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Show I - 54 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. tongue they will, of necessity, remain largely an alien people. One of the greatest hindrances 'heretofore to their progress has been their prevalent use of Indian dialects. They are thus cut off from any satis-factory interoowse with their fellow-citizens; they are deprived of any literature; understand very imperfectly what is said to them through interpreters; misunderstand oftentimes, and usually indeed, the pur-poses of the Government toward them; arc~suspicious,r eticent, and hard to reach. In boarding schools, where they are separated from those who habitually use the Indian dialect and are associated with those who constantly nse English, it is possible, by ailigent effort, in the course of a few years to create the habit of .using English and of making it practicable for them understand, ordinarily, what is said to them and to communicate in fairly intelligent English, orally and in writing, their desires and ideas. At best the process is a slow and tedious 1 one, and oftentimes those that have been in attendance atboarding schools leave them with a very imperfect knowledge of English, and on their return to their homes they frequently discard its use entirely. Of course the diaculties of teaching English and insuring its practical nse are vastly increased where the child attends school onlyfor a few hours a day and spends the rest of his time at home, hearing and using nothing bnt Indian dialect. Then, too, it should be remembered that all the traditions, prejudices, and superstitions of the Indians are arrayed against the civilization that is sought to be communicated to them through the means of the schools, and these forces operate with tremendous effect to neutralize the in-fluence of the day school where the pupils spend ao short a time. The influence of the camp is so intense that the day schoolord~narilym akes little headway against it. Nevertheless, in apite of irregular attendance and all the hindrances which1 have named and others that need not be specified, the day schools have, in some instances,' accomplished a good wbrk. I have not, how-ever, made any serious attempt to increase their number, except among the Sioux, contenting myself chiefly with improving their condition so far as possible. By the act of Congress anthorizing the expending of $30,000 for the ercetion of *rty schoolhouses among the Sioux of the Dakotas it has been possible to build schoolhonses suited to the purpose, and by the nse of other funds available, fairly comfortable accommodations hive been provided for some of the teachern. Dwellings for teachers are absolutely necessary, living as they do in commnnities where they can find no suitable boarding place among the Indians. It is well nigh impossible to do much, if anything, in the way of in-dustrial teaching in connection with the day school. However, the experiment is being tried of combining with ordinary instruotion in |
