Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-03-18
INDIANS
DO NOT REVERT TO
The SAVAGE TYPE
Statistics Show That Most OF
the Dusky Braves Are
Members of Church.
BY DOANE

Pierre, S D., Mch. 2.--The opposition
10 the Indian school appropriations,
which has developed in congress, Is a
matter of vital interest in this state
perhaps of greater interest here tina
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 selt-sus-
tanning and s~elf-respecting citizenship.
There are individuals who come back
from Carlisle and Hampton who Justl-
fy 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 ana
maintain themselves with a dignity
which wins for them the respect or
their white neighbors.
The regeneration and civilization or a
race less than a quarter of a century
ago Of the heather savages is not 10 oe
ACCOMPLISHED in q day nor in several
years. However, out of all the lntlu-
enceS for good and for evil that sur
round the Sioux OF South Dakota there
has been a large balance for good. ana
these people, all things considered, nave
made phenomenal progress and 1t would
be folly for the general government at
this time to withdraw any of the IT,
strumentalities for their uplift.
indians Overcome Prejudice.
Twenty-Five years ago they were saw
ages and heather; today scarcely a
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
possess an elementary education in
English. All Of them wear the garb OF
civilization; they have overcome the
prejudice against work. for 1t was a
prejudice and lot laziness that kept
them from IL. According 70 the Sioux
code, it was degrading for a man tG
do any work his squaw could do as
well; his business was to supply the
larde and to protect his camp from
the enemy, n the rest deVolved upon
the women. This view of like was thor
oughly ~ingrained in him, n 1t was
not a small matter for him to adopt
another view; but he has come to it,
and is now earning his bread n
learning the real value of money.
Mr.. Tawney complains when the In
dian boys and girls leave the govern
ment chool they return to the tribe
and revert to type. Some Of them do,
but on the whole they help to raise
the standard of living and by slow de-
ISS ~ dpilIh INK lAC lIiAldll 10
not much different from other people
in this respect. The average American
boy taken out of crude and slovenly
surroundings n put through the
academy and then returned TO his prim-
tive home n 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 in South Dakota, To-
Gated at Flandreau, Pierre, Rapid City
and Springfield, respectively. They
are all doing praiseworthy work. Each
a Industrial features and the boys
and girls graduate in aboIt the eighth
grade work of the ommon schools.
They do not come in contact with evil
Influences and go back to their homes
on the reservation quite well 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,
clear-headed and more or less ambi-
tious TO do something for themselves
and for their people. If they choose,
these students upon leaving the local
industrial schools, can go or 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 nea home on the reservation
where their daily associates are their
own people, or those who go away to
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.