The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-08

some OF this Apparatus Is made at the
So hools and some Is purchased. Lately
had George T. Johnson. supcr!ntcnd-
.ent - rec!cai!on and plnygFouuds for
Iiisburlsh INSPECT our schools ana
make suggestions as TO how we GOULD
best expand our recreation and play
ground Work along health predicting
lines. because % our supcrabundaucs
.of space on the reservations we tavo
better opportunities - make such
work u gr.uter success Han nave the
cities. one good result u Nh John
son Inspection has been demonstrate
ton OF how We can make group ath-
ieties saece SAUL, Unusual inteTess
spring In organizing baseball clubs--a
number IN each OF our schools We
arc also encouraging the girls to play
basket ball ana engage in outdoor
sports. 81 much as possible They
take the regular 'se,ting-Gp drill that
Is given the hoys ana al some OF tho
schools girls drill boys.
our indian children make splendid
athletes. We now have some remark
able amples-Thorpe. the Carlisle
majority OF the prizes at the Olympic
games, and Louis Tewanima. the great
runner
''Extenslon oflrecreation work to In
dians IN their homes. was another mat
ter which Mr.. Johnson mas invesu-
gated for me. HIS idea Is that espe,
c!aily those youths iwho have returned
to their homes from the schools shoN!n
have their interest stimulated IN
athletics and games such as would
occupy their idle hours. By isuch
ncial recreatfons for features OF indoor
life which are not Of the best.
LAS some OF the native indian dances
are detrimental had a number OF them
repeated on the reservations for Mr
Johnson's special benefit that he might
have an opportunity to study rhem. He
has suggested number OF benehcial
folkdances. which could be nlendeo
with on substituted for the aboriginal
dances. ana l am thoping 10 get SUCH
a movement started
Il am doing all that ! can TO I'M
tercst In tho Indian all persons who
are conspi "a ously idertificd with social
progress activities. Thus. Meyer Bloom
/ ncid lis going to give us such aid, while
nave heen consulting Ernest Thomp-
] son Seton regarding tho eNpediency OF
/ forming Boy Scout organizations in our
schools, some of which are already
I testing the success Of Camp Fire Girls
When Race Identity VIII Vanish.
"1ow long do you think the Indian
will preserve his racial Identity; Twill
survive as an indiana asked the
| commission in conclusion.
II should say that 100 years from
now There viii be good many peo-
pie In this country whom one could
recognize as Indians" he replied But.
| within two centuries predict. the pop
ulation having the greater amount lot
aboriginal blood in It's veins viii. prac-
| iically all of them, look Is little tlike
| Indians MS do Senator Curtis. of Kan
sas. and Senator owen of Oklahoma.
each OF whom boasts offhis good Indian
Blood
Pinn to Preserve indian Tyne.
| There Is now on foot movement
for tho preservation of the Indian aa
an Indian upon our big national parks.
and If this gets under way the result
may be that on these presentations
Americans many generations hence.
will still be able to behold some few
! distinctively Indian tribes. 1.-THE pur-
: pose Of those interested in this move-
eni is not To thus preserve our aborig-
ines as curiosities. for exhibiting pur-
| poses, but)to employ tho men as game
wardcns and forest rangers. and the
/ women as self supporting basket
weavcrs or adopts in other lines of ma
tive art worthy of perpctuation
| But, for my part. fan TO sec how
| intcrmarriage between the white man
and such last remnants of the great
Indian tribes could ever he prevented.
| even n the latter should he thus iso-
| lated tho great forests. and even IL we
| should surround them with n moat 100
| miles wide. lined with Federal troops.
Copyright. 1912. by John Elfreth.
Watk1ns:l