El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-01
INDIAN SCHOOLS
IN THE SOUTHWEST

cad cts pursue him, hold court-martial
when he has been caught and returned,
and fix the punishment which consists
Of from twenty-five to thirty lashes.
Superintendent Crueger suggested the
use of birch switches, but the cadets
thought the cowhide possess
ed greater virtues, aud so
ishments are usually inflicted in the
presence of the entire school, and the
culprit accepts it without a murmur,
as to cry would be considered effemin-
ate. The superintendent may not pres
cribe the punishment nor increase it.
This rule Is founded on wise policy, as
by extending mercy when justified, the
superintendent secures the good will
of the pupils and race hatred is avoid
ed.
Very few pupils become discomfort
ed, but in case of such discomfort they
are permitted to withdraw from the
school, provided their parents give
their consent. School books are de-
signated by the Indians as ''speaking
barks."
Remarkable changes in the Indians
of the southwest will occur during the
coming generation-the youths who
are now being educated will have
grown to maturity, and instead OF the
day, we shall find at least q half
educated race and vastly better citi-
zeus.
Superintendent Crueger asserts that,
as a rule, Indian boys are brighter and
quicker to learn than are girls. The
perceptive qualities of both sexes are
rather dull, and it requires great
deal of illustration, explanation and
object teaching in the beginning to en-
\ y 10 ho ct
The young pupils advance much more
rapidly than do those who have almost
cached their majority before entering
school.
A Sabbath school is connected with
the government school, but very few
of the pupils have advanced sufficiently
to read bible lessons understandipgly.
instruction is, therefore, given orally.
The Lords prayer, ten commandments
the story of the creation, and the par
able of Jonah and the whale, are read
to them and their su distance committed
to memory, after which they express
their understanding of the meaning of
the lesson in their own manner and
language. They manifest great inter-
est in the story of David and Goliath,
and never tire of hearing how the lit
tie warrior slew the big chief, but
they grunt in very suggestive man
ner at the story of Jonah and the
whale. They do not man
ifest SO much surprise at the
story of the flood, as the Indians have
q tradition that q similar flood once
covered this western world. The Ten
and particularly those
stealing. lying and murder.
are impressed upon them with all pos
sible force and persistence. The re-
ference to the lake of everlasting hell
fire, provided for murderers, exerts a
lasting and beneficial influence, as it
produces terror in their minds, and
being repeated by them to their par
ents, exercises far-reaching influence.
Among the principles which are
sought to be impressed upon the In
dian mind with particular force ia that
slavery and peonage are wrong, and
that the pale face government will not
permit either. This lesson they are |
requested to repeat to their parents,
the most of whom have practiced both |
and still believe it is right to enslave
prisoners and reduce creditors to a con-
dition of peonage. In fact, the latter |
is practiced to considerable extent to |
this day, and there are a number of !
wealthy Indians in New Mexico and |
Arizona whose riches have been &C.
luired through peon labor.
The Indian is naturally prodigal, es-
oecially in the indulgence of the pas
sion for fire water and for red calico. |
The crafty rancher takes advantage of
his, encourages him to incur in |
1ebtedness and then reduces him to