The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-08
INDIAN SCHOOLS FAIL.
STARTLING CONCLUSION REACHED
BY COMMISSIONER JONES.

hUOus SfOsUOO,OVV opeut on ~O,OVO "
pils-Transiated from Poverty to AfHu-
ence and Back Again to Poverty, aud
Most OF Them Lapse Into Barbarian.
The present system of education for
the Indian, taken as whole, says
Commissioner of Indian Affairs Jones.
is practically failure or at least Is
not calculated to produce the results
so earnestly claimed for it and so hope
fully anticipated when it was begun.
He has no doubt his conclusion will be
received with some surprise, but a
brief review of results, he thinks, will
convince the most skeptical that 1t Is
correct.
There are now In operation" he
says, lib boarding schools for the In
dams with an average attendance OF
something over $4,000 pupils, ranging
from s to 81 years of age. These
pupils were gathered from the cabin,
the wickiup and the tepee They were
chosen not on account of any particu-
lar merit of their own, not by reason
of mental fitness, but solely because
they had Indian blood in their veins.
''The Indian youth finds himself at
once, as If by magic, translated from
state of poverty to one of afiuence.
He is well fed and clothed and lodged.
Books and all the accessories of learn
ing are given him and teachers pro-
vided to instruct him. Matrons wait
on him while he is well, and physi-
clans and nurses attend him when he
is sick. A steam laundry does his
washing, and the latest modern applt
ances do his cooking. A library at
fords him relaxation for his leisure
hours, athletic sports and the gym
nasium furnish him exercise and recre-
alton, while music entertains him In
the evening. He has hot and cold baths
and steam heat and electric light, and
all the modern conveniences. All of
the necessities of life are given him
and many Of the Injuries. All of this
without money and without price or
the contribution of single effort Of
his own or of his people.
Here he remains until his education
is finished, when he is returned to his
home-which by contrast must seem
squalid indeed-and left to make his
way against the ignorance and bigotry
of his tribe. Is it any wonder he fails?
Is 1t surprising if he lapses into bar
barism? Not having earned his edu-
cation; it is not appreciated; having
made no sacrifice to obtain 1t, 1t Is not
valued. 1t is looked upon as right.
and not as a privilege; it is accepted
as favor to the government and not
to the recipient; and the almost newt
able tendency is to encourage depen-
dence, foster pride and create spirit
of arrogance and selfishness.
at is not denied that some good
flows from this system. 1t would be
singular if there did not, after all the
effort that has been maze and the
money that has been lavished. In the
last 20 years fully s45, 900, 900 have been
spent by the government alone for the
education of Indian pupils, and it is a
liberal estimate to put the number OF
those so educated at not over 10000.
If the present rate is continued for
another 20 years it will take over $70,-
100000 more.
What, then, shall be done? And
this inquiry brings into prominence at
once the whole Indian question. 1t
may be well first to take glance at
what has been done. For about gen.
Grafton the government has been TAX
ing a very active interest in the well
fare of the Indian. In that time he
has been located on reservations and
fed and clothed; he has been supplied
lavishly with utensils and means to
earn his living, with materials for his
dwelling and articles to furnish 1t; his
children have been educated and money
has been paid him: farmers and me-
cnanics have been supplied him, and
he has received aid in multitude of
different ways. In the last 90 years
over S240, 000, 900 have been spent upon
an Indian population not exceeding
10000, enough, If equitably divided.
to build each one a house suitable to
his condition and furnish it through
out; to fence his land and build him
barn; to buy him wagon and team
and harness; to furnish him plows and
the other implements necessary to cul-
tivate the ground. and to give him
something besides to embellish and
beautify his home.
What is his condition today? He
is still on his reservation; he is still
being fed; his children are still being
educated and money is still being paid
him; he is still dependent upon the
government for existence; mechanics
wait on him and farmers still aid him;
he is little, if any, nearer the goal Of
independence than he was 30 years ago,
and if the present policy is continued
he will get little, If any, nearer in 80
years to come. 1t is not denied that
under this, as under the school sys-
tenn, there has been some progress,
but it has not been commensurate with
the money spent and the effort made.
at Is time to make a move toward
terminating the guardianship which
has so long been exercised over the In
dams and putting them upon an equal
footing with the white men so far as
their relations with the government
are concerned. Under the present sys-
tenn the Indian ward never attains his
majority. The guardianship goes on
in an unbroken line from father to son,
and generation after generation the In
dian lives and dies a ward.
"It is the function of the state to see
that the Indian has the opportunity for
eelf-support, and that he is afforded the
same protection of his person and
property as is given to others. That
being done, he should be thrown en-
tirely on his own resources to become
a useful member of the community in