The Portland daily press., 1897-07-08
INDIANS AT SCHOOL.
They Are Natural Musicians, Fond OF
English Names and Good Clothes.

(From the 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 a
fierce, sullen, obstinate and cruel lot of
savages, with a record second to not even
the Apaches for horrible butcheries of
white settlers, and unspeakable barbara
ties upon their enemies in warfare. 1t
was therefore surprise to see over loo
of the boys and girls of these desert saw
ages come marching into the chapel with
military precision, dressed in handsome,
neat-ftting garments. wearing linen
shirts, and with their hair brushed with
as much nicely as that of a city dude.
But the surprise did not end there.
one of the Apache Indian girls that ten
months before was running wild on the
desert south of the ella, 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 Prof. 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 well, hav
ing picked the accomplishment up with
out any instruction. This Indian is Pc
culiarity in Indian life. Some years ago
he had learned the English language and
acted as an interpreter from that time
till the opening of the school, which he
entered, where he has since remained.
He discarded his Indian name and as
sumed an English one, and in the three
years has acquired good English educa-
ton. He is of medium size, rather dark,
but with the appearance of a student.
He has done much to induce his people
to adopt civilization, and is. of course, a
warm friend of the school.
An advantage here is that the boys and
girls are in close proximity to their rela-
tives and friends, and are allowed to Wis.
it 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 sis
tiers tend to raise them in the plane OF
civilization, and the change on the reser-
walton during the last year is marked
The boys are allowed to go home two
weeks in the summer and several are al
lowed 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 al
least more expensive clothing than the
school furnishes them.
At times the Indian boys are allowed tc
work ON the fruit farms adjoining the
school, and they are given their wages tc
spend as they please. They usually in
vest 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 Mexicans. When they are out
working this way they not only earn the
wages, but they learn to depend upon
themselves.
This idea of the Industrial branch OF
the school is the conception of Prof. Rich.
His theory is that it is impossible to take
savage and so educate him in letters
and science that he will be able to sue
cessfully take hold of any of the higher
branches in life, or, in other words, that
it is impossible to make Greek professor
out of a half naked savage. But he does
argue that they can be made good citi-
zens, able to read and write, and, more
than all, to support themselves by tilling
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