The Chemawa American, March 28, 1928, OUTING NUMBER, Page 8, Image 8

TH E CHEMAW A AMERICAN.
M a rch 2 8 , 19 2 8
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W t m í i m g o f t l i ? W a t IC a rg e C u id a n I M f n n l
A tth t if f W gtnning o f Jiff © utiu g &gatem
fN 1875, Lieutenant Richard H.
Pratt was detailed by the War
Department to take seventy-two
Indian prisoners of war from Fort
Sill, Indian Territory,
to St. Augustine, Flor­
ida, where they were
placed in confinement in
the old Spanish fort, San
Marco, built by the Spaniards in the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
The Indians were taken in chains
and Lieutenant Pratt remained in
charge of them. Feeling that they
were secure in the old fort, and that
the great distance from their homes
convinced them of the impossibility of escape, he re­
moved their irons and found work for them. Benev­
olent women, some of them skilled school teachers,
undertook their education and the younger men and
a number of the older ones were placed under schol­
astic instruction in the casements of the old fort,
fitted up crudely as schoolrooms. Here they learned
to speak English and many of them to write credit­
able letters.
In 1878, these prisoners were released and
all who desired to go were permitted to return to
their western homes. However, twenty-two of the
younger men expressed a desire to remain in the
East and go to school. Their wish was granted
and Lieutenant Pratt was detailed to take them
to Hampton Institute, Virginia, where arrange­
ments were made to admit them to that institu­
tion, then under the management of General Arm­
strong, and to remain there with them. The fol­
lowing year, in 1879, the Carlisle Indian School
was founded by Lieutenant Pratt and for many
years Carlisle was known as the great example
school of the Indian Service. It was discontinued
soon after the United States entered the World
War and was turned back to the War Department
for use in connection with the care of our wound­
ed soldiers.
THE OUTING SYSTEM
A year after Carlisle was founded Lieutenant
Pratt began the development of what he called
the “ outing system.” He believed that “the way
to civilize the Indian is to get him into civilization,
and the way to keep him civilized is to let him
stay.” . To that, end he undertook the bold task of
placing Indian students Out in the homes o f indus­
trious, cultured and well-to-do white families. In
those days white people were afraid of Indians and
it required great tact, diplomacy and perserver-
ance to overcome their prejudice and suspicions.
General Pratt, as he came to be called in the later-
years of his life, Was a man of unbound energy
and enthusiasm. He was resourceful and had
great faith in the cause he so ably and so ardently
espoused. He knew no such word as fail. He had
groups of Indian boys and girls trained at the
school and these he took on tours, visiting towns
and cities, speaking in churches, before Sunday
schools and various civic and religious organiza-
tions. A t these gatherings he would have the
Indian students tell their experiences and enter­
tain the people with songs, legends and stories.
A t the close of the meetings he would introduce
them personally and individually to as many o f
the interested white people as possible. Frequent­
ly these students would be invited to the homes of
kindly disposed people or be entertained in
groups at the churches or at hotels. The news­
papers throughout the country were liberal in
broadcasting General Pratt’s views and gave much
favorable editorial comment. In this way a> great
many people throughout the East became inter­
ested and expressed a desire and willingness to
help. The Quakers, or “ Friends,” who since the
earliest days of our country’s history, have mani­
fested a deep personal interest in the welfare and
advancement of the Indians, were the first to re­
spond to General Pratt’s appeal and soon hundreds
of Carlisle students were living in the homes of
these good people where they were taught and
treated as members of the family.
This feature of the school’s activities grew
and developed year by year and in the month of
April, 1916^ the number of outing students was
239 distributed as follows: