The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-15
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
SEATTLE. SATURDAY. july rs.
jackson AND HIS REPORTS.

UkATILe, SATURUAIs JUL 10.
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JACKSON AND MIS- REPORTS.
DR.. Sheldon Jackson's own reports to
the commissioner OF education afford
much interesting evidence az tn the
matters recently complained Of by the
Juneau grand jury. They are overbur-
dened with descriptions Of reindeer and
Junketing trips TO secure and propagate
reindeer. with discussions upon the pro-
clIvity Of the Indians to drink and the
efforts Of the public school teachers to
pin blue badges upon Them. and with an
almost total lack of systematic or valu-
able statistics as to actual educational
work.
Beginning with 1894. which are the
FIRST reports at hand to the editor OF the
Post-Intelligsucer. the only explicit
statements made In the reports are
those covering the schools and their To-
cation. tho enrolment. and the name
of the surrounding Indian tribe. There
is no statement of the relation Of en-.
roilment to the local population. and no
statement Of the relation of the daily
attendance To the enrolment There In
no statement OF the proportionate cost
of each school. no statement OF the
value III buildings and property. no
statement Of the number Of school days
or months. no statement Of the specific
Increases or decreases of expenditures
In the succeeding years.
The teachers In the various pubic
and mission schools apparently submit
their reports only Ia have them trans
mitted without editing or examination
by the commissioner. the general re-
port OF the commissioner making no IL
sest Of them and presenting no eonclu-
Information The entire showing In such
rs shouid nj an appendix and be ex-
oluded from the body 81 any report. II
Is n mere compilation that could be
thrown together in a few hours by any
person disposed to neglect or make iigh,
OF his duties in the pursuit OF some IA
vortte hobby
Fight against the ''llquor drinking
prociivties" az the Indians dominates
oil reports. to the partial exclusion OF
the serious matters Of systematic edu-
cation. a large proportion Of the teach
ers' reports closing with words sim
liar 60 the following. which was taken
from the statement OF Teacher c. c.
Softer. Of the kadiak district:
las infemperanee Is so rife In nearly all
Alaskan communities n h source of
special qualification To the teacher .hss
the school children have all signed
promise not 10 taste any tntexiea sinw
Nauor Of any kind until they are q years
Of age, They shaw much pride IN being
called Temperance boys and girls and
snorf their blue ribbon badges"
DIR. jackson fer number of years
estimated the school population IN
Alaska At SEQ to ieeaa. For this
number ~ children he maintained IN
1897 few more than twenty-five
schools, securing an attendance for
them OF less than goa pupils Ills APP
preparations have varied from 81. @sB 20
ssn.eoa year. which woaIti furnish an
average annuie fer each school e
about 81 seo. safn much larger than Ia
had ey many rural districts II the
states. and certainly adequate for much
larger results than he has accomplish.
ed.
The amount OF space devoted IN de-
scsip,lonS 81 ''the Introduction II rein
deev'' is mare than Suggestive II =
''hohty,' For the purpose ~ flrsherine
this nonsense. nr. jackson took speeiai
trips. covering Ice ia i.5aa miles an
nuaily and consuming considerable
portion ~ she summer SEASONS TIE
sm,naaer seasons from Arril - Angus,
appear ~ b. the only pyosra cssa periods
spent ~ The commissioner IL Alaska.
his regorts frequently reading as Co.
.awS,
"on ths SIR 81 May I isss Washington
gust WAS hack again at she efnee IN
Washington"
Much space wcaia be necessary % tu,-
~ review The frailsses of nr JaeSSons
reports. has The above points selected
out Of numerals others viii be safss-
rseni e show that the grand jury had