The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-08

Plymouth church was crowded this
morning on the opening of the third ses-
sion Of the department of Indian educa-
tion. The list of able speakers upon the
program proved a great attraction and
the large audience was given a great treat
in the addresses of w. T. Harris, United
States commissioner of education, and Dr.
Nicholas Murray Butler, president Of Co.
lumbia college.
After opening musical numbers by the
girls mandolin club Of Chamberlain, S.
D., and a prayer by Rev. Frederick T.
Sumner, Commissioner Harris was intro
duced by President MCGOWAN. The sub
ject of Mr. Harris talk was "How the
Newspaper should be used inthric.. it's
tion of the Indian Speaking earnestly
and without notes, Mr.. Harris gave the
impression of a personal talk with each
member of the audience. Upon listening
Newspaper Should Be Used In the Educa-
upon the ability of Indian pupils to learn
and interpret the best music and urged
that the musical part of education In all
the schools be given serious attention.
He advocated the forming of choruses
which should render Mendelssohn's beau
tiful works.
In opening his address proper Mr.. Har-
ris said:
The use of the printed page is a great
educational object. The child who learns to
read is Independent. He becomes "eye
minded as we'll as ar-minded." " -a In
reading the newspapers one is brought
into a greater world Of public opin-
ion than ever before. The rural community
is in need of newspaper knowledge. 1t brings
one into the habit of adjusting oneself to a
view of the world. 1t is a daily picture Of
what is going on. 1t is a wonderful education
to be able to think sympathetically great
human events. That is the way to educate
the heart. Get interested in his fellow
gives a reflection
OF the sympathy Of others which may be Of
a different kind. The individual becomes
great by reinforcing his mind with the ideas
Of all other people. The newspaper does this
for him. I think every Indian school should
have newspapers. The pupil should read
first what interests him. He will 80 from
that to the widest events Of the world. The
pictorial papers are best. They are great
help to those coming up from tribal form
to the individual. Before the newspapers
come into the life there Is the village gos-
sip of small and personal things. The worst
novel is not so bad village gossip, even
in the best families. If found the awful
details circulated in village gossip in a news
paper, we would cry out upon the scandal
Let the Indian child read the newspaper
He works from day to day with concen-
sus of opinion of the Anglo-Saxon race and
then comes to see how other races think. BY
presentation by picture and word great events
can reach all classes. Get newspapers, the
best If you can but by all means get them
Try experiments in changing and give your
pupils the great magazines.
A Spur to Information.
A smattering of knowledge in many lines
makes many items of the newspaper intelligi-
ble but geography makes it more interesting
and causes it to supplement other knowledge
For the isolated souls, the newspaper is the
great means and the only means you can
use to bring them into touch with the world
We are a government of public opinion and
we could not be that without the newspaper
The newspaper governs public opinion the
world over France taught lesson she
will never forget by the public opinion ex-
pressed the world over in the Dreyfus case.
In the Indian education the newspaper is the
| opening door from tribal life into the greater
world.
President Buffers Address.
President Nicholas Murray Butler was
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