Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-09-06
EDUCATING INDIANS.
West Virginia School Gives Them Thorough
and Practical Training.

West Virginia School Gives Them Thorough
and Practical Training.
Washington, Sept. 3.-A study of the
results that have been attained at the
Indian school at Hampton, Va, gives
a fair idea of what modern Indian edu-
cation will accomplish when conduct
ed under the most favorable circum-
stances. The Hampton school is not
primarily an Indian school, but rather
one conducted in the interests of the
colored race. Special arrangement
was made by the Indian Office. through
the sanction of Congress, whereby not
to exceed 120 Indians are educated at
this school every year, and for which
Congress appropriates s20,040. A study
of the report of the superintendent of
the school for the past year, insofar
as 1t applies to the Indian students, is
rather interesting. Among other facts
brought out are the following:
There were at the Hampton school
last year 119 Indians-54 girls and 65
boys. They we're chosen from 21 diff
ferent tribes, the Oneidas Of Wiscon-
sin and the Sioux of North and South
Dakota predominating. A plan has
lately been devised to encourage the
Indians to keep cows and study prac-
tical dairying. A number have been
taking special training in the care of
cattle and the making of butter and
cheese.
There will go from the Hampton
school to the Oneida reservation with
in the next year number of boys and
girls who have definite plans as to
what they will endeavor to accomplish.
The Hampton institute pursues similar
plans with all Indians, adapting the
work of the school to the special condi-
tions at their respective homes.
AS far as possible Hampton is made
a miniature world where the young
people learn to deal with problems
similar to those which they will meet
in the outside world. Work in the va
rious trades is made more and more
part of each boys course. The grad
uating class in carpentry has taken
for half a year one-half day each
week at bricklaying, painting and tin
smithing; four hours at woodturning;
six hours at designing small houses;
and the remainder of each week is
spent at the carpenter bench. The
shoe department made 1856 pairs of
shoes; the harness department fixed
56 sets of harness.; !; the bricklayers
have laid 100000 brick, besides making
all repairs to brickwork and plastering
on the grounds. The machine shop
| turned out 179 gears, machined 700
| trucks, and did considerable work for
the electric light and power plant of
Hampton City, besides building six
horse power vertical engine.c The
woodworking machine shop has built
and sold 727 trucks; the tailor shop
made 302 uniforms. The manual train
| ing department gives instruction to
every student in the school. No boy
graduates from Hampton without hav-
| ing worked in wood, iron and sheet
| metal, besides having taken course
| in agriculture; no girl graduates with
out having received instruction in
woodwork, enabling her to mend and
make small furniture, or without hav-
| ing been taught to cook and serve
meals and to make her own dresses
and underclothing. All pupils receiv-
| ed instruction in agriculture the past
year. The head of the department
year.
| There are three courses in cooking
| at Hampton-an elementary one in
home cooking for girls who are not
likely to go very far in the school; a
more advanced class, and the normal
course for postgraduate students who
intend to become teachers of cooking.
Besides the routine of the cooking
classes, the girls are taught to care for
the dining room, to set table proper
| ly and wait on the table.
In the sewing department, the stu
dents show real enthusiasm, and a
spirit of cooperation that is striking
In addition to the regular sewing
courses, classes in basketry and lace,
making were conducted during the
past year. The head of the depart.
ment considers that as a training for
| the hand and eye, basketry is in some
respects superior to sewing, because
inaccurate or slovenly work can readily
| be detected.
The study of mathematics is one of
1
keeps cash book, showing what the
school owes him for work, what he
owes the school for board, etc., and
each month an account is rendered by
the student to the treasurer's office.
These two statennnts should agree
and if they do not, means are taken
to discover on which side the error
occurs. Articles are manufactured by
the students, and the cost of materials
time, etc., is kept of record. Details
for memorandums concerning trans
actions on the farm, in the workshops
in the commissary and kitchen are
sent in for the classes to put in proper
shape. In this way the Indians are
taught to make practical application
of their mathematical education.
Thorough instruction in vocal musi,
is given to the pupils.