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Show XXIV BEPORT OF COMMIBSIONER OF INDUN AFFAIBB. havecharge of Indian matters. That each of the different kinds of schools or methods of education can lay some claims to merit cannot be denied. The common day 8chool on the reservation of conrsc is the. more economic method if limited to the immediate outlay of money for the time employed;. but if viewed from the broader standpoint of perma-nent efficiency and enduring advancement of Indian youth, that plan may jestly be challenged, for some years. to come, by the friends of other methods as being not only the least efficient and permanent but cventnally the most expensive. Tke greatest difficulty is experienced in freeing the children tittending day schools from the language and habits of their nututored and oftentimes savage parent& When they return to their homes at night, a@ on Saturdays and, Snndays, and are among their old surroundings,. they relapse more or less into their former moral and mental stupor. This constitutes the strongest ob-jection to this clws of schools, and I fear that, in m@ny instances, the objection is too well-founded. Bat as edncation and general civiliz&tion take deeper hold upon the Indian me, the day school on the reserpa-tion will show betterresults and must eventually become nniversal, as are our common schools in the Ststes. At this time, however, after the best examination I can give the snb-ject, I would not advise any diminution of material aid and support to any of the different kinds of schools now fostered by the Government. All are doing most excellent and efficient service in their particular spheres, and all are performing a good part in the grand work of edu-cating and civilizing the hitherto uInntored Indiana. The honor of this noble work belongs to the great American constituency and their representatives in both the legislative and executive branches of the Government; and I would call upon all officers and agents of the Qov-ernment who come in immediate contact with our red brothers to im-press them with the great benefits that are thus conferred upon them, or which their hearts should swell with grateful emotion. That thc'Indian8 are not lacking in appreciation of their- ednca-tional advantages is shown by the following statistics, which do not in-cliide the schools among the five civilized trihes nor the Indians of New Pork State, nor soarding and day schools supported by religions societies withoat expense to the Government. mhde. ~ ~ d isnoboeola onaerrgenoy a n p e n i s i o n ... . . .. . ... .. . . Day sohonle mdsr sgenoy sopemton .................... Training sahools .... . ... . . .. .. . . . . .. ...... . .... . . . . ... . ... 157 Sohools m Sthtee ............................... ....... .... --710- -P 861 151 TOW ................................................ |