The daily sentinel., 1903-04-07
THE TELLER INSTITUTE
BY "POLLY PRY."

of them she has given very terrific
roasts, while others have received
nothing but praise from her.
Among the latter is the Grand
junction school The following pen
picture of the Grand Junction school
will doubtless be read with great
deal of interest by The Sentinel's s
readers:
However, all Indian schools are by
no means like that at Fort Lewis
The Grand Junction Indian Training
school, known locally as the Teller
Institute, is in excellent condition,
and standing example of what can
be done in the way of civilizing these
children of nature.
Captain Theodore Lennon, the
superintendent of the school, is a big
hearted, jovial Mi ssourian, who has
for years been connected with the In
dian department, and is very proud of
the fact that he has served longer i'll
one locality than any other superin-
thirteen years with this present
school. Superintendent John H.
Seger of Colony, Oklahoma, being
some years ahead of him.
CAPTAIN Lennon is "a tall, raw
boned man, with long, fair beard and
a pair of merry blue eyes. He has
laugh as frank as boys and strong
Missouri accent, in spite of his long
residence with Indians.
The Grand Junction school is about
mile and half from the fiourishing
town, and is the center of a brown
plain, which lies like beautiful gem
in its circle of great mountains. 1t
is a collection of ten or twelve build
ings, inclosed by low white fence
and surrounded by we'll kept grounds.
There is a corps OF efficient teachers,
both literary and dome estic-eighteen
people in all, including the superin-
tendent. The couI Sc of study is from
| the kindergarten to and including the
seventh grade In addition all Sorts
of domestic duties are taught. The
girls have classes in domestic science,
cooking, sewing, darninR, laundry
and dairy work, and general house
keeping. The boys are taught argi-
culture, scientific irrigating, shoe
making, carpentry, harness making,
housepainting, etc.
There are at present 162 pupils at
the school, of whom forty three are
girls. There are three large dormi
tories, tie largest aud best being a
new building which was built for the
girls last year. 1t is the best and
most perfectly arranged and equipped
building of its kind in the state, and
is kept in condition of order and
cleanliness that is simply delightful.
The matron of the girls dormitory,
Mrs White, is fair, pleasant look
ing woman with charming manners
and a most pleasing voice. With the
captain she went with me over the
building, where we found the girl,
engaged in various tasks and looking
as neat and intelligent and as earnest
and interested as the same number of
white girls would look. Some of
their work il quite remarkably good,
the Navajo and Papagoe girls doing
all sorts of weaving, darning, basket
| making and sewing wonderfully we'll.
In the recitation room, which is
big sunny place in the basement, fit
| ted up with various physical appar-
atus, the smaller girls flung them
selves upon the captain, chattering
like little magpies, just as children
do with their fathers, and when we
went laughingly up the stairs they
raced to the steps to call good by
with the fearless manner of children
| who are never either mistreated or
ignored. In the boys department it
was just the same, the older boys
smiling sheepishly when spoken to,
but answering politely, and the
younger ones less shy and timid, In
the small boys dormitory the matron
| took me into room where eight
little beds stood in line, and there
between the white sheets she showed
me the baby of the establishment,
wee, brown boy of 8 years or so-fast
alseep. Our talk awoke him, and
with chubby fist he rubbed tue
IL