The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-06-19
The SkOkOmish School.


it may be well to give short review o1
it. 1t was established in December
1866, by J. T. Knox then Sub-agent
with Rev. w. c. Chattin as teacher
and twenty-three scholars. Mr.. Knox
is now in in Southern California, is
father of Mrs. T. Webb and Mrs. HI.
c. Hale of Riverside, and the grand
father of Chas. Leake of Shelton.
Nine years previous TO this in 1857,
treaty was made with the Skoko-
mish or Twana, Chemakum and
Clallam Indians, at Point No Point
by Governor Stevens and Col. M. T.
Simmons, whereby it was agreed that
the reservation should be at the head
of Hood Canal. This treaty however
was not ratified until 1859, and the
appropriations were not made until so
late that it could not be carried into
effect until 1860 or 1861.
The head of the Canal did not
however seem, upon examination to
be suitable, and Col, Simmons in 1859
recommended that the reservation be
located near the Dukaboos or Brinnon.
In 1860 the recommendation was for a
place up the Skokomish river at the
Forks, but late in 1860 it was located
at its present situation, at the mouth
Of the river. w. B. Gosnell who has
recently died, was then Agent of these
Indians, though he did not live at this
place.
According to government reports
William NJ Morrow, father OF F. G..
Morrow, and grandfather of Mrs Chas
Leake was the first person who came
to live ON the reservation. 1t is prob
able however that Mr.. Page and Mr..
Gosnell lived here earlier according to
the early settlers. He came, Novem-
Der 1860, and enclosed fifteen acres,
six or eight of which were for the
Indians and the rest for the Govern
ment. In 1862, b. F. Kendall, Sup
erintendent of Indian affairs FOR the
Territory, reported twenty-five acres
cleared. In 1868, G. H. Hale, father
OF HI. G. Hale OF Riverside, was Sup
erintendent of Indian affairs, with his
Office at Olympia, and he reported that
there was less hope for these Indians
than any others on the Sound, as they
were badly scattered, and under bad
influences. That year F. c.. .Purdy
was Sub-Agent, aud the next year
several buildings were erected. In
1865 j. T. Knox was Sub-Agent, two
frame houses were built, and in three
years (1865-7) he set out the orchard
of Thousand trees. He reported one
hundred acres under cultivation, sixty
of which were in grass. He built a
school house, but although it began
with twenty-three scholarss he says
that by the next July it had decreased
to thirteen, only three of whom were
girls. Soon after it began, he once
told the writer, that he was in Olym-
pia, and being asked what branches
were taught, replied hunting and fish
ing covered every branch of school
and industrial work.
The treaty required school for
twenty years as well as blacksmith,
carpenter, physician and farmer, and
annuity goods, the last of which were
constantly to decrease. Thus in 1881,
all appropriations required by treaty
we're fulfilled, but government kept
the employees for a year or two longer,
and the physician and school en-
ployees until the present.
Among the curious items in the
government reports are that the fol
lowing that Charles S. King, Agent
reported Aug 15, 1869 that he had
cleared fifty acres, and raised 200 tons
of hay, 5000 bushels of potatoes and
200 of peas, and had good school.
He was removed soon after, and Lieu
tenant J. M. Kelley put in charge, but
he reported September II, 1869 only
1000 bushels Of potatoes and school
of ten scholars, which he soon increas-
ed to twenty. In 1871 Edwin Eells
was appointed Agent, and he found q
school of only five scholars, with 6OO
bushels OF potatoes and fifty tons OF
hay for that year.
After that date the school began to
increase SO that IN 1872 there were 10
scholars; in 1874, an average of 20; in
1876, 28; in 1883 35; in 1884 40; in
| 1885 55. At chat time it was
decided thai The agent had no
authority to compel children off OF
| the reservations to attend school, and
about the same time thirteen scholars
/! we're sent to the training school at
! Chemawa, Oregon, so that the number
was reduced to 35. moral snasion,
I X