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Show REPORTS OF 8OHOOL SUPERVISORE. 513 post. The buildings are mostly tw*story brick, which have been remodeled and made suitable for school purpaws. Thie sohwl hea 18 sections of good farming land. TheVermilionLakeschwl, built forthe Nett Lake Indiansin northern Minnesota. has failed to secureattendance from tbat mnrce, and ia filled mostly with mixed-blood Chippewea from off the reservation. It has good frame buildings Thedormitorieaand theother bddingsatthe Momsschool, Mininnesota, aregood, substantial stmctnres, bnt the dining-room aqd kitchen. located in the old frame mission school building, are inoonvenlent, uns~ghtly,a nd unsanitary. The destruction by fire a year or two agoof themain buildingat the Wittenberg school, Wisconsin, has left the school without sufficient accommodations for the pupils who apply for admission. At the time uf my inspection it was very much crowded. At L'Anse, Mich. , the Government formerly maintained a day school, which was finally discontinued. Later the Indians organized a school district, and aremain-taining a public school in the building owned by the Government. At Pahabytown, near Suttons Bay, Mich., the Indians built a frame school build-ing, organized a school district, and m conducting a school. The officem of the distriot are all Indians. A serious difficulty enconntered at the Indian day schwls ia in keeping np the attendance. When we consider that Indian parents do notrealize the importance of sending their little ones to school regularly, especially when the mow is deep and weather bed, as is frequently the case, it is quite natural that the attendance should be irregular. 2. few day schools are eexeptiolls to this rule, notably at Birch Cooley, Minn. During a short visit there I noticed the Indians come into the sohoolroom and make inquiries about the progress of their children and display an intelligent interest in the exercises. All of the children here are in school and the relationship between Indians and school is a mutual benefit. The buildings and equipment of the reservation schools are being improved each year and the attendance is increasing. The more enlightened Indians want their children to attend school, but among these, as in white wmrnunities, there are many individual cases where a compolsory educational law is needed to give the Indian child an opportnnity to receive an education. The Sious at Devils Lake Reservation, N. Dsk.. and the Chippewas near Caw Lake. Minn.. have kept many ohildren ont of school the past yesr, while the Sank and Fox Indians in Iowa a s s tribe refuse to send their ohildren to the school near by. The nonreservatiouschools have had aprosperous year. They have in mostcases substantial, wmfortable, and well-equipped buildings. Especially ia this true of the schools at Tomah and Pipestone, Minn., and at Mount Pleasant, Mich. I am of the opinion that the length of the term for which pupils are admitted to these scbools should be increased wherever possible. It ia quitecommon for pupils who have almost completed the course of instruction in a school to leave it and go to their homes when their three-years' term has expired without any legitimate I esr son for not continuing their studies. Usually they are too young to leave school. The literary work of the Indian schools thronghout the district compares favor. ably with that of public schools of like grades. The literaryinstrnction generally is superior to the indnatrial instruction, espeoially in apicultural pursuits. Mauy .of the schools havawell-conducted farms, where the boys can work with and under direction of a farmer, learning farm work and the results of labor by observ* tion. bnt are not given the systematic imtruction that seems to be desirable and which, I think, can be accomplished by a more careful selection of instructors in this department. The evil effects of issning rations, wbich encourages idleness andis a barrier to progress, is manifest, but the leasing of allotments stands a close seoondaaamen-ace to the welfare of the Indians. If the leasing of allotments were restricted to those of the aged and infirm, the result might be beneficial; but in practicealmost any Indian can lease his allotment under the plea of being aged, infirm, or unable to work it, and is very npt to do so if there is some white man wanting to rent it. I have observed that merchants doing business in towns adjoiuihgsome reeerva-tions make a practice of leasing lands rat alow pricefrom Indiansowingthemstore bills and then subletting it to others, and in this way collect past indebtedness and also compel the Indian to trade out an balance if he has any to his credit. It appears that the leasing of allotments sbouPd be discontinued. A compulsory educational law would be beneficial in this district. While it would he no hardahip to those who properly attend school, it would be the means of enforcing the policy of the Government in keeping children in school, where theywould be surrounded by the moral inflnence of civilization until they have arrived at a proper age to leave school. 8593-01-33 |
