The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-20
SCHOOL is IN A BAD WAY
Indian Pupils at Fort Shaw Suf-
fer From Lack Of Sanitation.
NEW BUILDINGS NEEDED
Inspector Mcconnell Finds an Entire
Absence OF Health III Conditions Sur
rounding the Children-An Ap-
preparation Necessary.

Great Falls, Dec. lex Governor
W. J. Mcconnell of Idaho, now United
States Indian inspector, was in the
city yesterday after an inspection Of
the Fort Shaw government Indian
school, and in answer to inquiry said:
II shall be pleased to be quoted in the
columns of the Standard on the ques-
ton of Indian schools. Speaking of the
Fort Shaw Indian school, the commits
sioner of Indian affairs and the secre-
tary Of the interior, together with the
officials Of the department are merely
the servants Of the public and are pow
erless to build schools, dig irrigating
canals or make any considerable ex-
penditure for the education or advance
ment of the Indian race unless con-
gress provides the means to do SO. AS
rule, neither congressman or senators,
even in the west, have made study Of
the Indian problem. believe it would
be safe to say that but few. If any,
Of the congressman or senators who
have, or are, representing the state of
Montana have visited the Fort Shaw
Indian school, or, for that matter, any
of the Indian schools or reservations.
making a stay long enough to under
stand their needs.
THE department. realizing the nee
essity Of having an Indian training
school in Montana, where it would be
available for all the intermountain
northwestern tribes, selected Fort
Shaw, which had been abandoned by
the war department, and has sought
to economic by Transforming the
buildings, which were designed for
army use, into quarters for a training
school The location was we'll chosen,
the soil, climate and altitude vary but
little from that Of the Flathead, Black
foot. Belknap, Fort Peck and Crow In
dian reservations in Montana. and
Lomhi and Shoshone reservations in
wyoming. The similarity in altitude
and climate makes a charge from their
homes to the school less dangerous to
the pupils than where their removal is
to long distances, where different eli
matte conditions prevail
1T is impossible to bring the present
generation of Indians up to the stand
ard in either mechanics or art which
will enable them to compete success
fully with their white brethren; there
fore they must of necessity make
livelihood by such pursuits as are prac-
teal in the country where they live.
Fort Shaw being similar, as stated, in
climate and soil, the lessons taught
there in agriculture and stock growing,
as applicable to horses, sheep and cat
tie, will be Of service to the young peo-
pie when they return home for that
reason a training school located at
Fort Shaw is of far more value to the
northwestern Indians than similar in
stitution located in a country where
stock raising as conducted in Montana
cannot be taught, and where irrigation
is not necessity.
Unfortunately for the pupils at the
Fort Shaw schools the officer or officers
who planned and superintended the
erection Of that post were of the old
school, educated in architecture at
time when ventilation and sanitary en-
cheering were not taught in the mill
tary schools; consequently no transoms
were put in above the doors, not q Ven
tilatlng shaft, or. in fact, any means
provided by which pure air could be
got into rooms, nor their temperature
regulated. This was not so fatal a de-
feet when they were designed for use
by few persons; but as a matter OF
economy, the sleeping rooms intended
for two or three, at most, are now oc-
cupied by as many as 10 pupils. TINS
has to be done owing to the number of
pupils attending the school, which APP
proXimates 900. The joists. upon which
the floors are laid are SO close to the
ground as to permit of no ventilation
from beneath; in fact, no attempt was
made by the war department to pro-
vide any ventila ton whatever. The eff
feet on the health of the pupils, caused
by the use Of such buildings, is easily
determined by comparison with the ST.
Peters mission school, it being within
Is miles Of the Fort Shaw school, prac-
tically in the same altitude. At that
school there were 1876 pupils in attend
ance on the 10th inst, not one or
whom was in the hospital, while at the
Fort Shaw, that department of the
school is one of its most important
factors.
LAT present there is no regular physi-
clan in charge, consequently the hospi-
tai records have not for many months
been kept in such way as to show
how many patients have baen admitted,
but during part of last year the ply
sician who was then in cha sc kept
complete register. 1t shows that dur
ing September, 1888, the average at
tendance was 1S9 pupils, so of them be-
ing in the hospital at least a portion
of the time, during that month; dur
ing October of the same year. an cpl
demic of measles occurred, from which
there were 4S cases, but hes. des that
there were Ga patients treated N the
hospital for other diseases. In NoVem-
Der the epidemic of measles was at its
worst, 11S being stricken, and y of the
pupils at some time during the month
being treated for other diseases. III
December, 1898. the average attendance
at the Fort Shaw school was 260, and
during the month 80 were treated IN
the hospital. A comparison of this rec
ord with that of st. Peters school
shows clearly the different conditions
which may be brought about in the
same climate by simply providing such
modern buildings as those at St
Peters.
mo Indian training school in the
service has better lot of employees
than the Fort Shaw school; they are
doing the best they possibly can under
the circumstances. Neither is the In
dian office to blame. Before the pre-
vailing conditions can be remedied
congress must make an appropriation
for new dormitories new school rooms,
a new hospital and better seweraSe
system.
The school farm consists of 5000
acres, which was originally part OF
the Fort Shaw military reserve. The