The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
MISS HOWARDiS MISSION.
TEN TEARS OF WORK AMONG IN.
DI1NS ON CROW 4

IL WOulu " 10 Z w ohs Nlld hlSS brACN
Howard is now resting after her ten years OF
hard work among the Brule Indians on IN.
Crow Crock reservation. for she seems to be con.
additionally unable to rest except in the mod.
ern American sense of seeking IA change Of 90
cupation. It is true. however. that she is nov
visiting at tho home of her father in this city,
and that she has definitely retired from The
work TO which she has given so large n portion
Of Der life. Her rest seems to consist in making
preparations for further activity on the cattle
ranch which she has purchased on the White
River, and on which she proposes to make her
permanent home. still among the Indians.
When she was asked to toll something " her
experiences and plans she domurrcd stoutly. say.
ing that she had resolved not to speak publicly
on the subject any more. But the old, interest
few questions had been asked casually. she va
soon talking with all the enthusiasm that has
made her prominent among the many who hayo
There are. she said, just two points that I
dams themselves. They have been criticised So.
them who have been at tho Hampton school and
have gone back to live among their own people
as graduates when they have not, perhaps. had
more than three years schooling altogether, and
there zee; seems s to be be a disposition ans h to hGid them r-
Now, 1t Is trne that they dc, not all turn out
well. There are instances Of failure even among
sert that as a class they do turn out well. Syon
They 90 back home with a strong love for thcir
race. and for their parents. especially. and they
work. and they do work. They raise grain aud
sell great quantities of IL to the agents. And
they they raise ISsC cattle ths and nnan sell them ,b to the agent. for
into -four and the cattle turned into meat
and give i back to them in the sharc ..
the system Of issuing. rations. but it is. pretty
certain that the Indians as a race will never
they are sure of getting enough to cat from The
Government. And the, sense Of resronsib0ity
them to throw mp good employ ment when they
were getting excellent and sure pay. because
they I sgS E9qid d. not 9Th have cs,a aSsrtg to 90 Rn on ;b psThaPs 10
had white men leave me for the same reason.
and have been Obliged in consequence t? feed
entirely an Indian failing.
1T is true that the boys do. after coming home
from school. sometimes drink and idle away
time. and go off TO dances. which seems now 10
be regarded as a great offence. though can
grow steady and make good men. As for the
girls, they are almost invariably improved hy
good mothe rne though %sae the he'll indian Woman is II.
ways a good mother. SO far as she knows how.
The second point l want TO emphasize is that
my own work has been successful and not by any
it in any sense compulsorily. Ny health has sui
7 III L ouhu ina L was uul Spink " w auIN
to keep the work up as l had been doing, and
simply took the advice Of my father and many Of
the opportunity to sell out my school TO the Gov.
eminent. therefore did so. and received 5000
'0a TRs' s han fGsa WE was s' this: For two or three
years past. the denominations schools. in con.
sequence OF an agreement among al the
refused to accept Government aid. l have cor.
tinued to receive, Government money; but my
is true that / received n great deal OF belp from
Episcopalians. naturally enough, because am
came from my rector, Or. Satterlee. Then the
policy OF the Government for some time past
and put the schools directly in charge OF regu.
larry appointed Government employees. This
again did no. AFFECT me, for my contract n with
Advantageous 10 the school year by year, I'll
this year it was better than ever before. and
still further increased. for next year II I had
chosen to continue with it. But. as l said Ifelt
How did 1 come to choose such a life as 1 did
instead Of remaining at homei Well. I was not
to do. simply because + could not live idly. Il
was in March. 1856, ! think. that / went to the
to visit my cousin. who was one of the teachers
in the school. Then my cousin was Ill, and I
teacher was III. and I eont!nned her class until.
! think. some time in June By that time grew
thoronShly interested in the work; and began
on to advantage. after the pupils, should have
returned, to their homes among their own PEI.
pie. ! therefore went to South Dakota with
the intention OF starting systematic industrial
work among, the Indians. and I made a begin.
ming in that line.
at was not a real failure. for I succeeded in
getting the young people interested il. the idea.
was not the demand ont there for the kini a.
work that was to be lone at an institution ~
scented to turn il into a school. being asked to 10
SO by the parents OF the Indian children them,
Indian commissioners at Washinyfnn- A. that
time the Indians We're not compelled 10 send
their children, TO school. and | only had ten
no help from the Government for the first
two years. but afterward | received an allow
The next year this was increased 20 ten children.
and ! also had a teacher at S4oo a year.
children and a Teacher at 5000 a year. Then
from time TO time II was Increased. III this year
and nS'f had t an teachers. In one respect Wv i wa,
specially favored. for none Of the other contract
schoois-ana there are a Sreat I'M many 0i tHS cav
ment Of Of , Sa0o n a year pei I pTpilS; a and moro n rnG,s
than were specified in the contract.
AT frst, my pupils were girls from u TO ~
years old. for at that time, as | said, education
they did not send the smaller children. but
afterwerd ! had Younger ones. The compnlSorE
thing, especially as the parents are not allowed
to withdraw their children rom one school TO
My work was very largely a sort OF
missionary work. In addition 10, carrying
on the school. / attended the sick, and in
that way ACQUIRED . considerable ns1, al lie, I'M iIf ~
please me, in n great many cases. ! have o nat
ural knack in u sick room, hut ! didn't talk re-
liyion TO them. The Rev. Mr.. Ii. Burt had a
we'll established church there when went
there, and my effort was 10 get the people TO At
tend his services.
N"On the broad general question OF thu
treatment OF the Indians think the polio
OF the government is all that could he
asked. There are now unusually com
petent agents at the reservations, and, as ] said.
there have been excellent results from lts
regulation requiring every child OF five years
old and upward TO go 10 school. But do Thus
that there is no hope OF making the Indians sc,'.
supporting as a whole. while the Government
continues to issue rntions, So far. as my, own
work goes, l have met with nothing but kind
ness and encouragement from everybody | ever
came in contact with in Washington, from dI'r,,
keepers To Presidents. Then l have had IA De-!
of help from a number of clcrgymcn, espeCialIy
DIR. Sattcrlee. DIR. Greer, and DIR. Morgan DN
In looking back over IL all, | cannot help
being gratined by the results of ali my work. II