Arizona republican., 1915-04-11
Official Organ of State Federation of Clubs

school in the territory. ! begged to
 be excused on the ground that be-
 lieved it utterly impossible to teach an Indian anything that was not in their sign language. My former eX-
 peIience had been so tragical to me that 1 was utterly discouraged. Hon. J. c. Herndon, who was urging me to do this said the Indians in the sorth were much more intelligent and moral than the ones I knew and as l was coming tn the SsI. River Valley that fall and the meeting was
 in Phoenix l said 1 would go. When
 we arrived overland in the valley striking the Yuma road about 12
 miles west of Phoenix we began to pass groups of Maricopa Indians go- ing into Phoenix. The men usually bestrode a poor dispirited porE wear ing overalls or "G" strings. The wo-
 men truding in the dust barefoot with red calico rag of q skirt usually about three widths and d yard long sometimes and more often a square ot four large red handkerchiefs not cut apart nut around the waist iap- ped in the back with the ends tucked
 into the band on the side for a fas
 tening. not a pin, button or stitch to secure the thing. Sometimes width of calico held a papoose suspended on the back. A large pack of stuff to sell carried on the head. Well l said this is advanced civilization for you. The same old rig. same old Grunt ana same old tricks in every way as the tribes from the north and by getting into touch with them l found their looks were not deceiVing for as was getting my '.ouse put in order q carpet of rather bright designs was laid m the grass to be swept off and air before putting on the floor and l went down town to lunch. When l was returning I kept meeting Indians arrayed in widths of bright colored 1 carpet and wondered aS lt seemed quite warm to me why the sudden | change of style from the practically nude to this volumnOus raiment. recalled how people used to say in , the states You could tell the weather I Ey the Indians and kept on wonder i ing till 1 got home where lo and be- hold my carpet, q lerge rug ana a | bright colored portier had utterly vanished. \ neighbor said they told
 her ' gave them to tnem for work l ing. She had doubted this but was afraid of them so said no more. in l the mean time the committee met and | was in no frame Of mind to
 do anything for Indians and frankly
 stated my belief that t would be l utteriy impossible to try to teach an Indian anything that would make him of enough advantage to the gov
 @rnment to expend the sum of half q | million dollars tthe amount at that tine thought F,robahlc Vould be spent
 fol. their redemption. .I;lt on taking ! the matter ever when Sp.u.s ,hnush'
 the money would n" ipenc anyway
 and it was better L., 'l1Ta l. spent
 here. as an advantage to the valley
 rather than somewhere else. Finally ! it WAS decided to open a school 1T
 Phoenix and l think it was first open
 cd in the old West Epd Hotel. Wner
 
 as Rabbit drive. I had witnessed in California. The poor little Indians from four to twelve years uf agt
 were hlsldled in seats with their eye:
 biz with fear and apprehension No ! understanding single word of Eng Iisa or comprehending a single ges
 tare. F.Verythirg was strange. Bu t-a. # thev didn't die Of fright and con
 linement II was the children WI | should work with and net as I ha' been tryine the older ones. n tn rvean time we moved to ranch o' the Yuma road where the Maricop' Indians still ma1e tl.eir weekly pil crimaees with corn. cuail, beans am etc. to the market. Old one sol the Mar:copa chief wfc might easil by his looks be two hundred years oi' and who spoke both English am | spanish SO that anyone could uder stand him q have always notice their chiefs or captains are bette educated in fact have all had som English schooling. How if was pro cured in early laNs ho hot hi'' and whose son Moon Son of SoI' ha 1 an excellent English education but n would never tell how he secured Sol agreed to teach me their reIiglo and the origin of it which was a i very interesting but would make paper all by itself, and while teachin \ me his religion he would expect Una [ load him with fruit cakes or some
 thing to carry home. One day l wa
 , embroidering on the porch when |
 came and my. husband came in wit
 o nair Inf blue overalls and asked m