The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-31
HAMPTON STUDENTS HEREABouT.
What the Indian Boys and Girls Are Do
ing This Summer.
("F. D. G." in Southern Workman)

C'F. d. g." in Southern Workman
The summer seems to be going very
pleasantly with our Indian students,
nearly all of whom are enjoying the bene-
fits Of the outing system.
There are fifty-six boys working on
farms In Massachusetts and Connecticut,
and thirty three girls in families in these
same states, and in Rhode Island.
The boys are divided up as follows:
Farm htnds, fifty; house boys, two;
cooks, three; machinist one. They are
| located in Massachusetts,: Near Boston,
eight; in Berkshire county, eleven; IN
the Connecticut valley, fourteen; In Con-
necticut near New Haven, nine; in Litch-
field county, fourteen. Aside from their
board they are earning from six to eigh-
teen dollars per month"; according to their
ability. Wages are generally allittle lower
this year, and fifteen dollars is considered
high except for the most experienced
teamsters. 1t is interesting to note that
wages have remained about the same near
New Haven and in the Connecticut val
ley, while in Berkshire and near Boston
there has been marked drop. The work
of those on farms can hardly be classified,
as nearly THE farmers carry on more
than one kind of business, but in the list
are dairymen, poultrymen, stock raisers
and market gardeners. In some places,
notably near New Haven, and in the
vicinity of Holyoke and Northampton,
the farmers are now selling produce to
the consumers direct thus saving the
mtddlemen's profits. Most of the. Indians
are interested in all these matters OF
economy and prices and the training
| they may get along these lines is of great
value.
| Farmers like the Indian because he is
| more intelligent than any of the foreign
laborers excepting perhaps the Scandlna-
VANS. "They seem just like our own
folks" is the not infrequent comment OF
the employer. The Indian may be de-
pended upon to do his work faithfully,
not always swiftly, but when 1t is done
it is complete. He is gentle with
animals and is an especially good hand in
caring for..horses. AS mixer he is not
always at first successful, because of his
deliberate actions. When, however, he
realizes that success depends upon his
speed as we'll as his skill, he does very
we'll at it.
The girls go out into small families
where the work is not heavy and where
the mistress may have opportunity to
teach them. They are paid from seventy
| five cents to two dollars per week. Us
ually the school has more applications for
| girls than it can fill. Their work is
varied; some do general housework, some
are walters, and some are nursery maids.
Most of them are allowed their. afternoons
in which they may sew or read. Some
| are near Pittsfield Mass, some in Litch-
| field county, Connecticut, and few in
Newport, r. I. They are generally very
highly spoken of by their employers. One
lady said to the writer: "We have never
had any one in our home whom we have
grown SO fond of as Abbie. She seems
just like one of our own family, and the
children idolize her. Then she is so neat
and SO gentle it is pleasure to have her
here. -
| 1t is gratifying to know that while in
| former years it required some mission
airy spirit to take an Indian boy or girl
now people receive them gladly and are
eager to engage them, even when they
| can come but for the few months of sum-
mer.