The Word Carrier (Santee, Nebraska), 1903-05 - 1903-06

              the Word carrier.
VOLUME   XXXII.
HELPING   THE   RIGHT.   EXPOSING   THE   WRONG.
NUMBER 3.
SANTEE, NEBRASKA.
MAY-JUNE, 1903.
FIFTY CENTS PER YEAR.
OUR PLATFORM.
For Indians we want American Education! We want American Homes!
We want American Rights! The result of which is American Citizenship !
And the gospel is the Power of God for
their Salvatwnj '
JENNIE I. CONGER.
Eighteen years of life here and
unnumbered years to come in the
loving service of Christ her master
above. Jennie was a bright happy
girl through all her school days at
Santee Normal Training School.
Sbe graduated a year ago and spent
this last year helping at home. This
next fall it was arranged that she
should go to Northfield, Mass. But
she will take her advanced course
under better teachers.
On Monday, June 29, the message
came to us like thunder and lightning out of a clear sky. "Jennie
passed away at four o'clock. Funeral at Hill Church at half-past ten,
Tuesday. Please come." It was a
great stroke to us. We had not heard
that she was sick. A very severe
attack of appendicitis had carried
her off in five days. A host of sorrowing friends, Indians and white people, carried her body to the earthly resting place. But the bright,
beautiful girl is with her Lord and
OUrS. A. L.   RIGGS.
FARM   NOTES.
The past year has been an unusually
profitable one on the farm. Plenty
of rain made plenty of pasture and hay,
a good corn crop and an over supply
of garden produce. The grain and
hay have all been fed on the farm
and nearly all of our surplus vegetables
were marketed. The last of our potatoes, 400 bushels, was sold in March at
30 cents per bushel. Some 200 heads of
cabbage were safely wintered and were
much appreciated by both the mission
people and others who came to purchase.
Our  cattle  have  doue   well  as  is |
shown by the following:
Cattle 1902. Dr.
To 35 head $965 00
" cash paid for cattle 503 00
" pasture @ 1.50 per head.. . .45 00
"hay 200 00
" corn 210 00
" bran  25 00
Net gain 547 00
$2Tl05~06
Cattle 1903. Cr.
By 55 head $965 00
" cash for cattle and bides
sold and valne of  beef
used 820 00
" milk  320 00
$2105 00
These figures are not exact but are
as close as can be ascertained. The
labor is not included in this statement
nor is notice taken of the fact that our
herd is better suited to our purpose
than it was a year ago. Haviug
our own beef has also been quite
a source of satisfaction. The herd
will soon be numerous enough so
that we will not have to buy cattle for beef as the number of calves
raised this season, probably 25, will
exceed the number slaughtered the
past year. Our one great need in the
nerd now is a well bred sire.
Hog raising has been introduced
this year with marked success. We
commenced last summer with two hogs
and finding that their eight pigs were
not enough to gather the waste corn,
we purchased twelve more. We now
have forty all together valued at $240.
The feed has cost not to exceed $50.
and we have sold and used hogs to the
amount, of $15. more than the purchase price of all. Thus we have
over $200 left for our labor.
The land that was broken last
spring is now in good condition and
will probably raise at least a fair crop
this season. About 12 acres more has
been broken this season and is expected to produce well this year as it is
is thoroughly pulverized. We have
now under cultivation about 62 arces,
and can break no more without invading the pasture which is very hilly.
Our own small meadow is iu better
condition tbau ever and will probably
yield about double the usual amount
of hay.
Tbe ground east of Whitney Hall
has been fenced and plowed and many
more trees set on it, adding much to
the beauty and utility of our plant.
At this date the land is nearly ready
for corn and is too wet to work. The
gardens though backward are looking
well and the potatoes are coming up
nicely.
The boys we think have worked
and shown more interest in their work
than formerly.
In connection with the farm work a
class in animal husbandry has been
conducted most of the year. The young
meu have done some studying, listened
to some lectures, made recitations, and
frequently visited our own and the
neighboring stock yards in the course
of their work. Most of the time was
spent on beef cattle, because they must
be the main support of a large portion
of the Indians, but dairy cattle, horses
and hogs were uot forgotten. Much
time was spent on the conformation of
the. two types of cattle and differences
between them. The live and diessed
weights of many cattle were estimated
in many cases with surprising accuracy.
Most of the class can now distinguish
the commoner breeds of cattle and can
select the best animals in a herd. They
can select dairy or beef cattle quite
readily, and can judge very closely the
live and dressed weights of cattle.
They have some knowledge as to how
many pounds to the hundred weight
an animal will dress and know something of the relative value of different
parts of the carcass. Two breeds of
dairy cattle and four of beef cattle
have been studied. Care of cattle in
general was dwelt upon and feeding,
milking and breeding have been taught
and practised, as have some surgical
operations.
The subject of hogs was taken up in
the spriug so that something of the care
of young pigs as well as of old ones
might be learned. This is a subject in
which there was little or no former
interest because few of the Indians
keep any hogs and what they have are
of very inferior stock, yet many of the
young men readily became interested
in it and good work was done for the
limited time we had.
Tbe work of this class has been a
source of gratification to me, and most
of its members are to be congratulated
upon what they have done in it. A
broader interest seems to have been
aroused. They realized better that
there is something to learn about the
work they do and this is a most hopeful sign. J- A- w-
May ii, 1903.
SANTEE   NORMAL TRAINING  SCHOOL
ANNIVERSARY  WEEK.
May 25 to 28, 1903.
Monday Evening Pupils' Musical
Wednesday Afternoon Field Day
Wednesday Evening Principal's Reception
Thursday Afternoon... \ School Exhibits and
I Lawn Socials.
Thursday Evening Closing  Program
The pupils' recital of Monday
evening was arranged in two parts.
Those who played in the first part
were mostly pupils who had taken
lessons but one year, and who had
never played in public. In the
second part the more advanced pupils appeared.
Success in instrumental music
does not come naturally to Indian
pupils. It is only attained by tbe
greatest perseverance and patience
on the part of both teacher and pupil. From year to year there has
been a steady increase in musical
interest and a great desire to learn
how to play the cabinet organ. No
piano lessons are given to the Indian pupils, for none have pianos
at home, while many do have
organs.
At this recital more of an understanding of the selections was
shown, the playing was less mechanical.
Former pupils, alumni, all the
pupils of the school, parents and
friends plan each year to be present at the Principal's Reception.
It is a time of renewing acquaintance, and is greatly enjoyed. A
short program is usual The primary children sang many pretty
songs, closing with Dennia's Lullaby, Sleep little baby of mine. The
fourth and fifth grades gave examples of songs sung first by note and
then by words. The sixth, seventh
and high school classes sang some
very pretty selections, the song,
" L ast night a nightingale woke me,"
being especially beautiful.
Mr. Fred Riggs gave a short address of welcome. He spoke of
school loyalty, and explained the
meaning of "alma mater." He did
not dwell on the particular things
which the school has advanced in
during the past year, but emphasized strongly again that its chief
aim was to teach every pupil how
to work. The four letters, w-o-r-k,
would include every part of our
course of study.
Dr. Riggs spoke of this school's
being foremost in some things, especially in "thought work." He
gave very high rank to Q-eorge Firecloud's translation from Booker
Washington's Up from Slavery.
This has been coming out month
by month in the Iapi Oaye and Dr.
Riggs regards it as the best work of
translation he has seen.
- At the close of the reception we
were led in prayer by Rev. Louis
De Coteau.
Thursday afternoon the exhibits
were open. At the printing office
there was bookbinding, type setting, and much printed matter. A
class was at work both here and at
the carpenter shop. Some of the
boys at the carpenter shop were
making little wagons, while others
were at work on various articles.
The sewing rooms were open, displaying the sewing of the year;
technical work to teach the various
stitches, crocheting, knitting fancy
articles and childrens' clothing were
on exhibition. At the library language, nistory, and arithmetic papers, map drawing, and other drawings, a few plaster casts, and small
raffia baskets were shown. The regular Exhibit Room contained specimens from all these departments,
Much of the former work had been
taken out to make room for the
new, and all the tables were very
attractive and represented a high
grade of work. The table having
willow baskets recently made was
especially interesting.
The Socials were on the Birds'
Nest and Dakota Home lawns. At
the Pirds' Nest the children were
highly entertained, as were their
parents also, by contests such as a
tug of war, jumping, bean bag, sack,
relay and three-legged races.
A grand march out on the Dakota Home lawn opened the social for
the older boys and girls. The many
chairs under tbe trees were taken
by parents and friends who did not
care to join in the games but enjoyed watching all that was going on.
The two tennis courts and two
croquet grounds were in constant
use, the games were entered into
with energy and every one had a
very good time.
THUESUAY EVENING PROGRAM.
Part   I.
DECLAMATIONS.
Pilgrim Chorus Verdi
The Strenuous Life President Roosevelt
Charles Lonedog.
The force of Brevity Anon
Willie Picotte.
The Will and the Way Anon
Adam Paul.
Ro'ses and Violets—-A girls' chorus Blake
Part   II.
RECITATIONS TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE
TO US OF THE DOINGS OF EVEN THE
MOST REMOTE PEOPLE.
Coal Mining Alice Frazier
Invention of Printing George Firecloud
Social   Effects  of the   Steam
Engine  Howard Frazier
Rural Mail Delivery Lucy Kitto
The Finsen Light Cure Jessie Frazier
Our Relations  to  the
Bagdad Railioau Mary Cote
and the Panama Canal Ralph White
Announcement of  Promotions   and
Presentation  of Certificates.
Good Night Chorus   Garrett
This closing program speaks for
itself, all declamations and recitations were clearly and forcibly de-
lived. The dominant thought of
the second part of the program,
the importance to us of the doings
of even the most remote people, was
a surprising idea to many of the
audience and the most interested
attention was given to it all. Besides being entertained, everyone
learned something and had their
interests anu  thoughts broadened.
The choruses showed the most
careful drill. The selections were
beautifully rendered. Perhaps no
part of the school work is enjoyed
by the pupils more than the chorus
practice, and this past year the improvement has been marked.
There were no high school graduates this year. Charles Lonedog
of Pine Ridge, William Picotte of
Greenwood, and Adam Paul of Sisseton received certificates of completion of the intermediate course.
These certificates also stood for
good industrial work, on the farm
and in the shops, as well as good
school room work. o. w. R.