OCR Text |
Show ! REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF INDIAN SCHOOLS. 343 I I well-kept and beautiful grounds upon the pupils and Indians of the 1 reservation is very noticeable, the latter, in imitation, improving their own grounds. I INDIAN EMPLOYMENT. I ' The employment of Indians is a suggestion of practical economy that should be encouraged, and it is intimately connectedwith " indus- 1 trial work," which has already been discussed. It is urged in Mr. 1 Oliver's paper, and in others, that the Indians must be taught and stimulated "to do somethiup." That they must work in the field or in the shop is evidently implied; that their t i ~ me u st be usefully employed; that the Indian is splendidly equipped physically for manual labor; and that in any of the departments of physical indus-try he will easily become the peer of the white man, while in a literary or professional sense he is apt to be deficient. The arguments of Mr. Oliver are not only reasonable, but con-vincing; yet we desire to add that if the Indian is allowed to share in the profits and results of his labor the incentive for him to labor will be obtained. He will learn t.he lesson that his bread must be earned by the sweat of his brow. He will not only labor for his own comfort and pleasure, but for others dependent upon him. He will learn to understand that "labor omnia vincit;" and the result of his toil will make him independent aud happy. He and his will no longer be wards of the nation, but self-respecting members of American soci-ety and citizenship, trained and equipped for its local and national r..h . .1 . .~ . i .o .a \\'herever possible and practical he should be hfiven ren~u~~erntive cu~ployn~ent,enthd1 1s ben~tl~letoiralizc~thcgns!laidt luuuifieent bloss-ingx the Government is l~csttorringllpl,nh im. AF'POINTMENT OR INDIANS AS DISCIPLINARIANS. Superintendent Avery, of Crow Creek, S. Dak., was opposed to the appointment of Indians as disciplinarians as their sense of justice is largely governed by likes and dislikes. Superintendent Avery's opinion was concurred in by Superintendent Hall, of Idaho, and Super-intendent Peairs, of Oneida, Wis. It was the opinion that the appoint-ment of Indians as disciplinarians at Indian schools would be inad-visable and impracticable. The Indian is not fitted by experience or disposition to assume a position requiring executive abilit,y; and, withal, such an appointment would not be congenial to his nature under the surroundings in which he would be placed. AMUSEMENT FOR INDIANS. His love for amusement is one of the Indian's most uromin~en-t c.h ar- ~ ---~-. acteristics. Outdoor sports are fascinating to him. ke revels in the hunt and is proficient in athletics. Fleet of foot, ingenious in his tactics. he is-naturallv an adeDt so far as cunninii aid hrawn are ~ ~- ~~. conctcrhed. Iudians From the 'Cnl.lisle School havr won a' nutioual repurntion in ant, po1111Inrg t~meo f football, and bare achieved many hrillinnt \ictorics o\,erthcir white brother^. Kob~ette-rnr~oof ~that. ou-r- ~ --..~ . ~ - . door exercise and amusement are not only entertaining but beneficial to our Indian ~t~udenctosu ld be offered than that furnished by the stu-dents of this school. Pupils should not, however, be allowed too many |