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Show REPORT OF THE CONMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 67 lost their native arts, show an aptitude to learn from the others, and in many cases they have borrowed and copied ideas until they have acquired an indi-vidual style of their own. Just as soon as the pupils began to originate designs by their own intelligence, their curiosity as to what their neighbors were doing caused them unconsciously to exchange decorative ideas with one another. I have bad weekly exhibitions of the work that came in from day to day, which has given them an interest and a feeling of competition. As yet I have not burdened thgir minds with any Principle of designing or color, hut we would like to have a collection of good specimens of old Indian work as examples to guide them. The few articles loaned by the employees of the school were greatly appreciated. The 600 designs for borders and centers that I have seen flt to preserve are pure inspiration of the artists. As a eolleetiorl of artistic work they have delighted all who have seen them. Prom the start the designs produced suggested weaving, and it is to this end now that I hope to Nake all my endeavors. The Navaho blanket is sUll, to the world, a work of art, and we wish to work under the plan of the Navaho weavers and execute some of the Interesting designs that we have made here. I arn about to look into the Per-sian method of weaving, and later I hope to do the same with the Navaho method. I have submitted, along with the school's application for supplies, my list of designers' material for next year. The material required for weaving I am obliged to delay till a later date, when I shall have the experience that I look forward to with the Persian weavers. The work will be slow in this line, as all hand labor is, but I have faith in the Indian's skilful hand and inflnite patience to develop, in time, an industry all his own. THE END OF THE OXAHA BOARDING 80HOOL. On March 6,1905, the Omaha Indians residing on the Omaha Res-ervation, Nebr., requested that the Government boarding school for their reservation be discontinued. This petition was signed by a large number of members of the tribe. The reasons given for the request were that the present reservation boarding school, being mall and inadequately equipped, was of very little benefit to the youth of the tribe; that their children needed more thoro and prac-tical instruction, on the one hand in various industrial lines and on the other in the elementary branches of learning; that the larger non-reservation schools were properly equipped for any advanced ednca-tion the children would require; that, if favorable action were taken on their request, they would permit any children who were prepared for transfer to attend these schools; that they would obligate them-selves to send to the district schools all their children not elsewhere enrolled, and to compel regular and continuous attendance, prom-ising to cooperate .with the whites in the establishment and mainte-nance of these schools. In transmitting the petition the superintendent said that he favored . the abolishment of the Government boarding school and cooperation with the county authorities in extending the local public school ~ s -, tern by enrolling the Indian children there, and that 95 per cent of the tribe desired such a change. |