Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1880.djvu/10

8 the present moment, when the desire for the education of their children is so general and so urgent among the Indians. would be particularly unwise.

In my report of last year I spoke of the promising results of Indian education at the normal school at Hampton, Va., under the direction of General Armstrong. The number of Indian children at that establishment is being considerably increased. The institution has been visited by many persons interested in that important work, and the gratifying results gained have been evident to all.

Last year I spoke also of the Indian school at Carlisle, then just established by this department, under the superintendency of Captain Pratt, as an experiment. It may now be said that it is a mere experiment no longer. The progress made by the Indian pupils there as well as at Hampton in the acquisition of elementary knowledge as well as in agricultural and mechanical work has been sufficient to demonstrate the capacity of the Indian for civilized pursuits. The pupils are instructed not only in the English language, in reading, writing, lower mathematics, geography, &amp;c., but the girls are educated in household work, and a considerable number of the boys are employed as apprentices in blacksmithing, carpentering, shoemaking, harness making, wagon building, tin smithing, tailoring, in a printing office, and in farm work. The progress made by some of them has been remarkably rapid, and in almost all cases satisfactory. The number of pupils at Carlisle has been increased to 196. Some of the products of their labor were exhibited at the county fair, and attracted general and favorable attention. The school is now able to produce some articles to be used at the different Indian agencies, such as shoes, tin ware, harness, and wagons, and when the pupils return to their tribes they can be profitably employed, not only as practical mechanics but also as instructors of their people.

A similar school has been established at Forest Grove in Oregon, under the superintendency of Lieutenant Wilkinson, for the education of Indian boys and girls on the Pacific Coast. It has been in operation since February last, and is conducted upon the same principles and with equal success as the schools at Hampton and Carlisle. It has now 40 pupils, representing six different tribes, but the buildings erected are large enough to accommodate 150. There are many applications for admission which will be gratified as funds can be made available for that purpose. Instructions have been given to increase the number of pupils to one hundred. In addition to this, during last year 36 children have been selected from the tribe of Eastern Cherokees and placed in boarding schools in North Carolina, 12 girls at Asheville and 12 boys each at Weaverville and Trinity College, where, aside from elementary instruction, they are to receive training in industrial pursuits. The Indian pupils at Hampton represent thirteen different agencies. At Carlisle there are boys and girls