| OCR Text |
Show dent to the position are so numerous that assistance was required, and April 20, 1899, the following supervisors of schools were appointed: E. T. MeArtbur, of Minnesota, for the Choctaw Nation; Benjamin S. Coppock, of Oregon, for the Cherokee Nation; Calvin Ballard, of Illi-nois, for the Creek Nation; and John M. Simpson, of Wisconsin, for the Chickasaw Nation. These officials promptly entered upon the dis-charge of their respeetive duties, and have rendered valuable assist-ance to the superintendent in the collection of data and statistics relating to the several schwls. The Five Civilized Tribes occupy all of Indian Territory except a very small portion. It approximates in size the New England States, with the exception of Maine, and comprises about 40,147 square miles of rich and arable land. The first settlement in the Territory was made by the Creek Indians in 1827. In 1829 this country \ras.set aside for the use of certain Indians. The tide of immigration, rolling westward from the Atlantic Ocean through the Southern and Gulf States, soon came into conflict with the great Indian tribes occupying that country, and from 1803 to 1824 these conflicts were of grave and serions character. The Government was of necessity compelled either to exterminate these tribes or remove them from the rich districts now being overrun by white settlers. The latter course prevailed, and President Monroe in 1824 recommended to Congress that these Indians shonld be removed west of the Mississippi. Six years after, under President Jackson, their removal was ordered, and in 1832 Indian Ter-ritory was set apart for the Five Civilized Tribes. The next year the exodus of the Choctaws, Chickasaws, Oreeks, and Cherokees began, but it was not until 1846 that tlie Seminoles were finally placed in their new homes. The rich and fertile fields of Indian-Territory were given these tribes in exchange for the lands which their ancestors had held, while in many instances they were paid certain sums of money as s difference in valuations. The Five Civilized Tribes presented a fruitful field for the mission-ary efforts of the churches, and soon they began to found missions and schools. The Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists established substantial boarding schools, and for years they were maintained entirely by the religious bodies under whose auspices they were estab-lished. For some time this condition of affairs prevailed, and the untiring zeal and energy of missionaries and teachers gained the con. fidence, respect, and love of the Indians. Their schools and churches were centers from which emanated a civilization which was reflected by those with whom they came in contact. As the years rolled by, how-ever, the various councils of the different nations mere induced to make annual 'appropriations, supplementing with material aid the efforts of the churches for their advancement. As the Superintendent of Schools in Indian erri it or^ states: So long a8 these mission boards remained in charge of theae schools the eduoa-tional affsirs of ths Territoryprogreased fairly well, but there came a time not many |
