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Show 62 REPOET OF THE COMMISSIONEE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. by the anthropological depahent of the exposition, under Prof. Put-nram. Cooperating cordially with this Bureau, he proposes to have upon the grounds families of Indians taken from different tribes, who, residing in their native habitations, will pursue the avocations and in-dustries peculiar to their respective tribes. If larger funds were available for the office exhibit, it would be pos-sible to cover more ground and not to be restricted to presenting but one line of Indian advancement, viz, education; but, even with the meager sum allowed, 825,000, I am oonfident that the Indian Office ex-hibit, taken in connection with that of the anthropological department, will be one of the attractive, p'icturesque, and striking features of the exposition, and will very creditably present the progress w,hich the Indians are making md the efforts which the Government is putting forth to prepare its former wards for the honor and privileges of citi-zenship now held out to them. In order to bring Indian schools into line with the public schools of the country in the celebration of Uolumbus day, on October 21, 1892, the following instructions were issued on August 17,1892, to Indian agentsand school superintendents: Inclosed herewith you will find printed sheets whioh will acquaint yon quite folly with the arrangements which are being made among the publio schools of thin coun-try for the appropriate celebration of Columbns day, Oatober 21, 1892. You will readily 800 the importance of having same similar oelebration take place in Indian schools, not only to give Indian pupils the historical ioformatian whioh 'the ohservanae of the day will necessarily impart, but also to bring Indian schools into line with the practices and exoroiaes of the public schools of this oountry. You will please fmmiliarize yourself with this entire matter and 800 that all the schools, boarding as well an day sohools, prepare same snitableprogrgmmefor Ooto-her 21 and c s q it out on that day. The interest and enthnaiasm of the child~en in these proceeding8 should be thoroughly arooeed and the day of the celebration made to exert as inspiring an intlncnoe over them aa possible. You will also endeavor to interest sdnlt Indians in the celehretion, csnd particular pains should be taken to have returned etudents take some part whioh will renew to them the elevating idnences of the school life from whioh they are now sepa-rated. Each school must be furnished with theseprinted sheets, and on no aooount must this celebration be neglected or allowed to fail of suooess, and preparation for it ehodd be begun in all the aohools with the opening of the school year. For similar patriotic occasions, such as Washingtou's birthday, Fourth of July, etc., very creditable programmes have been prepared and carried out in Iniiian schools. I have no doubt that on this occa-sion, also, the exercises in which the Indian youth will participate will be praiseworthy and peculidy interesting, and will show that although Indian progress is far behind what it should have become after four hundred years of contact with white civilization, yet a large proportion of the Indian tribes have made great ltdvance in the scale of intelli-gence @nd civilization since Columbus found them. |