The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-03-03
EDUCATED INDIANS
Do NOT revert TO
THE SAVAGE TYPE
Statistics Show That Most of
the Dusky Braves Are
Members of Church.
BY poANE

Pierre, s d., MCh. 2.-Ihe opposition
to the Indian school appropriations,
which has developed in congress-, is a,
matter of vital interest. in this state:
perhaps of greater Interest here than
elsewhere, for we have an Indian popu-
lation Of $4,000, and it is upon the
schools We must. rely to raise them up
from a race Of %vagabonds to a self-sus-
tanning and self-respecting citizenship.
There are individuals who come back
from Carlisle and Hampton who justi-
fly Mr.. Tawney's bad opinion of the
work accomplished in those Institutions,
but they are not the rule. Quite the
contrary, very many of these graduates
become very excellent citizens and
maintain themselves with a dignity
which wins for them the respect Of
their white neighbors.
The regeneration and civilization of a
race less than a quarter of a century
ago of the heather savages is not to be.
accomplished in a day nor in several
years. However. OF Of all the inf1u-.
ences for good and for evil that sur
round the Sioux of South Dakota there
these people. all things considered. have.
made phenomenal progress n 1t would.
be folly for the general government at
this time to withdraw any Of the in
strumentalities for their uplift.
Indians Overcome Prejudice.
Twenty-Five years ago they were saw
ages and heathen: today scarcely q
Sioux but processes Christianity and
Is a member of some Christian church,;
all of the children of school age and
most of the younger men and women
English. All of them wear the garb OF
civilization; they have overcome the
prejudice against work, for 1t vas a
prejudice and not laziness that kept
them from 1t. According to the Sioux
code, it was degrading for a man to
do any work his squaw could do as
well; his business was to supply the
larder and to protect his camp from
the enemy, and the rest devolved upon
the women. This view of like was thor
oughly ingrained In him, and it was
not a small matter for him to adopt
another view: but he has come to it,
and is now earning his bread and
learning the real value of money.
Mr.. Tawney complains when the In
dian boys and girls leave the govern
ment schools they return to the tribe
md revert to tNpe. ssxof them do,
but on the whole theyAhelp to raise
the standard Of living and by slow de-
much different from other people
in this respect. The average American
boy taken out Of crude and slovenly
surroundings and put through the
academy and then returned to his prim-
tive home and associates, would in a
great measure return to the old life,
but by persistently educating his kind
higher ground would be reached.
Four Non-reservation Schools.
There are four non-reservation
schools remaining i'll South Dakota, 10
Gated at Flandreau. Pierre. Rapid City
and Springfield, respectively. They
are all doing ~praiseworthy work. Each
has industrial features and the boys
grade work OF the common schools.
They do not come in contact with evil
influences and SO back to their homes.
on the reservation quite we'll prepared
to undertake farming, some of the
trades or to readily work into mercan-
tile vocations. We meet them on all of
the reservations and find them bright,
c~lear-headed and more or less ambi-
tious to do something for themselves
n for their people. If they choose,
these students upon leaving the local,
industrial schools. can go on to Car
Isle and secure higher training. Some
do so.
There are large boarding schools on
each of the reservations and there is
some question as to which accomplish-
es the most for the Indians; those edu-
Gated near home on the reservation
where their daily associates are their
the non-reservation schools and come
more in contact with the white people.
There are advantages for each system.
but the prepOnderances of testimony
favors sending the children out where
they meet the whites.