Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-06
ASKS CITIZENSHIP
FOR THE INDIAN
EDUCATOR SAYS THIS MUST
COME
Declares Government Must First Pre-
pare the Race and Then Grant
the Red Men Full
Privileges

The third session of the department OF
Indian education, which is holding
two weeks convention here, was helo
this morning with largely increased
attendance.
President Samuel T. Black of the
s+ate normal school of San Diego was
the speaker of the day. He gave an
outline of the early history of the gov
ernment's dealings with the Indian as
compared with that Of today, ana
heartily concurred with the present az
ministration in it's treatment of the
nations wards.
MANY of the wrongs that the Indian
have suffered may fairly be charged TO
the federal government" said PRESIDENT
Black, land to the government OIL every
state in the Union.
"rhe 1uster of every star in Americas
banner is dimmed by injustice to the
Indian. 1t is only within the memory
Of those now living that the national
conscience has been awakened to some-
thing like a sense of justice toward this
outraged and helpless people. Inc
flippant and trite expression, The only
good Indian Is dead Indian, is uu-
worthy of it's reputed author.
1.-THE American people view with keen
satisfaction the really earnest efforts
now being made by the government,
through the Indian bureau, for the
amelioration of the Indians condition.
They have long realized the just claim
the Indian has upon the government for
recompense for the wrongs his race has
suffered at the hands of the white man.
What form shall this recompense take?
Or shall it consist in continuing him as
a ward of the nation? Or shall this
guardianship gradually give way to-,
and prepare for, intelligent and respon-
sible citizenship?
| Citizenship for the Indian
"There can be but one answer-citi-
zenship. Commissioner Leupp has COM
mitted the government beyond recall to
this policy. Lands are being allotted in
| seVeralty to the Indians. They are
being taught trades and occupations,
| schools have been established both on
and off the reservation; all of which
tend to industry, thrift, Independence,
self-reliance, culture and sense of re-
ponsibility-qualities which are essen
tial to good citizenship, whether the in
dividual be white or red
"If we would successfully educate the
Indian we must endeavor to develop the
traits he does not possess by an appeal
| to those he does POSSESS. He lacks in
dustry and thrift because, in his
natural state, he had no heed of them.
He despised labor of any kind. What
labor had to be done was left to his
squaw. 1t was beneath the dignity of a
hunter and warrior to work. In COM
mon with all primitive peoples, all
| manual labor was performed by the
women.
But he is a natural artist, and his
artistic sense may be appealed to by a
judiciouSly arranged course in manual
training until, finally, he may be lead
to enjoy even the useful as well as the
artistic results of his labor. This, in my
judgment, is the pivot around which all
his education must center, because just
in proportion as he develops a taste for
making things will he see the necessity
of knowing and finding out about
things"
How Indians Are Taught
A novel feature of the exercises was
the demonstration lessons, showing
how the literary and Industrial is cor
related. Mr.. Clarence L. Gates, prin-
cipal of Sherman institute, illustrated
how he teaches drawing, composition,
language, arithmetic and reading and
writing in the class room through car
pentry.
The class of boys showed much in
terest in the discussions, concerning the
kind of houses which should be built
in this locality They drew plans for
small house, estimated the amount
and cost of lumber necessary for it's
construction, and then framed the
house, using d model they had con-
structed. This exercise was a happy
Illustration of the interest Indians take
in subjects within their comprehension
and how, with thought and preparation,
the intelligent teacher may give in
struction through ordinary industrial
subject which will prepare the Indian
boy and girl for useful work.
Miss Harriet Harvey, a teacher at
Sherman institute, demonstrated how
practical instruction in sewing may be
correlated with English speaking, read
ing, writing and number work, while
accuracy, neatness and skill are also
taught. The pupils, after explaining the
successive steps which lead the child
from basting to neat sewing, illustrated
by taking measurements, how this
should be done. waist was drafted
ON the board, and pattern cut and
passed around for the audience to ex-
anime. The finished suit which the In
dian student had drafted, cut and
made was then passed around for in
spection. While the pupil worked she
explained every detail Of the pattern
she was illustrating, showing very in
terestingly how it should be done.
Superintendents Meet
After the close of the exercises a
round table conference of the superin-
tendents was held. Mr.. Harry Wads-
worth, superintendent of the Shoshone
Indian school in Wyoming, presided.
The exercises were of an informal
nature and all took part in the discus
sion of the problems met with in In
dian education.
The meeting closed with short talk
by Indian Commissioner Leupp, in
which he briefly outlined his policy.
There are half dozen non-reserva-
ton schools" said Mr.. Leupp, that
will run long time, but L hope the
rest of them will 20 as fast as can