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Show exceilent, 200 good, 100 fair, 40 poor, and 10 bad. The data in my possession justify nie in the belief that other schools, while possibly not quite attaining this remarkable standing, do uot fall seriously short of it. ASSOCIATIONS FOR SELF-HELP. In order to aid returned students and other progressive Indians in their efforts to win their people for the bettor ways of t.he new civiliza-tion, initiatory steps have beeutilken to stimulate among them adesire to establish associations for the purpose of self-help. It is intended to iuake it the chief object of these associations to study the resources of their respective reservations, to aid each other in the developmeut of these resources by encouraging individual or joint enterprise, to seek . profitable inarkets for the products.of labor and enterprise, to seek employ~neuts for their members in districts adjoining the reservation, to foster thrift by tho establishment of savings institutions, to support one another in resisting the tyranny of tribal customs and institutions and in deliberate following of the progressive ways of American civili-zation, and to receive, guard, and guide Indian youth that may from time to time return to the reservatiou from Indian schools. Reservation schools would afford convenient center8 for the business and social meetings of sooh associations, and the employees of these schools could in many judicious ways afford them much help without, however, imyairiug the idea of self-help on their past. Indeed, in due time it might be possible to gather all such efforts into one great sys-tem on the plau of the "outing system," so successfully organized under the direction of Uarlisle. INDIAN EMPLOYEES. The experiment of employing educated Indians in more responsible nositions ~ I tIh e Indian school service bas been continued and is evi-clestined to prove snccessful. As an educatio~laml easure tend-ing to lead Indians so employed to definite life purpose, its value is not I fl<estioned. nor can its vilue be auestioned asfa measure tendine to &i11181lataem bition ou the part of'the more a1lva11ee181t uiienrl; i ~ c t h e l 1 1 1 i 1I s . A a ;I measllre relldiuy ~ IrIai ao fi.0811;L InotIg tllo luC(ii181s themselves an army of earnest, devoted and capable missionariesiu the cause of American civilization, it is proving successful beyond a priori expectations. With reference to the efficiency of these employees as compared with the average efficiency of the white employees in correspondil~gp ositions, the testimony of the school service is divided. A large majority testify that in eBioiency, derotion to duty, ant1 steadiness of purpose, the Indim employees are not inferior to white employees. There is, how-ever, a minority who take an opposite view in this judgment. Tlle instances in which I have had an opportunity to inquire into such adverse judgment, have shown to me that it is due mostly to simple failure from lack of character or equipment on the part of the Indian emolovees. Similar failures. however. and in similar ratio as well as frok iimilar causes, are found among white appointees. In other cases I have.found the cause of failure in lack of sympathy with the Indian employees on the part of white employees, ala6k of sympathy which, in a few instances, amounted almost to social ostracism of t.he Indians. This is in no way excusable, and superintendents should, whenever they find it impossible to overcome such lack of sympathy and culpable excess of race prejudice, insist upon the removal of the guilty parties 6782--21 |
