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Show as fitnds at the disposal of the office will allow, but unless some special and generous appropriation is made for the benefit of the scliool the number in attendance must be kept far below the number of applicants for admission. The attention of Congress has been repeatedly called to the necessity of making some provision for the education of the Alaska Indians ; but thus far no action has been taken on the matter. An appropriation of a few thousand dollars for that object would enable the office to educate some Alaska youth at Forest Grotc, who, after a few years' training, wonld be fitted to become teachers among their own people. A com-paratively small expenditure in that direction could, in this slow but sure way, be made of incalculable ultimate beuefit to the Alaska Indiaus. The Hamptou and Carlisle schools now number sixty-six and one h1u1- dred and ninety-six pupils respectively. Since November, 1878, one hundred and three pupils, representing thirteen different agencies, have been in attendance at Hampton. The report of 5. C. Armstrong, prin-cipal of Hampton Institute, which will be found herewith on page 182, testifies to the general good conduct of the-pupils, to the gratifjiug pro-gress made by them in acquiring a knowledge of the Englisl~la nguage and of elementary English studies, and to the interest and aptness with which they have taken hold of farm work, and received practical in-struction in domestic work and various trades. The first compauy of aixty boys and twenty-four girls from the Rose-bud and Pine Ridge Agencies reached Carlisle in October, 1879. Since that date two hundred and thirty-nine children have been in attendance, representing the Sioux, Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas, Comanches, Pawnees, Sissetons, Menomonees, Iowag Sac and Fox, Lipans,Poncas, Nez Per&, Wichitas, Apaches, and Pueblos. Ten per cent. of the number have been mixed bloods, and two-thirds of thcm children of chiefs and headmen. Ind~tstriawl ork occupies a prominent place in the school, and fifty a.pprentices are lea,rning the tradesof carpenter, black-smith, wagon-maker, saddler, tinner, shoemaker, tailor, printer, and -. baker. A statement of the work accomplished by them will be found in the report of Lieutenant Pratt, page 178, to which attention is invited. Specimens of articles manufactured by the Carlisle pupils eabited at the county fair attracted much favorable attention from visitors, and the small premiums awarded the Indian boys and girls for exccllcnce of workmanship gave thcm great satisfaction and enoonragement. Aside from the benefit accruing to the children educated thereiu, the establishment of these schools has. aroused a stronginterest in Indian civilization on the part of benevolent people in the East, which has resulted in generous donations to aid in the support and to add to the comfort and happiness of pupils at both Hampton and Carlisle. More-over, during the summer vacation, forty-eight boys and girls from these two schools were received into various families in Massachnsetts and' Pennsylvania, where they were given an individual home-training which |
