The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-08-21

A
In commenting upon the school
facilities In the Indian Terr1tpryt
Commissioner OF Indian Affairs Jones
said to yohr correspondent:
"The only way by which the peo-
pie of the Indian Territory can 10
cure satisfactory educational faciii- I
ties is by the transfer of this sys-
tenn to the government. The system
now in vogue is practically Of no
benefit to the people.
The Indian Territory 10 essentially
an agricultural and stock raising
community. BY one or the other of
these pursuits must the majority OF
the people earn their livelihood in
the future. Yet Industrial train
ing of any character, especially
that tending toward the pursuits
they must hereafter naturally follow
is unheard of In their schools 1t is
unquestiowble that the breaking up
of the Indian Territory and its reso-
lution into the condition of the re-
"a, ainder of the country 10 only a
matter OF time, and then these boys
and girls must receive proportion
of the public domain for their sepa'
rate use. The course of study pur-
sued at the various schools Is in the
line of training for collegiate course
looking to q professional life. Girls.
instead of being taught the domestic
arts, are given a course of Latin and
mathematics. while such simple arts
as sewing, cooking and other
branches of domestic economy are
studiously neglected. The dignity
of work receives no attention at
their hands. Although each of their
boarding schools has q farm lr-
rounding it, no attention is paid to
teaching the boys to become farmers
or stock raisers, either with an edu-
cative value or as matter of reduc-
ing expenses at school."<
In bis last annual report, Commits
sioner Jones submitted the following
recommendation which will be again
renewed in his report this year:
tThe only hope of permanent and
lasting results, in prepe ring the five
civilized tribes for citizenship and
statehood, must come through COM
plete government control Of the en-
tire educational machinery. The
wasting of thousands of dollars an
nually IN crude and sometimes vic
ious methods of dealing with this
important branch of Indian civiliza-
ton should no longer be tolerated,
as the little children. the strong
hope of the nations, are now retro
grading rather than advancing. Rad
ical changes in the conduct of their
schools must be made to secure the
best results from the funds availa-
BILE. The great mass of whites in the
Territory desire and must eventually
sue ceed In securing educational ad-
vantages to their children. Public
policy demands it and therefore it is
only a matter of time. In the mean
time. however, under present meth
eds, the Indian is not progressing,
and when these fertile lands are
erected into a separate government,
unless there is change, it's people
will be confronted with a more Sc
rious Indian problem than was ever
before the country. The mass of In
dians recognize the defects of the
present system, and feel the evil eff
fects of favoritism for the children
of their more powerful neighbors.
The condition of the schools is a
startling commentary upon the past
management of the tribal govern.
ments, and the sooner the blot is
wiped off the Territory the sooner
will these Indians be entitled to the
appellation of "civiIized.'
THE reports indicate that these
people are Indians that the masses,
especially the fullbloods, are not re-
ceiving their due proportion of the
funds appropriated ostensibly for
all; that the teachers are employed
for every reason except qualifica-
ton; that unjust determinations are
made between those entitled to share
in common benefit; that the edu-
cational methods are unsound and
untitled to the people; therefore the
adequate remedy lies in the control
of their schools being taken entirely
from the tribal authorities and vest
ed inithe government, which owes ii
to the national humanitarian pro-
gress o: the age to these Indians,
out of their own ample tribal funds,
a practical educational system
adapted to their needs and the needs
of the times. Unless full control is
taken it will be better to let the
tribes continue to bear the heavy re-
sponsibility which has been placed
upon them. and which, neither by
education nor training, are they
fitted to assume"
The commissioner of Indian affairs
feels confident that this winter he
will be able to secure legislation by
congress along the lines recommend
ed by him.