Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-11

law providing Tor the allotment OF the
tribal lands contains authority for the
reservation of sufficient tracts to support
an adequate school system such as has
been provided in the other states. All of
the western states and territories have
splendid school funds, provided under the
Morrill, law of 1856. which dedicated the
proceeds of the sale of certain portion of
the public domain to the education Of the
people. This could have been done in the
Indian Territory just as well as not If the
members of the Indian committees of the
Senate and House had thought about II;
and 1t Is yet possible for Congress to pro-
vide considerable fund for the Choc-
taws and Chickasaws by reserving the pro-
ceeds of the sale Of mineral lands for that
purpose. Not less than 100000 acres. UNI
derlaid with great beds Of coal, remain un-
divided, but the Secretary of the Interior
Is directed to sell them at auction to the
highest bidder. They have been offered on
one occasion, as have already stated, but
the bids were not satisfactory, and were
rejected.
1t is not too late for Congress to revoke
those instructions and provide that the pro-
ceeds OF the sale Of these lands shall go
into permanent school fund instead OF
being distributed in cash pro rata among
the natives. This plan was recommended
by Prof Hollander. He also recon-
mends an annual congressional appro-
pr1ation school district tax a tax
on legacies, license tax on occupations. a
W hoAoI tdA OH TdtITOdUS, teicSTdpUS,
telephones. pipe lines. express companies
and all mechanical industries. 1t would be
proper also to add poll tax for educa-
uonal purposes and there should also be a
tax upon such real estate shall pass
from time to time from the hands Of the
natives into the ownership Of ordinary citi-
zens.
Prof. Hollander and others have recon-
mended the incorporation of a section in
the statehood bill, providing a permanent
fund of ten million dollars, the income to
be expended exclusively for educational
purposes. But whether this is done or not
at least one more appropriation will be
necessary by Congress to support the white
scnoois until the new form of government
is organized and in operation; and that ap-
preparation should be liberal
Indians and Education.
The Indians have been very Jealous of
their school funds. No white children have
been admitted to any Of their academies
or boarding schools, but in the Choctaw,
Creek and Cherokee nations they have been
admitted to some OF the day schools upon
the payment of tuition Mr. Benedict. su-
perintendent of the Indian schools, tells
some interesting stories concerning the pc
culiar ideas of the Indians regarding edu-
cation. He says that the notion has pre-
VaiIed altogether too generally that an edu
Gated Indian should not be expected 20
work. and to correct this delusion he at
tempted to give the children some practical
training in agriculture the trades and do
mestlc sciences, which could be utilized by
them in improving their condition. This
made the parents very indignant They
objected to manual training; some of them
withdrew their children from the schools,
declaring that they did not want them
taught how to work, but they wanted them
TO be made ladies and gentlemen. Other
parents wrote protests saying that they
sent their children to school to study books
ftr:t of
the children shared these ideas with their
parents, but after time they became in
terested in manual training, and 1t is now
generally taught to a limited degree.
Manual Training and Indians
He says that whether 1t be the result of
inheritance or environment. Indian children
are more susceptible to manual training
than whites. The average Indian child
learns to write, draw and design more
readily than the white child. His fingers
are more deft; his powers Of observation
are better developed and his faculty Of imi-
tation more acute. The prejudice against
manual training has entirely subsidized and
Mr.. Benedict says that the pupils exhibit
the results Of their handiwork with great
pride This point is very important jus.
now. Within nine months every Indian in
the territory will be cast upon his own
sources. He will no longer be ward of
the government; the trust funds from
which he has been paid annuities. the lands
which have been leased to increase his in
come and other sources of revenue from
which he has drawn his support will all
be closed out and he will be compelled to
hustle for his living like any other of Gods
creatures. 1t would be a legacy of perma-
lent value If Congress would establish in
dustrial schools, at which the coming gen.
Grafton might learn how 10 get the most
for their time and labor.
Throughout the territory there are twen-
fxr-N ,ir,of te ran.
resenting an investment of 1857, $50 in build
ngs and grounds, with total annual in
comes of $92, 35S, combined faculties of
twenty-nine men and seventyfour women
and 1888 students, of whom 1859 are boys
and 1,474 girls; 1870 are white and
1,1S3 Indian
One of the most interesting educational
institutions in the country Is the school
for young women maintained by the Chero-
kee nation at Talequah. 1t was established
more than fifty years ago, is conducted on
the Mount Holyoke plan. and has sent out
thousands of well-traned graduates