Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-03
CARLISLE HEAD HOPEFUL
Of INDIANS FUTURE
Supt. Friedman Says Red Men
Show More Industry and
SeIf.ReIianCe.

The Indians are progressing; they are
being educated: they are more indus
trious; they lean less on the government:
they exercise more independence Of
thought and action and are rapidly be-
coming property owners. So supt. Fried
man Of the Carlisle Indian School sums
up the general improvement Of the red
man in this country in his annual re-
port.
Discussing the practicability OF Indian
education the superintendent says:
IAN Indian boy or girl who completes
the work in our schools should at least
be able to add accurately a column of
figures. speak intelligently and gram
matically and to write legible. correct
ly spelled and properly formed letter; not
that education consists merely I'm the
doing educational things, but in this prac-
tical business world a mans education
is too often judged by these standards.
after all, the only test should be
the ultimate good Of the student, and
no effort should be spared to teach
only those things which the boys and
girls can make use OF when their
school days are over"
Carlisle Plan of Education.
Continuing, he refers at some length to
the Carlisle plan, saying that the scheme
of education there is based not only on
rational principles of psychology, but fits
the real needs Of the American Indian.
Its aim he says, have been consistently
in the direction of providing thorough
training for Indians. in order to fit them
for the duties and responsibilities OF
American citizenship.
Supt. Friedman says the plan of mix
ing the tribes at Carlisle results In ma
tionalizing the Indian.
"And, after ALL he continues, that Is
the great object in our dealings with this
primitive people. They see beyond the
reservation. and more than half Of our
graduates are actually making a success
away from the reservation. Our boys
and girls learn more of their government:
become thoroughly acquainted with their
white neighbors: have impressed upon
them the ultimate goal of citizenship.
with it's entailing duties and responsible
ties, as well as privileges; grow to be
strong under firm, yet kindly, discipline:
and usually make success of life, be-
cause, after the kind of training they
thing for them to do. Work is the key
note at Carlisle, and service is its gospel.
Cost of Maintenance.
Carlisle's cost of maintenance is COM
pared with that Of other schools, as fol-
lows:
"An examination of the cost of education
in similar educational institutions which
are privately endowed or supported by the
state will disclose the factt that in prac-
tically al such schools the per capita cost
is nearly double what it is at Carlisle.
"In last years report, after q careful
examination of the cost of Indian educa-
ton, 1t was found that the average per
capita cost during the past fifteen years
for the maintenance of the Carlisle
school, including cost Of building. etc.,
was $153. 92-or $7O.S4 less per pupil than
the average cost of all o.her non-reserva-
ton schools put together. For carlisle for
1909 the per capita cost was $160. 90. In COM
parison with $3J6.99, the per capita cost
at Girard College (of Philadelphia)."
In conclusion Mr.. Friedman says:
my purpose in entering into this COM
parison and gathering these figures is to
show that, as nearly as possible, for
every dollar which comes from the public
Treasury of the United States, and Is
spent by the federal government toward
the education Of Indians at the Carlisle
school, the students produce nearly a dol
lar in return; that their education is not
a gratuity, and that, as far as may be
in an educational institution where the
students come from poor families without
money, at Carlisle, they help to pay in
labor for what they get in the way Of
instruction.