The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-12
THE TRAINING OF INDIANS.
Methods Employed in This Field I'm
der Government Control

Methods Employed in This Field I'm
der Government Control
The problem of education Of the Indian
is described by W A Jones. Commissioner
of Indian Affairs. In his annual report,
which was given cut today. as follows:
Indian education is accomplished
through the means of non-rsserTation
boarding schools, reservation boarding
schools. and reservation and independent
day schools. all under complete Govern
ment control, State and Territorial public
schools. contract day and boarding schools,
and mission day and boarding schools.
1.-The Indian school system aims to pro-
vide training which viii prepare the In
dian boy or girl for the everyday life Of
the average American citizen. It does not
contemplate. as some have supposed on
superficial examination. an elaborate prep
araticn for q collegiate course through an
extended high school curriculum
The course of instruction in these
schools is limited TO that usually taught in
common schools Of the country Shoe and
harness making, tailoring, bIaeksmithing-
masonry work, pIastering, brick making
and laying, etc, are taught at the larger
non-reseTv2t ton schools, not, IL IS true.
with the elaboTatenes5 Of special traininS,
as at the great polytechnic institutions Of
the country, but On a scale suited TO the
ability and future environment Of the In
dian There are special cases however.
where Indian boys are, and have been,
trained so thoroughly that their work com
pares faEorabIy with that of the white me-
chanic- Specialized training, however is
not always desirable, for the reason that
opportunities for following such yoeations
probably on Indian reservations are not Of
the best; yet, on the other hand. the time
frequently comes when the use of tools
learned in school enables the returned pu-
Pill TO shoe his own horse as well as the vii
lsge smith, or repair broken va on as
well as The agency mechanic
That Indian boys are capable of be-
coming excellent mechanics and woTkmen
IS an indiSDutaDle fact For illustration
in the harness shop of Hampton the pu-
pills have completed an order for upward
OF 81. 600 worth OF 1ne harness for John
Wanamaker, Of New York and PhiladeI-
phia. and have shipped $500 worth to
Washington. Fifty trucks have been fur
nished a Richmond house, and fifty more
to the Seaboard Air Line Railway Com
paay. Carlisle has for years supplied the
Indian service most superior farm va
S0n, while Haskell vies with the products
OF this school in excellence of workman
ship. TIE school at Salem has turned out
finished harness which completes success
fully at the same price with regular Gus
tom work. The products OF the shops at
Phoenix, Haskell. ChiI0cco, and other
schools display a character Of workman
ship and artistic skill which dispOses Of
the theory that the Indian is not me-
chanie and not finished workman. He
can and VIII. after q proper course OF
instruction, and with equal opportunities
hold his own with the average workman
in the useful trades This is the objec-
tive point CT his Industrial training in the
schools established for his BENEFIT
1t Is not considered the province Of
the Government n provide ei5her its
wards or citizens with what is known as
higher edueation-' That is the proper
function ef the individual himself The
InJian boy or girl Who receives a literary
training in these schools has laid tfI5
groundwork for future education, and can
ft himself OF herself for the lar, the pui-
pit. or the magazine pages. Their fu-
ture career should always be dependent
upon their own exerJicns, and not at the
expense CT the General Government
Phoenix, Haskell, Albuquerque, AID other
Institutions have we'll organized schools
of domestic science. where the girls are
practically taught the art OF preparing
a wholesome meal, ss-gh as appears On
the tables CT persons Of ucdErate means.
They are not taught the hotel or res
taurant' style Of cooking. with the con-
sequent education and desire t. Icok for
ward TO salaries similar 20 chefs n such
Institutions; but by actually themselves
prTp2Tins- under proper supervision. the
meals adapted to the means OF an aver
age family of FIVE to seven persons, these
girls stand excellent chances of securing
and are not constantly looking forv-s r.
to continued Government support by be-
ing placed in saIaried positions at the
Government schools and agencies