In citizenship is the salvation of the Indian; wardship tends to emasculate him. The effect of the ballot would be to make a man of him as it did of the negro. To be brought out of his present condition into fitness to vote is a work of the utmost delicacy and difficulty, but it can be done. They are not dying out—at any rate, the 50,000 Sioux are not. Twenty-eight Sioux Indian youth, who had spent three years at Hampton, have just been returned to their Dakota home. Of these young men six are farmers and assist in general work, getting from fifteen to twenty dollars per month; two are employed in offices at the same wages; six are teachers, getting twenty dollars a month; two are blacksmiths, two are shoemakers, and seven are carpenters, getting a dollar a day apiece; all have rations besides. All refused to go to camp life, and have been provided by the Government agents with separate buildings, which they have cleaned and fitted up as best they could. The Indian Department has seconded their efforts very heartily. The next twelve months will decide their success. Their course will be watched with interest, as a test of the methods at Carlisle and Hampton schools, and indeed of the Indian’s ability to make good use of our education.
The “General Survey” for the year suggests suitable accommodations for Indians in some other of our institutions. This would be wise. The 370 negro youth at Hampton are a wonderful help to their 90 Indian schoolmates both directly and indirectly. The mingling of the races has proved a success, reacting happily on both. Increase the good work of your institutions and they will grow in favor with God and man.
Last summer, at Carlisle, during the vacation period, we put out in good families among the farmers, 109 of our children. They all came back (except 29 who are to stay during the winter) immensely advantaged by it, speaking better English, with the Indian diffidence rooted out to a degree that it would have been impossible for us to have accomplished in the same time even at Carlisle, which, from its advantages of contact with civilization, is immensely superior to any agency school. But we went farther. We found that the boys and girls had made such good impressions among the citizens that many desired them to stay, and so the Department was asked to allow a few to remain out for the winter, and go to the public schools with the white children and live in families. The Department gave its consent provided it would cost nothing. So arrangements were made, and we have out for this winter six girls and twenty-three boys.