The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-08-19
THE RED MEN.
INDIANS AT SCHOOL.
They Are Natural Musicians, Fond
Of English Names and Good
Clothes.

Of English Names and Good
Clothes.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.
A recent visit to the Phoenix Indian
school, California, was revelation in
some respects. The writer has known
the Pima Indians on their reservation
as fierce, sullen, obstinate and cruel
lot OF savages, with a record second to
not even the Apaches for horrible
| butcheries of white settlers, and un-
speakable barbarities upon their enc
mics in warfare. It was, therefore, a
surprise to see over $50 of the boys and
girls Of these desert sayages come march
ing into the chapel with military pre-
cision, dressed in handsome, neat-fitting
garments, wearing linen shirts, and
with their hair brushed with as much
nicely as that of city dude.
But the surprise did not end there.
When the opening hymn was announc-
ed, one of the Apache Indian girls that
ten months before was running wild on
the desert south of the Gila, readily
turned to the number, and, handing
the writer the book, asked in good
English if he would not take part with
them. Some of them sing splendidly,
and Professor Hall, the superintendent
of~the school, says they are natural
musicians. Several OF the younger
ones have learned to play the organ,
and with the French harp they will
make an average city gamin ashamed
of himself. Hugh Patton, one of the
monitors. plays the piano very we'll,
having picked the accomplishment up
without any instruction. This Indian
is peculiarly IN Indian lie. Some
years ago he had learned the English
language and acted as an interpreter
from that time till the.openlng of the
school, which he entered, where he has
since remained. He discarded his In
dian name and assumed an English
one, and in the three years has acquir-
ed a good English education. He is of
medium size, rather dark, but with the
appearance OF student. He has done
much to induce his people to adopt
civilization, and is, OF course, warm
friend OF the school.
An advantage here is that the boys
and girls are in close proximity to their
relatives and friends, and are allowed
to visit back and forth, which could
not be the case in foreign school.
This is of double advantage, for the
educated children visiting their parents,
brothers and sisters tend to raise them
in the plane of civilization, and the
change on the reservation during the
last year is marked. The boys are al
lowed to go home two weeks In the
summer, and several are allowed to go
and assist in planting the crops. When
they leave the school they are given
their Indian clothes, but they never
fail to return wearing better or at least
more expensive clothing than the
school furnishes them.
At times the Indian boys are allowed
to work on the fruit farms adjoining
the school, and they are given their
wages to spend as they please. They
usually invest them in clothing, and
some of them have expensive suits.
They do their work we'll, and their
labor is preferred to that of the Mex
leans. When they are out working
this way, they not only earn the wages,
but they learn to depend upon them
selves.
This idea of the Industrial branch of
the school Is the conception of Pro
fessor Rich. His theory is that it is
impossible to take a savage and SO
educate him in letters and science that
liz Will Uc dOl0 W CuCCOSoAu oaAO uO1O
of any of the higher branches in life,
or, in other words, that it Is impossible
to make Greek professor out of half
naked savage. But he does argue that
they can be made good citizens, able to
read and write, and, more than all, to
support themselves by tilllng the soil.
After this point is reached they will
rise higher themselves and OF their own
inclination, until the last instinct OF
the savage Will have disappeared.
That teaspoonful of ammonia add
ed once a week to the water with which
you water plants will greatly stimulate
the growth.