OCR Text |
Show spirit and become self-supporting, where he will have the ambition to support his family and not look to the Government for help. This point will be reached only through patient application and faithful, work along. indnstrial lines. A civili%tion without the elements of labor in it rests on a founda-tion of sand. Labor is the basis of all lastine civilization and the most potent influence for good in the world. menever any race, of its own volition, begins to labor its future is assured. Even under a sys-tem of slavery labor has been a mighty factor in the elevation of barbarous races. Hence, when once we have succeeded in training the Indian to the point where he will earn his own living by daily toil in civilized pursuits, the battle for Indian civilization will have been won. Then, and not till then, will we be able to see the snccessful conclusion of our work. The best and, in fact, the only rational edu-cation for the conntrv's abori~inesi s that which ins~i resth em to become producers instkad of r&aining consumers. Iferein lies the secret to success. The wroblem now before us is the selection of the best method for transfo;ming the Indian from an idler into a worker; from a consumer into a producer. One of the means to be employed is indnstrial training in our Government schools. Among others, the "outing" system, on which I have already touched, and the colo-nizin plan of Mr. J. H. Seger, stand out prominently. ~l f indus t r iale ducation for boys may be placed under two heads, a riculture and the trades. The industrial teacher at every Indian sc% o ol should be a man who will study the eculiarities, agricultural and climatic, of the reservation on which t l e pupils live and teach them the methods of husbandry adapted to their locality, and the kind of vegetables, cereals, and fruits suited to them. To make the boy a successfnl farmer, we must teach him not alone the cultivation of crops, but also the care of stock, the raising of fruit, dairying, the elements of carpentry and blacksmithing, and labor of a general character. The successfnl managing and conductin of a farm for a few years will do more to civilize the Indian than a 7 1 the other influ-ences that mi-g ht under any circumstances be brou-g ht to bear upon him. Mrs. Lida W. Quimby, field matron in the State of Washington, says: We need farmers not too "high bred" to handle a hoe, pot too stupid to practically ' demonstrate the theories of farming, stock raking, frmt culture, etc.-things for which the pupils will find use as soon as they leave school. To harness a horse, to prune a tree, to kill a ig and prepare it for market, will help far more in the battle of life that must be fouggt. To play the piano ia--what? After echo01 days are over, how many will ever again finger the keys? Will the vain regrets, the unsatisfied ambition, make the poor little home brighter, think you7 Then let every friend of Indian education urge, in season and out of season, that industrial training be forced to the front rank. The best and most practical trades for the Indian youth are black-smithing, carpentry, and work in leather. These should be taught at all nonresemation schools, and such of them at the reservation and day schools as may be suited to the particular locality, at least to such an extent that the Indian boy may be enabled to mend his wagon, shoe his horse, build his house, etc. For the irls the main branches to be taught are cooking, sewing, and genera 7 housekeeping, including laundry work and nursing. |