The American Missionary — Volume 35, No. 12, December, 1881Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 35, No. 12, December, 1881
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
In citizenship is the salvation of the Indian; wardship tends to
emasculate him. The effect of the ballot would be to make a man
of him as it did of the negro. To be brought out of his present
condition into fitness to vote is a work of the utmost delicacy
and difficulty, but it can be done. They are not dying out—at any
rate, the 50,000 Sioux are not. Twenty-eight Sioux Indian youth,
who had spent three years at Hampton, have just been returned
to their Dakota home. Of these young men six are farmers and
assist in general work, getting from fifteen to twenty dollars
per month; two are employed in offices at the same wages; six are
teachers, getting twenty dollars a month; two are blacksmiths,
two are shoemakers, and seven are carpenters, getting a dollar
a day apiece; all have rations besides. All refused to go to
camp life, and have been provided by the Government agents with
separate buildings, which they have cleaned and fitted up as best
they could. The Indian Department has seconded their efforts very
heartily. The next twelve months will decide their success. Their
course will be watched with interest, as a test of the methods at
Carlisle and Hampton schools, and indeed of the Indian’s ability to
make good use of our education.
The “General Survey” for the year suggests suitable accommodations
for Indians in some other of our institutions. This would be wise.
The 370 negro youth at Hampton are a wonderful help to their 90
Indian schoolmates both directly and indirectly. The mingling of
the races has proved a success, reacting happily on both. Increase
the good work of your institutions and they will grow in favor with
God and man.
* * * * *
FROM ADDRESS OF CAPT. R. H. PRATT.
Last summer, at Carlisle, during the vacation period, we put
out in good families among the farmers, 109 of our children.
They all came back (except 29 who are to stay during the winter)
immensely advantaged by it, speaking better English, with the
Indian diffidence rooted out to a degree that it would have been
impossible for us to have accomplished in the same time even at
Carlisle, which, from its advantages of contact with civilization,
is immensely superior to any agency school. But we went farther. We
found that the boys and girls had made such good impressions among
the citizens that many desired them to stay, and so the Department
was asked to allow a few to remain out for the winter, and go to
the public schools with the white children and live in families.
The Department gave its consent provided it would cost nothing. So
arrangements were made, and we have out for this winter six girls
and twenty-three boys.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account