Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/107

 Diary of Rev. George Gary 91 of the rising community. Now it is settled this Indian School is to be given up. In addition to what I have heretofore remarked on the propriety of this measure, I will now say that within eighteen months previous to my arrival in this territory, nine members of the school have died. Within seven months seven of the present members (23) have been lost to human view. Some of the present members can live but a few months. Quite a number of these have scrofula sores about the glands of the neck. Whenever this loathsome disease takes its course toward the lungs, then the poor sufferer soon sleeps in death. There are but very few of the children now in school who do not show evident marks of this disease. From observation I am satisfied the scholars have had a very great opportunity for pilfering. For instance the girls have daily passed through the places of deposit of goods and clothing to and from their lodging rooms and have had every opportunity to take small gar- ments and many things and distribute among visiting Indians. Perhaps twenty opened kegs of nails and many other things [are] every way accessible to where the boys lodge. One peculiar trait in the Indian character is to have everything in common and to use and distribute as they have opportunity to take, consequently there can be calculation of the leaky state of this Indian Manual Labor School. A man employed as an assistant excused himself for giving away to visiting Indians and to squaws, as without measure or weights, saying these things were sent to be given away as though he who gave away the most was the best fellow. Timely charities and noble deeds, but this loose and irresponsible mode of operation must be exceedingly improper. To be sure much of this could be remedied by a careful and judicious arrangement of the internal management of the school, yet I am settled in the opinion that it is not best to con- tinue this school any longer, and I believe I am sustained in this opinion by all in the mission now in this land,