The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-10
GOOD REPORT.
Condition of Indian Tribes
Gaining Steadily.

Washington. Oct. 9-The annual
report of Commissioner Of Indian At
fairs William A. Jones shows a general
steady advancement In the condition OF
the nations wards" Education is be-
ing pushed forward in the service, and
now there are lat well-equipped board
ing schools and an equal number of
day schools engaged In the education
of 2S,952 pupils. The average attend
ance and enrolment have steadily in
creased for the past Il years. Vigor-
Gus inquiries prosecuted by Commits
sioner Jones during the year show
significantly that SO per cent Of those
pupils who have gone through the
schools and returned to their homes
are reported to be in good physical con-
dition, contrary to the frequent sug
gestion that the change might break
g naturally strong and vigorous con-
stitution. OF the pupils attending
school 3 per cent are reported as eX-
cellent or first class, 7S per cent as
good or medium, while only "a per cent
are considered bad or worthless, show
ing, in the commissioner Judgment,
the value of a system which can in a.
generation develop from savages 76
per cent Of good average men and
women. Under the present regime, the
large net decrease in enrolment and
attendance of last year has been
changed into a net increase of 144o and
1916 enrolment and average attendance,
respectively, for the present year.
The reservation schools show the
largest gain. Agents are now being
urged to greater eXertions to fill the
schools to the limit of their capacity,
by placing therein every child of school
a 90 70 II
condition will warrant school confine-
ment. Future developments, Mr.. Jones
predicts, will undoubtedly emphasize
that a regulation enforcing compulsory
attendance upon the schools must be
enacted. The placing of Indian chill
dren in the public schools of the coun-
try, for the purpose of co-education of
the races, does not appear to meet with
much success, but fuller test of its
value and practicability is to be made
this year.
The school plants in the service are
valued at over s3,000000 and larger
funds for keeping them In repair, etc,
are urged.
Out of the general school support
fund the Indian office contemplates the
expenditure of a sufficient sum to
radically increase scholastic facilities
for the great tribes of the southwest,
and to that end adequate additions
will be made to the schools now estab-
lished for the Pimas, Papagos, Nava-
1oes, Moquis and Apaches at Sacaton,
Fort Defiance, Keans. Canyon. San
Carlos and Forts Apache. There are
on these reservations and adjacent
thereto thousands of Indians without
any school advantages whatever.
Special efforts for school advancement
are to be made with the Jicarilla
Apaches, the southern Utes and the
Seminoles in Florida.
Referring to the torturing and burn
ing of Seminoles in Oklahoma last
January. the report says it is thought
indemnify win soon be paid by the
government to all members Of the
Seminole nation injured by the mob
Of lawless whites in that occurrence,
and the whites guilty of the outrages
are now being prosecuted, The report
gives in detail the work that has been
going on at the various reservations
during the year.