Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-24
DOMESTIC SERV ANTS
STUDENTS FROM THE INDIAN
SCHOOLS IN DEMAND.
The Native Training of These Children
Has Many Superior
Ideas.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
The world is awakening to the fact that
the savage is not all Savage" and that
some of the his ways of doing things are
worthy of consideration by civilized people.
From our American Indians, a Down
trodden, despised and misrepresented race,
come valuable suggestions in the way the
Indian trains his children-or did train
them before he met the white man.
There are tribes in which, before the ad
vent Of the white man, a lie was a thing
unknown. Children were brought up to
speak the truth at all times and under all
circumstances, and with the idea that any
thing else was impossible. The white trader
appeared and lied to the Indian, who could
not at first take in the meaning of it. Then
the white trader taught him what lie
could do, and, like the Buddhists of India,
he began to lie to the man who lied to linn,
while he yet scorned to speak anything but
the truth to one Of his own people. To him
his word was as good as an oath. Even
now there are tribes where, though a man
may lie about a thing once, and even
twice, it seems impossible for him to do il
a third time, so that by questioning him
three times doubtful point the truth
may always be assured.
Some tribes have upheld high standard
of morality and personal purity. In these
not only has the man been the husband
of one wife, but the girls of the tribe,
when of manageable age, have been kept
al night in a room built for the purpose
under ground Here in the care of an old
woman of the tribe, the ladder giving ac-
cess to the room being removed at night,
they were cared for until husbands came
to claim them. Among the northern tribes
this order of things upset by the fur
trader. He ridiculed the idea of only one
wife and appealed to the cupidity Of the
man by reminding him that more wives
skins. wi EO
dressed the skins her husband sold to the
fur trader.
Much has been said about the mental
duties performed by the woman. but the
was not only reVerenced but looked I'D to
as belonging to an order of beings superior
to man. There were ceremonials in which
the women took the part of priests as be
ing more nearly approaching the gods than
men. and certain parts of the rites were too
sacred for the participation or even the
presence of them.
Respect for Age.
Children were taught to look upon those
older than themselves with respect and
upon aged people with reverence. Every
old man to them was Grandfather" and
no child would think of being seated while
Grandfather" was standing
Respect for the rights of the property
owner were taught from the very begin
ming. child was made to understand that
a doll, a toy, a pet or anything once given
to another child belonged to ii undisputedly
Even parent would not think of appropri-
ating pony, dog, or anything belonging
to his child; nor would he question the
right of the child himself to dispose of t.
Once given to him. 1t became absolutely his
property, TO do with as he chose.
Among some tribes it was customary to
give boys a)name of which they would be
ashamed when grown. This was an in
that would gain for him distinction, which
would give him the right to choose a name
for himself. Neither could young man
use the family totem, or coat of arms un-
til he had proved himself a worthy member
of the family to which it belonged. Should
he dare to use it before he had done this
he was denounced as a coward.
Naming the Boys.
The name by which a boy was to be
known as warrior or chief was often re-
vealed to him in vision. The boy at a
certain age was sent to the top of a high
mountain, where he was expected to re-
main alone fasting, until he fell asleep and
had vision. In this some animal bird
was supposed to visit him and communi-
cate to him his future name. As a rule, it
would be that of the animal or bird which
appeared, with some attribute belonging to
it. On descending the mountain the boy
would disclose nothing OF what he had seen
and heard, but would watch his opportunity
to distinguish himself in a way that would
bring him to the honorable notice of the
tribal chiefs. He might have to wait for
years for his opportunity, but when It
came, and he had taken advantage of it,
it gave him the right to reveal his name,
and to be known by it thereafter This
fasting on the mountain alone was
we're ordeal, and it was not all who could
stand it; but those who gave up the fight
before exhaustion brought the vision. were
looked upon as moral towards. They be-
came the weak ones of the tribe.
Object Lessons.
Scientific students of child life today are
claiming that the doll may be utilized to
great advantage by the mother in de-
veloping certain tendencies in her child and
correcting other. There are Savage
tribes in the southern part of our own
land where the mother. from time imme-
mortal, has used her child's doll as an
object lesson in moral and religious train
ing.
The cry is heard from time to time that
the training Of the Indian child in the vari-