The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-26

in small pens of pine poles, spotted
Poland-Chinas or Durocs now Craze
in fields of rye or are seen feeding
from modern ~self-feeders. And
where occasional scrub cattle once
fed in the reed brakes, white faced
beef cattle and better grade milk
oWs now feed in well-fenced pas
lures.
Not Accurate
1t wouldn't be strictly accurate
to say that these improvements are
to be found on every farm. Some
p%oorly-kept farms still remain. but
these only serve to emphasize, by
comparison, the progress which
a been made. Nor would it be
accurate to leave the impression
that only in recent years have
there been successful Indian farm
ers in that section.
Some of the most successful far
mers in the county have been IN
dams and some of the thriftier were
often referred to during the recent
economic depression as good ex-
amples of what can be ACCOMPLISH
ed If a farmer grows his food and
iced and does his own work.
1t might also be pointed out that
II the successful families were in
the minority that fact should not
not be charged up alone to the In
dlahs. Was it not 20 years after
the Civil War before they had any
schools? Only in the last few years.
comparatively speaking, has any
thing been dine by the county and
state to improve the social and
economic condition of these people.
Separate schools were first bro.
vlded for the Indians in 1885 and
the Indian State Normal college was
established by the state in 1887. The
college trains teachers for Indian
schools, has a high school depart
ment, and a three-year college
course.
A Large School
There is also in the town of Penn
broke a large graded school: and a
new modern high school has Just
been completed, with the benefit
OF p. w. A. funds. There are also
In other parts of the county % 9TH
er schools for Indians, five of which
have high school departments.
An average Of 1861 Indian chill
dren attended Indian schools in the
county last year.. They were taught
by 143 teachers and % buses were
used for transporting those living at
a distance from school.
State legislation, some 80 years
ago, provided for the organization of
drainage districts. AS a result of this
legislation, bonds were issued by the
landowners and three large canals
were dug which added considerably
to drainage facilities in the Indian
section.
The Indian population in Robson
, county is now about $4,000 having
increased fourfold in the past sc
years. \ portion of these are scat.
tered as tenants and small owners
in various parts of the county, but
most of them live in and around the
town of Pembroke.
Recently educational work started
by the county and state has been
augmented in a practical way by
the federal government. The Farm
Security administration, U. S. de-
partment of agriculture, has set UP
a demonstration farm project to
help Indian tenants become owners
end to teach them better farming
methods.
Better Methods
For a long time the agricultural
colleges and the extension service
have been preaching better farming
methods. If you want to succeed,
you should do this and do that, they
said. The proposals were good but
the financial outlay to get started
to doing those things was SO great
most small farmers, especially ten
ants, were never quite able to put
the proposals into practice.
On the area purchased by the gov.
eminent in Robson county, known
as Pembroke farms. the Farm Sc.
curity administration is giving 76
families a chance to buy farms and
to try out these latest approved
methods, adequately financed a n d
properly supervised.
Each farmer starts off with good
land, properly drained, a comfortable
house to live in, good barns and
shelters and sanitary conveniences,
which he pays for in yearly install
ments, over a period of 40 years, at
an interest rate of three per cent
In addition he gets two to five years
loans, at five per cent interest, to
buy workstock and farming equip
ment, good seed, high grade breed
ing stock, cows, hogs, chickens, fenc-
ing for pastures, and other goods for
successful farming operations.
The farms average about SIS acres
each and are not altogether differ
ent from the Tenant Purchase farms
which the same agency is helping
tenants to buy under terms of the
Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act.
The tenant purchase farms a r e
bought mere and there in the coun-
tv. while the farms on the Pembroke
Project are located in one general
area and provide better opportunity
for experiments in community deve-
lopment. These farms for the Robe
son Indians are similar to expert