The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-12
IMPROVING THE indian MIND.
GOVERNMENT SUPERINTENDENT,
MISS REEL, SUBMITS REPORT.
While the Dark-Skinned sons Oh the
Forest DO Not Take Readily 10
Education, They Make better
Men when Once Properly started.

WASHINGTON Dec. 11.-MisS Rec, SUI
nerintenaent Of Indian schools. in her an
nual report makes strong plea iof siie
Industrial feature Of the educationai WORK
among the Indians Miss Reel Is the nrst
woman who has been at the head OF the
government Indian schools service. In her
report she says:
.a1he government has upon its various
reservations about go day and boarding
schools in which there are over 2.Vo teach
ers employed. For these teachers several
institutes were held last summer and ran
In some of the Western states, the majority
of which the superintendent conducted. IN
augurating a number OF innovations, cuiei
among which are the requiring OF actuai
work 10 be done in the teaching OF sewing
cooking Eousework, etc. Garments Were
made hy the teachers who are required TO
teach sewing in the schools, and matrons
and nurses we're shown how TO take the ra-
ton list provided by the government ana
prepare a wholesome and varied BAL OF
fare for every day in the week; pnysi-
clans certificate was he'd ana nurses lii-
structed how to use small remedies. Man
ual training was also strongly emphasizei
1.-The government has not as yet adopted
COMPULSORY measures for the education OF
the indian children and the fact is that the
dark skinned sons of the forest do not take
10 education very readily. Some reserVa-
tons withhold the rations until the parents
strong is the opposition to this in many
cases they have held out against 1t until
their families were on the verge OF starya-
ton. But this feeling is not general, and
during the past year the attendance per-
centaga was very fair. In the reservation
schools the work is divided between the
hours OF study and Industrial duties. The
girls are taught. aside rom the common
school branches to become good house
keepers and the boys farming and the or
binary industrial arts. Besides these, reser-
walton schools teach the higher branches
of the scientific trades. These schools have
graduated "A large number OF their pupils.
% whom but comparatively few have re-
turned to their other manner OF living.
while the great majority are making good
citizens. There is stl, however, room for
improvement and the aims o. the young
Indian must he made higher; he must De
brought into touch and kept in contact
with our civilization. Where tribes OF In
dams have been surrounded by good
class OF white settlers the debasing effects
OF camp lie have been ended
'"The placing Of Indian boys and girls at
service in the families OF farmers. al
though for a few months only-fhe girls in
structed in the practical economy Of the
family life the boys In farming garden
ing stock raising etc.-has met with abun-
dant success al Carlisle where the plan or
iginated''
Industrial education ana the necessity Of
furnishing employment for the Indian stu
dent upon his return from school. are
GWelt upon. compulsory education ara
more attention 10 manual training are
strongly urged.
~ desire 20 emphasize the statements %
numerous Indian educators ;hat industrial
training should have the foremost place in
Indla~l education. Ger IL Is fne foundation
upon which the governments desire for the
Improvement 81 the Indian Il hslilt The
consensus Of opinion Of the supe~ia .gltsrfs
ar the last summer schools shows that too
little attention is paid TO this field Of Ia
N..- .sszs p t~ @.A %at
ties for workshops and teachers be rrc-
vb4cG that this work upon waicb The ciYl.l-
cation - the race depends may not suffer
Industrial training should be IL "A line
with the work that students ~ili End On
their reservation. ard should teEd - teach
than 70 become s@3f-st.pgsortlng. The hack
hone Of an education IS the ability 10 d.
something; tSA, "a large ma fs~tsy ~ the
Indians must labor with their aa--ls an
tAat the methods adopted should - those
which VIII teach him how n 10 shat and %
ENABLE him 10 understand ex3sftag coma H.
ttons and 20 adapt himself 10 his surround
ings."
Miss Reel also pleads for industrial efu-
cation f0r younE women on the theory fsat
when yc1 civisfze the wife yass civalra the
hama" and that sewing cooking AMI
courss or economic housekeeping shah ~
leading factors Ia every Indian girls etu-
catton.
Vatican Policy tn He Arti-Carfiss.
ROME. Der. 1.-THE pope has decided
that the Spanish policy OF the Vatican
SHAH be ansl-Cariiss ard not neutral.