea
no com plant has heen made ~ Indian par-
ents OF the conduct Of the authorities. IL ~
iound. IN fact. that there has been little LIfi-
Guilty 10 getting the consent OF the parents
whose children attend non-TSseTyation schools !
which makes II all the less desirable to eXer-
oiss eompulslOu 10 the few eGass where thkt /