Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-06-28
EDUCATING THE INDIAN
Herald Man Finds Great Progress
is Being Made at the
Isnacio School.

What win be the future intellectual
educational or Industrial status of tn,
Ute Indians remains for the govern
ment to establish. but the
ignacio school for Ute reservation
children alone is certainly making
very encouraging progress. and this
is being done in very systematic
way. 1t is at once evident that some
thing can be done for the civilization
OF the Ute In spite of the fact that ne
still shows his warlike tendencies
lils laziness as well. The semi-civil.
lied Ute boy still likes to ride a pony
and swing a qulrt better than any
Thing else, and a gun looks as good 10
aim as 1t ever did He is stili surly
and independent, doubtless feeling
that the government will have about
so much to do for him before 1t gets
through, or before ne has acquired an
Industrial tendency
| The correspondent visited the Igna-
clio school last Sunday and found
molr OF interest than one would ex-
pect 10 find there. The building is of
brick. two stories with basement, and
modern In structure. having its own
independent sewage system and
acetylene lighting plant. carrying a
hundred lights. Whoever was the
architect. he was more generous to
the indian pupils than to the good
people who must be employed there
TO instruct them In letters and indus
Try. There are two dormitories for
boys and two for girls. All of these
are spacious, light and airy. The
employees have small dinky rooms
which they can live In by keeping the
windows up. The building Is about
half large enough to accommodate
the number Of Indian children who
should make the average attendance,
and their instructors.
But the children have been making
progress. They nave been taught
system and order; they must hang
their Individual towels on numbered
hooks In the wash room; they must
hang their hats on numbered hooks
and the wardrobe OF each is mum.
bered. Their Sunday suits are lock-
ed. each In Its place-not to be worn
except on Sunday or some state day.
They are provided with baths and are
required to keep scrupulously clean.
AT the table they are taught man
ners which many OF their white broth.
ers do not enjoy
The department appears to have ex-
ercised good Judgment in the seIec-
tioH of be .perxopnei of the staii.
Spending two Of three hours ~ith'
them. they were found to have inter
est in their work, not alone in the Of.
fort to teach them letters but as well
to learn the varied peculiar characters
with whom they have to deal. They
are trying to find what each may be
good for when lifted TO higher plane
OF education than their parents nave
had an opportunity to garner.
The school had closed on the 15tn
Of the present month and all but a
few who are kept as menials. in fur
ther Industrial instruction. to take
care OF the building. had gone away
ito the "hogan," "wickimp," or parent
al roof to spend their vacation.
There are but two departments OF
the school-the primary and advanced
grades. The rooms are about large
enough to hold 25 each comfortably.
days to have the parents of the chill
dren present, and they must have
been measureably gratified to see the
exhibits. Many OF the drawings were
excellent for two and three-year pu-
pills who mad first to begin to learn
the English language while learning
the alphabet. Some of the drawings
would do credit to sixth and seventh
grade pupils In Durango schools.
One Of the teachers was asked
which of the Indian tribes appeared
to be most progressive in learning.
The answer was;
"The Navajoes for work: the Utes
for fighting. The Navajoes are the
most earnest and faithful students,
but there are bright Utes who take
an interest III lehTuiHB. ldhc tneh
as a whole aud they may almost be
compared to 80 many white people"
change is just being made in the
superintendency of the school. Mr.
b. b. Custer will go to Albuquerque
10 take charge Of that school and will
direct nine other Indian schools In
that country. In the new place he
will have 62 employees under his di'
reciion at an annual cost OF about
20.O00-he will have hundreds OF In.
dian pupils belonging to several DIFF
ferent tribes. Mr.. Custer had done
So well at Ignacio that the govern
ment thought to give him bigger
job. W. d. Leonard. who has had
/ long service In the indian depart
ment will succeed to the management
of the Ignacio school and other af-
fairs. looking after the Issuance of
rations and annuities. Mr.. Leonard
several years ago was connected with
the Fort Lewis schools and has since