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Show 50 OOMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AEFAIRS. in similar work is considered of great importance in order that they may compare notes and discuss and adopt the most practical methods in giving the young Indian an education that will enable him to become self-supporting. These gatherings offer Indian school employees the opportunities for mutual benefit and advancement enjoyed by the public school teachers at the county and State meetings, thereby enabling them to keep abreast of the times and to bring their standard to the degree of excellence required in the public schools. The attendance at the St. Louis :meeting far surpassed that of any similar gathering. The meeting being held in connection with that of the National Educational Association and on the World's Fair Grounds, 'xceptional opportunities were afforded for study and improvement. Employees were enabled to attend the meetings of the National Edu-cational Association where eminent American and foreign educators presented the characteristics of their respective systems. They were also enabled to take advantage of the unusual facilities offered to make an intelligent study of theedneational exhibits, illustrating every stage of educational development, and to visit the various model schools conducted on the grounds. The school conducted in the Indian build-ing, showing how the Indian pupils are instructed in the elementary English branches and the practical industrial arts, including agricul-ture and the trades for the boys and general houu~eke~pinfgo r the girls, served as an example of the best type of Indian education-training the hand and brain jointly-and furnished an object lesson in the uplifting of aboriginal peoples to the plane of intelligent and sub-stantial citizenship. The literary and industrial work of the pupils contributed by the various Indian schools to the Indian exhibit served to show the marked advancement in educating the young Indian. Great credit is dueto theofficials of the World's Fair for their cooper-ation with the superintendent of Indian schools in making the meeting a marked success. The system of holding institutes has been extended and dates and places so arranged as to enable employees to attend at least one meet-ing each year. All the institutes were well attended, and the cooper-ation of the teachers and workers attest their earnest desire to advance the Indian as rapidly as possible to a self-sustaining position. INDIAN SCHOOL SITES. Publication of the history of Indian industrial school sites and of the title to theland upon which Indian schools are located was commenced in the annual report of this Office for 1892, and has been continued in subsequent reports, including this one, as follows: Arizona.-Fort Mohave, 1892, p. 879. Reams Canyon, 1892, p. 879. Phoenix, 1892, p. 879; 1902, p. 614. Blue Canyon, 1897, p. 421. Truxton Canyon (formerly Hackberry) or IValapai, 1900, p. 619. |