The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-02-28
MISS ALLEN
WOULD TURN
INDIAN LOOSE
REOMAN WILL NEVER LEARN
LESSON OF SELF F-RElIANCE
UNTIL GOVERNMENT CEASES
TO BE GUARDIAN.

Ringing, Okla, Feb 27.-That the
Indians of Indian Territory are be
ing hampered by the restrictions
thrown around them by the federal
government, is the opinion of Miss
NJ f. Allen, who is superintendent of
the Wheelock Academy at Millerton,
Okla, a school for the education of
Choctaw Indian girls.
1t is the opinion OF Miss Allen that
as long as the federal government
keeps the Indian as its ward. and
does not allow him to independently
solve his own problems of life that
just so long will the Indian fail to
make advancement and keep pace
with his white neighbor The Indian
himself resists the actions of the
government in controlling his lands
and money. The government has
recently begun to buy wagons and
teams for the Indians and to brand
them with the ~. S." brand. and
prohibits the Indian from either
mortgaging or otherwise disposing of
his property.
There are 100 girls in the Wheel
ock Academy and fully that many
more have been turned away because
there was not room for them. The
Indian schools are serving only
portion of the pupils. Girls at the
age of six are allowed to enter this
school and to keep place there mn-
til they graduate. Places in the school
are regarded very highly and it is
very seldom that they are ever sur
rendered until the girls graduate
and only a few new pupils can be
taken each year. Every effort is be-
ing made to teach these children
the English language, and they are
not allowed to convere in Choctaw
on the campus.
Miss Allen is of the opinion that
the salvation of the Indian child is
to educate him with the whites. In
a white school he would catch the
English language and the habits and
customs of the white child which |
would result in his greater develop
ment. In this connection, A. Grant |
Evans, a prominent educator of Ok
lahoma said Immediately following
statehood that unless a closer asso-
citation was brought about by the edu- |
cation of the Indians and whites to-
gether that race lines would be drawn |
and prejudices would be built up |
against the Indians.
1t is the opinion of educators who
have given thought to the subject |
that the Indian school should be |
abolished in the interest of the chill |
dren which the government designed |
them to benefit.
Miss Allen, who has had abundant |
opportunity to study the interests of !
the red men in Oklahoma, Is thor
Dughly convinced that the sentiment |
which has been developed by persons
who would befriend the Indian and |
which sentiment seems to dictate
The policy of the government depart
ments in dealing with them is the
greatest difficulty that the Indian has
10 surmount. The Indian, she says,
S about as capable of taking care
IF himself as the men of the white
ace, and when he is forced to work
)ut his own salvation and shown
hat he must depend upon his own
Efforts and resources that he will
become a more independent, a more
and a more useful citi-
zen.
If the government were to take
his view of the Indian situation and
,lace the red man upon his own
esources it would solve the problem
# land titles to many thousands of
cres of land on the east side of
he state and would result in a greater
agricultural development and in
higher prices for agricultural land.
Lands in eastern Oklahoma are
aid to be cheaper than in any other
tate and this low price is due to the
estrictions thrown about these lands
n an effort to give the Indian the
which the Indian himself
esists and which those most closely
ssociated with him says he does not
equire.