The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-11-04


ten. are anxious to adopt the white
mans wayss and to become respecta.
Die settlers and citizens of their fav.
ored community.
The general character OF the req
ervation lands is rolling, and there
are many trails and wagon roads
leading In every direction. There
are two churches ON the reservation
conveniently located, some distance
from the fort. One Is under the
auspices OF the Catholic society and
the other the Presbyterian, while the
Episcopalians have small edifice
used for occasional religious services.
There is good deal OF livestock on
on the reservation and this year the
fiax crop, as web as grain crops. have
proved wonderfully productive. The
reservation is now open to white set~
tlement and an occasional white set
tiers house and farm lis to be found
among the Indians, residents Of the
reservation. Much OF the land get we-
mains to be broken
Children In Good Aands.
The Indian children, now being ed
ucated through government benefc-
ence. are in the capable charge Of
Major Ziebach, superintendent and
his charming wife. The advantages
or teaching Indian children useful
arts and instructing them In school
work on the reservation are many.
and the result Of school work among
Indian children at Fort Totten are
more lasting and useful than wn@re
the children are taken from their
homes and taught at Carlisle Pa. ana
other Indian schools, removed from
their parents and relatives. On re-
turning to the reservation the children
educated in the east. find the contrast
between the eastern life and western
life SO great that the relapse ID more
fatal than where the children have
been taught to gradually improve ana
disregard their old habits amid fasnti-
Jar surroundings. The results Of the
Fort Totten Indian school are there
fore gratifying to those who have OBJ
served them.
The indian girls are taught besides
ordinary school subjects. houseworlr
cooking, sewing and given a good
start in life. They are ENCOURAGED co
adopt the ways Of the whites and the
boys are taught agriculture. stock
education by competent teachers.
Many Of the young men and women
are becoming valuable members OF
the community and are raising their
families along progressive lines.
number Of the children from the Tur-
| tie Mountain reservation are also In
cluded in the dist of students taught ia
the Fort Totten schools.
Old Timers at ths Fort.
Some OF the employees at the fort
have been connected with the work
among the Indians, for many years
and take a natural pride in the good
record they have made and, IN the
changes for the better that have oc-
Cured. Among these lis Mr.. Blake
one Of the oldest Of the residents Of
the fort, who Is clerk Of the Indian
school and who has resided ON the res
eryation twenty-one years.
Among the men whose interests
have long been Identified with the
business department. IL ex-Stata SEN
ator Palmer who is the Oldest resi-
dent at the fort, and whose reconec-
tions Of early day history of North
akota contain much valuable data TOR
the future historian. Mr.. Palmer was
for many years post trader at the
fort, and has only recently disposed
OF his business TO others. He now res
sides at Devils Lake, but takes time to
look after hts farming interests on t1ae
reservation. He was one Of the early
day mail carriers between Fort Bteph-
engon and Totten, and o chapter Of
North Dakota history, printed in Txy-.
lorss Frontier and Indian Life, tells Of
a lucky escape Of part OF governments
mail carriers party. Of which Palrnerl
was a member, from an attack Of M
CLANS on the mai route near Dogden
range. sa
| One of the interesting items. noting
the changes that have occurred. was
the recent destruction by IRE Of one,
of the first buildings at the fort, after
having been used for time as a sta
BILE. This building was constructed O.
native tirnbers showing the Durability
Of the wood and the thoroughnesa og
| the workmanship that framed IL
| No pleaganter summer trip can DO
made in North Dakota than an auto
mobile ride through the reservation
and q visit to the historic fort that
stood as a friendly outpost OF cfviaix-
alton for many years: and whose lse-
| fulness is gtill continued and promises
to be even greater than ever IA the
education OF the children OF the red
men whose former hostilities 10 the
white race called the fort into exam-
tence.