The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-03-10
Dress Was Scantv.


The female wore simple skirt reach
ing TO the knees. This skirt was eeucr-
ally made of bark, fastened together. or if
the wearer was more fortunate. she mad
cotton skirt. The body from the head
10 the waist was nude. The above single
garment, with possibly string of beads
comprised the full dress Of the females.
Superintendent s NJ MCGOWAN. now in
charge Of the Indian school al ChiIoco.
founded the Fort Mojave school and
from him 1 received the account Of the
dress and manners O. the Majave In
dians, as described above. at that time. /
was ordered TO report at Fort MOjave in
1894. four years after the organization OF
the school / arrived at Needles. Cal.
one evening. and on the following morn
ing was taken across the Colorado River
20 the Arizona side in a small boat bv an
Indian I waE landed in the dense brush
that fringes the river. and the first men
/ met after landing were two or three
Indians entirely nude excepting the gee
string They we're at work constructing
a boat
After drive Of twenty miles over the
most desolate desert ! ever saw. we ar
rived al the school. / noticed that the
old Indians and the young men. who were
not pupils. but who came TO the school
like white men. They wore a summer
undershirt and pants OF OyeraIIs. The old
women and the young women wore cloth
ing similar TO their white sisters. Their
dresses were not so decollete as formerly
the entire body being covered except the
feet and head. They never wear shoes.
and the heads are left uncovered.
Indian Colony Large
There were at that time about L. 900
Mojave Indians in the immediate vicinity
Of this school. In the short space Of
four years the influence Of the school had
caused the Indians. who had never at
tended an institution. TO change their
mouv Of dress. a custom centuries old
and 10 conform 20 the mode and manners
Of the white man. Occasionally an old
Indian would make his appearance at the
school attiTed in a gee string He was
kindly but firmly, told to 90 home and
put on more clothing and then return.
They soon learned that il WAS essential
10 adopt the dress Of the white man, and
they quietly complied.
The above is one instance of the ele-
waiting influence Of the schools uDOn the
older Indians. An irrigating Pit was
put in at this school. and a beautiful
farm Of eighty acres developed and
brought to a high degree Of cultivation.
This gave the Indians a valuable object
lesson. and now nothing would give those
Indians more joy or pleasure than 20
have an ample supply Of water with which
10 irrigate their little farms Il i. is.
they must carry every drop Of water
from the river by hand to irriRate their
small patches Of melons. wheat and corn
This arduOus task must be performed
many times during the day or their lit
Jie crops would be burned up.
Before the school was organized al
this point the children grew up in wild
state. They married very early. There
was no home life such as we advocate.
Change in Customs.
The influence Of the school has made
a change in this custom. The Indians
learned that it was not proper and right
TO change marital relations with the moon
They have established homes, and are rap
idly adopting the habits aud customs OF
the whites as eXemDlihed in the school.
CT course. Il will take many years to
raise these Indians 20 the moral plan Of
TIE Christian, educated white man, but
they are on the upward track aud are grad
uaily advancing
II know Of yCaRg Indian men who have
gone out from this school and are earn
ing a respectable living. One young man.
obtained a fair mechanical knowledge
while at school, was. the last account /
had Of him. holding a position IN the
Santa Fe railroad shops at Needles. Cal.
and receiving 81 per day. Several Of the
boys who were my pupils in 1884 and 1885
arc now members OF the Indian trass bands
at Phoenix and Chiloco schools. They love
music. and learn Il readily. A neighbor-
ing tribe. the HuRliDais. who were vA-g
troublesome EeveTHl years ago and killed
a large number Of miners and emigrsnts
Cd the old San Francisco trail. are now
peacenble and tLieEGiy. TheiT ohiidsen are
educated in the Fort Mo!ave school.
Huahpat Charley, the CORY old chief Of
the Hualipeis, who was arrested BY the
military, carried 70 San Francisco, tried
end sentenced 70 death for his many muir
ders and raids. but for some reason was
released and returned to his tribe. IL one
= the strong friends Of the Indian school.
He Dut "a! mis- children in the school and
is himself leading a peaceable and civil
lied life
4 could 90 on and cite many more in
stances OF the good results OF Indian