THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN.
7
The Indian Problem a Thing of the
Past.
liy Eslclle Keel, Sunt, of Indian Schools.
Much has been said and written in past
yearn about the so-called Indian problem,
and many theories have been advanced for
ilg solution. The Indian school exhihits
of literary and industrial work which were
displayed at Ilia Indian division of the
National Educational Association would
prove to the most skeptical arid prejudiced
that the children of the red man hav men
tal and mechanical ability equal to any
race, that ttipycan he educated arid trained
beyond a doubt, and are capable of fill
ing their places as good self-supporting
aliens of thin country. If the Indian race
were incapable of receiving Instruction,
then might we nay the government has cer
tainly a problem on its bands.
The Indian Dept. has at last got down to
good common sense and practical method
in handling the older Indians and educating
the younger ones. Instead of overloading
the Indian child With a lot of book learn
ing that would never be of any value,
It bus adopted the wine nod sensible plan
of thoroughly instructing the Indian boy
and girl in industrial lines at the same
time giving them a food common school
education. Bitvc are taught to be farmers,
dairymen, gardners, carpenters, black
smiths, etc., and girls learn to be cooks,
laundresses!, dressmakers, nurses, and
hoime keepers.
Special Htteution is given to agriculture,
as in shown by the course of si udy recently
instimted and approved by '.hoCommision
er of Indian affairs and the Secretary of the
Interior. Thin course of study, whkih bus
leBn adopted during the past ytar, will be
the means of reforming the entire Indian
swvine, because of its emphasizing the im
portance of industrial education of the In
dian. A literary education only has a tend
ency to turn out worthless dudes instead of
men who can work and earn a living. With
the Indian it proved so to a greaterextent
than with the white man, because of race
prejudice the young Indian man ws unable
in most cases to obtain positions after ac
quiring the ability to till them,
Hence the great necessity of changing
Btich a state of affairs and the adoption of a
thorough practical course of study embrac
ing all important industries and especially
the tilling of the soil.
The government is rapidly placing each
Indian family on itsown allotment of land,
and no doubt four-fifths of them will make
their living by farming and stoekraising.
The present generation of Indians will
therefore fortunately possess a practical
knowlede of industrial work which wjll
instill their ability to earn a living and
steer clear of the poor houses. Ex,
The Indians of Alaska.
Accordingto tanmmgo thenatlvesof Alas
ka are divided into live families.
TheEskimo, which is divided into twenty-six
tribes, is found North and West of
Prince Williams Sound. This family is the
The Tblingit, which has thirteen tribes,
is the most warlike and inhabits the part
of Alaska Eist of Prince Williams Bound.
The Athapascan, seven trihes, is found
in the same parts as the Eskimo except the
Arctic region.
The Taimpsian and Haida. families are
single tribes in Southeastern Alaska. The
Orphanage News Letter.
Exchanges.
The latest addition to our exchange list
Is "The Huinache," published by the High
School pupils of San Antonio,' Texts. It
is a very neat, newsy and up-to-date little
periodical and we are pleased to have it
with us. Keep a coming.
Among other exchanges that have
reached usare" The Owl" fr-mi Meiilo Park,
California, which Is an old stand-by and
a fine paper; "The OsrUla Light," Pine
Ridge, B. I).; "The Northern Light,"
Ft. Wrangle, Alka; "Ths Word Cur
rier," Shu tec, Nebraska; "The N alive
American," Phce dx, Ariznm; "The Ore
trim Nenrehliyhi," Halem. Oregon; "The
Reformatory Record," Hntiiinudon, Pa.;
"The R-d'Mn and Helper," Carlisle,
Pennsylvania; and nil of winch are well
Worth one's time to read them.