The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-07-14

place gives special pertinency and in
ferest to the gathering. as the Indian
exhibits in connection with the Pan
American exposition afford opportuni-
Ties for the study of aboriginal life and
conditions which must be Of great val
gue.
The membership OF the association
comprising the congress numbers sew
eral thousands and is drawn chiefly
from the ranks Of the teachers in the
government Indian schools. the various
religious and private schools and from
the large number of educators through
out our land who are watching with
deep interest the progress of teaching
among the Indian tribes
The aim Of the congress of Indian ed
ucators is a noble one-the reclamation
of race-and the purpose of the ses-
si0ns is TO devise ways and means to
Improve and increase the efficiency OF
the system Of Indian education and in
every way TO better the conditions,
moral and material, of the aborigines
OF this country. Much has already
been accomplished in this direction by
the devoted men and women who have
INTERESTED themselves I'm behalf Of the
treH brothers whose ancestors were
treated none too humanely by our peo-
pie In the earlier years, but there still
remains vast amount of arduous and
; Belf sacrificing work to be done before
+, the nations wards will cease to need
special care and guidance The annual
conferences of the Indian educators
have been very helpful In carrying on
the work. Through them the isolated
schools scattered throughout the coun-
try are nodded into one connected
whole, and the disconnected and indie
pendent striving of each separate
school is made Of benefit to all the 9TH
tied and harmonious movement to-
ward the goal for which all are striv-
ling.
The work Of organizing and making
preparations for the forthcoming con-
xress has been under the supervision
4Of the national superintendent of In
,idian schools. Miss Estelle Reel. to
IWhOul lnaNn CtCniN 10 huC III tnC HhN-
'cessful manner in which she has per-
Formed this duty and the resulting
bright prospects for the meeting. Miss
Reel is a woman Of great ability and
an educator of national reputation I'm
der her direction the Indian schools
have rapidly advanced In efficiency and
usefulness. The keynote of her plan
k.f Irdfou education is CoIf euDnort opd
this will be the dominant note of all
the discussions of the congress. In
her journeys through the Indian coun-
try she urges constantly upon the In
idians the necessity for more and better
farming. and her persistent endeavor
Is TO make the school course such as
will prepare the pupils to support them
selves as useful citizens in their re-
spective communities. Miss Reel Is
the first woman to hold the office Of
national superlnten lent of Indian
schools and seems admirably fitted for
the work. She was appointed by Pres
kdent Mckinley in 1898. At that time
she was superintendent of schools in
Wyoming. In discharging the duties
bf that Office and in he. travels in the
west she had become familiar with the
INDIANS and their educational needs
She now has under her supervision
something over 500 Indian schools.
with an attendance of about 10000
pupils.
Personally Miss Reel is a very charm
fng young woman, with nothing man
nish about her. She has that most 'ex-
celIent thing in a woman" the low.
sweet voice in conversation. She has
the art Of gowning herself tastefully
hnd stylishly. She has the due regard
kDr the conyentionallties Of life which