The Chippeway herald. [volume], April 01, 1902, Image 3

About The Chippeway herald. [volume] (White Earth, Minn.) 1902-19??

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
EDUCATIONAL
POLICY.
Ths Educa.tion the Government is
giving the India.™
The educational policy adopted by
the Indian Office comprehends at all
schools, where it is possible, that the
pupils should be given thorough in
dustrial training. As a part of that
policy the Indian school rules require
that one-half of each school day shall
be devoted to the literary department,
and the other half to industrial train
ing of the character and degree com
mensurate with the appliances of the
particualar school. Higher education,
in the sense ordinarily used, has no
place in the curriculum of Indian
schools. A through groundwork in
the English branches, carying a pupil
to about the sixth or eighth grade of
he common schools of the United Staties,
is the extent of literary instruction or
dinarily to be given in Indian schools.
Any extension of such a curriculum
must be by special authority of this of
fice, setting forth full reasons for any
increase.
An intelligent theory should, as it
always does, precede intelligent,
practical application; so should the
theory and practice of doing the prac
tical necessities of life be an integral
part of the Indian pupil’s life at school.
For boys, shoe and harness making,
tailoring, carpentering, wagon mak
ing, blacksmithing, masonry work,
plastering, brick, making and laying,
farming, gardening, dairying, etc.,
should be taught at all those schools
where facilities are provided, not with
the elaboratness of special training as
by great polytechnic institutions of the
country, but on a scale commensurate
with the appliances, the ability, and
future environment of the Indian.
There is not an Indian boarding school
in the country which can not teach
some one or more of the above indus
tries. At reservation boarding schools
contiguous to agencies where there are
agency blacksmiths and other mechanics
there should be proper details of boys
to these departments, and when on
such detail the superintendent of the
school should be required to particu
larly look after their moral welfare as
well as the manner in which they are
being taught.
The practical training of the girls
for future usefulness and entrance into
civilized life should receive as much
as that bestowed upon the boys. At
every boarding school there should be
classes of girls practically taught in
the art of preparing a decent, whole
some meal, such as that which appears
on the tables of persons of moderate
means. It is not intended they should
be taught the hotel or restaurant style
of cooking, with a consequent educa
tion to look forward to salaries similar
to chefs in such instutions; but they
should themselves be required to actu
ally prepare, underproper instruction,
the menu adapted to the means and
necessities of an average family of per
sons. The dignity of work should be
inculcated and these girls be led to
understand that the Government does
not owe them anything beyond a quali
fication for the actual duties of real
life. Nursing, laundering, sewing,
butter making, and other kindred pur
suits which go to make up the excelldnt
American housewife, should be incul
cated by practical teaching and example.
The instruction in Indian schools
necessarilly is different from that in
the white public schools, in that there
is added the element of the home train
ing. You are therefore directed to pay
special attention, so far as the girls
are concerned, to neatness, cleanliness,
and order in the rooms and general
conduct. The inculcation of these
desired elements is as essential as any
other in your curriculum. Unless an
Indian girl is properly taught she will
be unable to make a home for herself
or future husband.
The trend of all education given in
the schools should be away from the
idea of a continued leaning upon the
arm of the General Government for
support in after life. Pupils must un
derstand rhat the schools are laying
the groundwork upon which they them
selves must build their future charac
■l
ter; that the various States, by their
splendid public-school systems, are
educating the vast masses of boys and
girls, not with the intention of here
after supplying them with high-sal
aried positions, but in order that they
may be in a position to compete with
their own fellows in the great race of
life all must enter upon after leaving
the walls of a school.
These are practical matters of great
moment to the Indian school method,
and will remove, if carried out sin
cerely, one of the severest criticisms
sometimes heard that the educational
system of the Indian Office is defective,
in that practical studies are not given
that attention which are bestowed up
on the higher branches of music, art,
geology, and astronomy.
At the close of the present fiscal year
all superintendents will be required to
embody in their annual report to this
office how they have carried out the
instructions given in this circular. It
will also be placed in the hands of all
inspecting, officials, both of the Depart
ment and of this office, for investiga-
tion during the comingyear. (Circular
No. 43, September 19, 1900.)
Two California
Excursions.
o
On account of the Convention of Fed
eration of Women’s Clubs at Los An
geles, California,May Ito 8, the Chica
go Great Western Railruad (Official
Route) will run two excursions; The
first leaving Minneapolis 10:00 a. m.
St. Paul at 10:30 a. m. Thursday
April 24th. and will be joined by the
lowa Delegation at Des Moines the
same evening, arriving at Los Angeles
via Santa Fe Route at 8:30 a. m. Wed
nesday April 30th. Stop-over may be
arranged for Las Vegas, Hot Springs,
Santa N. M. and at Williams, Ariz. to
visit the Grand Canyon. The second
excursion will leave Minneapolis,
Saturday April 26th. at 10:00 a. m.
St. Paul 10:30 a. m. and Des Moines
the same evening, following same route
as first excursion. Reservation for
sleeping car accommodation should be
made at once. The fare is only $50.00
FOR THE ROUND TRIP. For in
formation and reservations, apply to
J. N. Storr, City Tkt. Agt Cor. sth. &
Roberts Sts. St. Paul.
—lt was during the Civil War that
a captain of a New York regiment
was inspecting his company. At
length he came to one private whose
shirt was badly begrimed. “Patrick
O’Flynn!” called out the officer.
“Here, yer honor,” promptly respond
ed Patrick, with his hand to his cap.
“How long do you wear a shirt?”
“Twenty eight inches,” was there
joinder.—Current Literature.
The Worst of All
are times when a man has to lie to his
wife. ”
“And that isn’t the worst of
Todd—
it.” “What is?” “There’are times
when he has to tell the truth.”
—Brooklyn Life
■Nodd —“There