El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-02
INDIAN SCHOOLS
Third Annual Report OF The Gene
raj SUD rintendeot

The third annual report of Estelle
Reel. general superintendent OF the
Indian schools. contains much data
of interest Miss Reel finds that the
problem of Indian civilization moves
toward solution. She says that while
we who Immediately supervise the
schools realize the magnitude OF our
work. we do not feel that the whole
burden rests upon us. The gradual
freeing of the Indian from the reser-
walton system is throwing more and
more of the responsibility on him.
Our moral work within the educational
is one of tremendous import, and our
hope is in education. based on char
acter and carried along industrial
lines. There is responsiveness 10
ethical training in the Indians soul
as well as in the white mans and when
we have taught the Indian the speech
of civilization and the crafts required
by his environment. he may safely
pass from our hands to the saving
power of self-support.
Miss Reel has made industrial train
ing in the Indian schools the most
i'm portant feature in the work of edu-
eating the Indian. She believes in
gi wing the Indian thorough train
ing in the fundamental English
branches, but thinks it unwise to
spend years over subjects for which in
all probability. he will have no use
in later life when the time could be
employed in assuring skill in the in
dustrial arts. She insists that every
boy who is graduated from an Indian
school should know how to farm in an
intelligent manner. and have suffi-
Gent knowledge of blacksmithin and
the trades to- enable him to shoe his
horse. mend his wagon, build his house
and Ito the general repair work relat-
ing to farm.
Miss Reel emphasizes the vital inn
portance of teaching the homemaking
duties to every Indian girl. claiming
this to be even more essential than
the teaching of trades to the boys. AS
the only way of reaching the
homes of the camp Indians is through
the girls in school. and as they are to
be the future wives and mothers. the
fate of the generations to come is in
a large measure in their keeping.
Therefore the opportunity for train
ing them in the duties of their flu
ture state should not be neglected.
Since her appointment twenty-siX
months ago. Miss Reel has spent sew
enteen months in the field. inspecting
the schools and ascertaining by per-
sonal observation the needs of the
Indians and the service. She reports
increased enrolment. better accommo-
greater facilities for industrial
and gratifying improvements
over previous years. A strong plea is
made for compulsory education The
property ownership plan has a promi-
nent place in Miss Reels system of
and the Indians are constant
ly urged to cultivate better crops and
more acres of land. The outlook for
the Indian schools on the whole is very
Clcouraging.
Miss Reel has travelled Al .13S miles
since appointment, 2.0S7 miles being
by wagon. packhorse and on foot. She
has visited for a season with the In
iians in camp and abode. on the prairie
and in the canon. visiting at the
schools. where she could observe the
Of the children of the
different tribes. the methods employed
and endeavoring to ascertain how self
support. the great end for which all
are working. may be more speedily ac-