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Show REPORT OH TEE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 45 The school at Lawrence, Hans., has reached its highest point of pros-perity, has over 500 pupils, and now challenges the closest criticism. The school at Genoa, Nebr., is still in a transition state, but has done exceptioually good industrial work and will soonhave its plant fairly well completed. It has enrolled about 400 pupils. The little band of Indians in the heart of Iowa, at Tama, have well. nigh successfully resisted all efforts for their edncativnal advancement. The school at Carlisle, Pa, still maintains its pr&mineuoe, is now . ' rtdmirably equipped, and has had an attendance during the past year of about 800. It is prepared to do eveu greater service in the future than it ha8 rendered in the past. School work among the Eastern Cherokees in North Carolina is just now at a standstill. For particulars in regard to the unfortnnate con. troversy which has arisen see Appendix, page 141. . . C O ~ N T OS N INDIAN EDUCATION. This summary review of the situation warrants me in saying- 1. That the system of Government schools now in successful opera-tion is every way creditable to the Government of the United States. They are, within themeasure of their possibilities, doing most excellent work, and every year hastens the time when, by their aid, there will be a new generation of English-speaking Indians, prepared to become Americans. 2. Nothing should be allowed to hinder the development of these sehools along the present lines of their activities and growth until they shall be suficient to furnish full educational facilities for all the Indian children that can be i~~dnc etod a ttend them. The expense involved is i necessarily large, but it is lnouey well e%pended. In the appendix, page 146, I present a table showing the per capita cost of reform schools in various States. A comparison of this table with the allownpees for the expenses of the Goverument Indian schools will show that this work costs less t,han the work done in the reform sehoolx, and from my personal knowledge of that work I have no hesi-tancy in saying that on the whole the Indian work is equal or superior to that done in the State institutions. 3. 1x1 view of the rapidity with which Indians are taking their lands and becoming nominally citizens of theunited States, thework of edll-cation should be hastened with theview of bringing as large a number as possible of prospective citizens under its influence in order to pre- ' , pare them for the inevitable duties and responsibilities that await them. Any delay at this juncture will be irreparable for the Indians and may, be disastrous to the eommnuities in which they reside. - ..L. 4. Thus far the operation of the civil-service rules has been, on the whole, satisfactory, altd I see no reason to doubt the ultimate success of the scheme. It has, however, developed this fact, that it is very dif- . fihult to secure competent persons able to pass the requisite oivil-serv- |
