The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-08-25
REAL FARMING
To Be TAUGHT
INDIAN SCHOOLS
COMMISSIONER SELLS so AOVIs-
Es-HE OUTLINES PLANS AND
MAKES PERTINENT O6sERVA-
TONS TO sUPERlNTENOENTs.

"
to become commissioner OF Indian al
fairs has observed that his first inter
est was in the vocational training OF
the boys and girls Superintendents
and teachers in the Indian schools
have made note that the first man
about the place who attracted the at
tention OF Mr.. Sells was the Indian
farmer.
1t is in line with this attention to
the training OF Indian children to be-
come useful members of the communi-
" that Mr.. Sells is still sending letters
to Indian superintendents and agents
on every reservation. The most re-
cent OF these letters was sent out from
Washington a few days ago. 1t is be
ing pondered by the Indian agency
people all over the country. The In
dian school farmer is now doing the
infinitesmal amount OF paper work
that he is allowed to do sitting in his
oyeralls at dusty desk thinking deeply
on how he will get the boys of his
tribe to become interested in soils
and crops and cattle.
The letter OF Mr. Sells starts out
with the declaration that he is not
satisfied that the department is MAX
ing the greatest use OF the school
farms. And he did not need TO write
that in the first paragraph OF his let
ter. The school farmers have heard it
several times since the present com.
missioner came into office. They have
tor the most part concerned them
selves with the problem of making
him better satisfied. And it has taken
a revolutionary sort Of an effort to ac-
complish that; for the school farms
have fallen short OF their theoretical
object.
Observations Made in Letter.
But the ideas in the letter are the
things OF moment at this time Here
are some of them:
Necessary equipment is available.
Stock is there or may be had. These
things. coupled with the ample availa-
BILE land lay the predicate for ideal
instruction conditions. Then comes
the postulate. II the farm training is
10 be OF real value to the Indian lads
the farming operations should be fl
nancially successful and at the same
time conducted in accordance with
medern methods.
That seems reasonably clear to the
farmers whose new overalls have be-
gun TO get soiled and whose status in
the service has begun to improve in
proportion to the soiling and the soil
employed. This axiom is followed by
a statement that the commissioner is
convinced that there is large field
for improvement in the handling of
the Indian school farms.
The farmer finds a slight blush
struggling to break through the new
coat OF tan on his recently pallid
cheek He has probably had bunch
OF that sort prior to peruse the
letter. The road is made plain before
him in the next suggestion.
Il want every field officer who has
charge OF such a farm to see that its
management is of such a nature as
will insure its development to the
highest degree of productiveness,
practical usefulness and object les
SON"
The farmer whose civil service eX-
animation demonstrated that he has
the theory, can observe that he must
now employ all his thaumaturgic in
fluence on the Indian youth in order
TO meet the demands in that sentence.
His thoughts fly to the time when the
school had to buy hay and corn to
feed the farm teams; he reflects on
the meat bill that is payable to the
trader in the village. And the object
lesson and the financial theory of the
farm at once take on new meaning to
him. There is a business man on the
job at Washington and a regular far
mer is in demand.
Appeals to Business Instinct.
The contents of these letters make
specific suggestions that appeal to the
business instinct of the farmer who
has until recently been decorating a
swivel chair and a rolltop desk. They
give him rude shock and set him to
speculating upon the advantages of
private employment if one has to be
a regular farmer like that. The out
line OF the school activities that ought
TO be found on the farm is full and
complete in detail. Ii could come
from the manager of the Taft ranch
or from one of the big Red river farms
and sound like a keynote in the eco
nomics of successful farmer.
There will be no opportunity to