Semi-weekly herald., 1912-07-15
w. T. SHELTON HAS MADE
SHIPROCK MODEL AGENCY

w. I. Shelton, agent of the Navajo
Indians at Shiprock, N. M, and who
controls the destinies of about 5000
more or less civilized wards scattered
over an area that equals a New Eng
land state, is in Denver Mr.. Shell
ton, who is accompanied by his wife
is on his way east to enjoy the first
vacation he has taken in years of
labor among the Indians of the south
west.
Mr.. Shelton has made notable rec
ord in the service, and the Shiprock
agency is regarded as one of the mod
els of its kind. He established the
school and agency at Shiprock about
nine years ago. The buildings are To-
Gated under giant cottonwoods, in the
valley of the San Juan. The Indians
always called the place Beautiful I'm
der the e-Cottonwoods," and here Mr.
Shelton has supervised the construc-
ton of up to date schools and agency
buildings, and has put hundreds OF
establishment of this kind, with splen-
did brick buildings, model green
house, sewer and light system, in the
heart of the desert, never fails to
arouse the astonishment of visitors,
but Mr.. Shelton is a believer in the
theory that if the Indians are to make
progress in civilization they must have
good example set them by white
people. The grains are raised in pro
fusion, is all done by Indian children,
about 300 of whom attend the agency
"The Navajos are making good
progress along practical lines" said
Mr.. Shelton. This year will see the
completion of an irrigation system
which will water several thousand
acres near the San Juan school. These
lands will be farmed by the Indians.
There are many first class farmers
among our people. AS far as stock
raising is concerned, the Navajos
have had little to learn from the very
first. They have always been self
supporting. Their flocks and herds and
the income from the sale of their
blankets and jewelry being sufficient
to make them independent. They are
moral race, and, while they are very
proud, are easy to handle because
they will listen to reason. The day
of trouble with the Navajo is past"
Mr.. Shelton has encouraged the In
dians to hold fair at Shiprock each
fall, and has established a fair ground
at the agency. The Indians are en-
couraged to bring in farm exhibits
and to display their best blankets and
specimens of silverware. The blan-
ket weavers and silversmiths on the
reservation compete for the honors at
the Shiprock fair, and thousands of
dollars worth of rugs, just as them
come from the looms of the Navajo
women are displayed. The display of
silverware is dazzling, and shows the
wonderful skill of the native silver
smiths, who work with the crudest
of implements, yet secure remarkably
artistic effects in designing bracelets,
rings and necklaces.
The popular idea that Indian child.
rem have to be compelled to attend
school is shattered at Shiprock. Child
rem have been known to run away
from home and to tramp miles over
the desert to attend the school that
is presided over by "Not-ton-n -nez,"
(the tall captain), as the Navajos call
Mr.. Shelton. The children at the San
Juan school spend half day at their
books and the other half in some
form of manual labor which will bs
of benefit to them in later years. The
boys change about in doing farm
tasks, and the girls are instructed
in housework, sewing, etc. There are
social evenings when the children
dance and play games, and the boys
and girls have chorus which has
made notable advance in music. The
older Indians have overcome their ear
ly day prejudice against the white
mans school, and most Of them volun-
tarily bring in their children to at
tend classes at Shiprock. There are