The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-02-26

ally known 1t is recognized by everybody that
the Indian has certain rights of fostering and
of direction along the road civilization, pros
perity and health, and it is for this high and hui
name reason that the Office. of Indian affairs, of
which Cato Sells is the directing chief must be
administered sanely and helpfuIly.
Even today American people, notably the East
erners. think of the American Indians in the
as still being in a less savage state or
at any rate, state of barbarism- The old-time
problem had to do largely with the men who
constantly went on the warpath and who were a
menace to the advancing civilization of the whites.
The Indian problem for a long time in consid-
cradle part war department problem.
Today things have changed The problem
largely is with the young Indians. the boys and
the girls who must be trained along lines running
Numerically opposite to those followed by their
ancestors. 1t is largely problem of education,
and the United States government today is trying
to teach the young Indians in order that when
they become old Indians they will present no
such task of regulation and of government as
that which confronted the authorities in the cases
of their forefathers.
Today there is only one rowing band of Indians
in the continental United States and even this
band is at rest within certain limits where
it probably will remain contented.
OF course occasion the restless elders among
the Indians wander about little but the aborigi
mes longer roamers and wanderers in the
sense that they as late as a quarter of a
| century ago. The rowing band is that of
| Chief Rocky Boy, and this little group of about
! three hundred Indians has reused pity and made
occasional trouble for a good many years. It is
Montana band, and while many years ago con-
gress tried to do something definite for Rocky
| Boy and his followers, the attempt came to little
or nothing and they kept on rowing, charge if
not menace to the people of Montana
| The present commissioner of Indian affairs Mr..
Sells of Texas lawyer, banker and farmer.
transplanted temporarily at least into field Of
endeavor concerning which he knew a good deal
before the transplanting. has succeeded in Undue
D0aI-
in his following to locate upon government land
in Montana, where they have equal to four
| townships which to dwell, there to till the soil
| to their living Congress will be asked this
| winter to set aside this land as reservation for
Rocky Boy, the rover.
| AS has been said, the chief problem today is
with the young Indians If they be educated
| properly the Indian problem in few years will
! vanish. Recently there held in Washington
| meeting of the supervisors and superintendent
and instructors of the greater schools for the In
dams throughout the United States They were
called together by Commissioner Sells to consider
| a reconstruction of the system Of study for the
Indian children of school age. course of study
has been prepared and has been adopted. 1t is
| hoped that it will give to the children of the
| Indians the best vocational training offered by
any school system in the United States.
| Concerning this course of study which has just
been adopted the commissioner says:
1T emphasizes the study of home economics
and agricultural subjects, because any attempt to
change the Indian population Of this country from
| a dependent to independent people within
| reasonable length of time must give special con-
| sideration to the improvement OF the Indians
| homes and to the development of their lands. The
usual subjects of school instruction are not neg
| lected but they subordinated to subjects
which, if learned practically lead directly to pro-
/ ductiye efficiency and self-support-"
The Indian children OF the United States receive
primary prevocational and vocational instruction
In an introduction to the report the new
course of study prepared under the direction Of
the commissioner this explanation is made:
"The primary division includes the first three