Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-04-02
INDIAN RESERVATION.
Major F. B. Spriggs and His
Piute Wards.

A reporter paid a visit to the Pyra-
mid Lake Indian Reservation last
week and found many startling changes
had taken place in the four years
elapsing between it and former visit.
The roads to the agency and those in
and around it are all in good condition
and kept in better repair than are our
county roads. Better judgment in the
use Of material and the time of using
it, are the causes for this. Good high
ways are important and particularly SO
to the Indian, who now finds an ever
growing need of them. as he uses
them more and more to market the
products of land, lake and stream.
Best Of all is the principle involved, l..
e., the promotion of industrial pursuit
in intensely practical way, with COM
pensaton at completion. Those who
know the Indian know this teaches him
to the full and is for him the only true
instruction. 1t follows that 1t is Of
highest value to him. Road making
and repairing is extensively followed in
all parts of the State and his experience
gives him frequent employment. 1t
makes him self-sustaining, the end at
which government aims.
The fences are we'll built and well
kept. The campoodie is fast giving
way to comfortable houses kept with
housewifely care. Blindness and bod
lily ailments will decrease. Better
habits are formed and permanent
homes established. Furniture is COM
ing into use and the surroundings are
being improved. The land is put tc
better use, is better titled the crops
increase and with them the earnings.
The livestock is better taken care of
and is getting much better in quality
and finds ready sale. The Indians are
indeed making giant strides in the
right direction.
The new school building stands on
an eminence overlooking the valley
and the view is at all times beautiful.
The building is modern in every re-
spect and every precaution was taken
to make it sanitary. 1t is heated and
lighted by the latest devices used for
such purposes, coal being used to fur
nish heat for the registers and the gas
for light being manufactured by plant
on the place. The bath rooms are
nearly luxurious, they are SO nicely
appointed. The kitchen, dining hall
and dormitories are all models Of neat
ness. The sewing rooms are fully
equipped with machines and other ne
cessities, the school rooms are up to
the standard fixed by eminent author
tiles, and every department is pleasant
and comfortable.
We cannot go into such detail as we
would like and as the school deserves
how the girls are taught to make
their own garments, to cook and keep
house, and the boys 10 be farmers,
carpenters and blacksmiths. The
children all have a Fixing for music,
vocal and instrumental, and a natural
aptitude for drawing. They readily ex-
press ideas by means Of drawing and
to a wonderful extent. Their hand
writing is remarkable in preclseness.
They read readily and work in frac-
tions. Best of all, they are fast putting
their knowledge Of reading. writing,
arithmetic and drawing to practical
use. This can best be shown by an
Indian foreman keeping correct time
for a gang Of rs men at work. Put
ting book knowledge to practical
use by the Indian means success for
the teacher.