The Word Carrier of Santee Normal Training School (Santee, Nebraska), 1904-05 - 1904-06

              The Word Carrier
of Santee Normal Training School.
VOLUME   XXXIII.
HELPING   THE   BIGHT.   EXPOSING   THE   WRONG.
NUMBER a.
SANTEE, NEBRASKA.
MAT-JUNE, 1904.
THIRTY 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 Salvation!
Our Deliverance Fund Again.
We continue to be surprised and gratified by
the generosity of our friends. And we have
discovered friends we did not know of. We
than) them aR. Here are the recent gifts to
our fund.
Evangel Missionary Society, Lewis Avenue
Church, Brooklyn, $5.00; Indian Friends of
Andnis, So. Dak., $21.50; Mrs. B. C. Allen,
Chieogo, $4.00; Colorado Missionary Union,
$35.00; Ladies of First CongT Church, Wash-
ingte D. C, $6.00; Christian Association,
Well -■ ley College, $25.00; Home Missionary
Union of Illinois, $3.00; Miss Alice Conger,
Andrus, So. Dak., $5.00=$104.50. Acknowledged before this, $1,336.50.  Total, $1,441.00.
W'1 call attention to the note that follows,
which gives the names of contributors at
Andiv.s, So. Dak. Their interest in our needs
is especially gratifying.
"Mamma sents by Mary Louise, the money
and the names of those who contributed to the
"Deliverance Fund." We wish it might have
beei; so many times more but hope, though
small, it may be blessed as was the 'Widow's
mite.'
Mrs.;nliaConger,$5 00 Miss Sibyl Conger, 50
Mrs VmosFeather,5 00 Andrew Thomas, 1 00
Mrs.Jennie Heart, 1 00 Mrs. Martha Hare, 50
Mrs.'harles Cote, 1 00 Lizzie Hare, 50
Mrs.:«ercyBonnin,l 00 Mr. World Turner, 50
Mrs. liouis Louis Cote, 50
Jandreau, 1 00  WiRiam Bourissau, 50
Mrs. .ophia Igaac Peath 25
Ma ■qjiyasnawin, 1 00 Mrs. Ellen Feather,  25
Miss A lice Conger, 1 00  !	
Miss Lucy Conger, 1 00 Total,       $21 50
To chose who have been so long working
amoii g and for tbe Indian, it is of encouragement to have some begin to respond so readily
to any call for charity and especially that of
educi'.ional support.
The Woman's Society here, last year contribute'! to Huron College also."
At the Jerusalem Convention.
The editor of The Word Carrier had the rare
privilege of being one of the Jerusalem Sunday
Schoul pilgrims. It was more than a personal
pilgri mage; it was as a representative of mission
work among the Dakota Indians. The thought
was to gather whatever was to be gained in the
Holy Land by a more intimate knowledge of
places and people, a more vivid picturing of
scenes in the life of our Lord, his apostles and
prophets, and a deeper spiritual appreciation of
The Word made flesh and dwelling among
men, all in order to bring back tbe same to our
Indian people to make their Bible more real,
the message of God to living men.
Our Indians have been greatly interested in
the trip to the Holy Land and the Jerusalem
convention. It was a pleasure to speak in their
behalf among the representatives of the nations
of the earth—Christian, Moslem, Jews and
Samaritans. These were the words that were
spoken at the opening of the Convention:
I bring you Greeting from the North American Indians. To them also The Gospel of Jesus
Christ is the Power of God for their Salvation.
Many thousands of them are studying the
Ihble translated into their own languages;
many are studying in our English language.
Iheyare foRowing our International Sunday
School lessons.
My own Sioux Indians are interested in our
Palestine Cruise, and have been following us
from point to point with their prayers. They
are with you in spirit on this Great Convention Day.
I bring you their greetings.
Commencement at Santee.
It seemed to us that commencement at Santee
began the night that Dr. Riggs came home. It
was what we had been planning for and looking forward to for many weeks. A quiet excitement prevailed after* word came that the
boat had reached New York until we heard that
Dr. Riggs was at the station. Then the little
boys were not able to contain their enthusiasm,
but ran haR way to the river to meet the team,
drew up in line, offered a military salute, and
then broke into a hearty cheer. The others
were no less excited. They put up the flag,
rang the bell, and all gathered on the chapel
steps to wave a welcome. We were glad to be
able to give some expression to our feelings by
singing the doxology at supper.
In order to be sure of Dr. Riggs' presence
at commencement time, the date was set on
Monday and Tuesday, the last day of May. The
field-day exercises came on Monday forenoon.
The pupils had been practicing all the spring
for the basket-ball games, tennis, and baseball,
and they had acquired some degree of skill.
The girls' tennis game was foRowed by the
boys', and then came the girls' basket-ball.
This is a game very much enjoyed by the Indian people, and it was especially attractive
this morning. The new grass made a beautiful setting for the bright dresses with the team
eolors of yellow and blue. The picture of these
fresh-faced girls at their game was one to be
remembered. The boys' game was between the
members of the high school and those of the
lower grades, the high school coming off victors. A baseball game between the boys now
in school and former pupRs, resulted in a victory for the latter.
The Principal's reception on Monday evening was unusually pleasant. Dr. Riggs gave a
talk about bis recent trip to Jerusalem. All
were interested in what he had to say of the
people of the East, and were amazed when he
donned a Turkish fez. The climax of enthusiasm was reached when he presented a Mohammedan lady from Egypt. The school chorus
sang several weR chosen songs. We had with
us at this time Miss Auman, Secretary of the
Home Missionary Union of Vermont, and she
sang a few songs which were very much appreciated. A letter was read to the graduates
from De Witt Hare, formerly a member of
the class.
On Tuesday afternoon came our annual disappointment in the way of weather. In spite
of the rain, however, a great many people came
to look at the school work shown in the various
shops and school-rooms, as weR as the exhibit
rooms. A class working in the printing office
and one in the carpenter shop made those places
especially interesting. An anusual amount of
work was displayed at the shops. Considerable apparatus set up in the laboratory attracted
people there.
After they had looked at this work, the
guests sat under trees and umbrellas, while the
young people played games between showers.
The Birds' Nest girls wound a may-pole, which
novelty greatly interested the spectators. The
children did it well, and looked pretty in their
bright calico dresses and gorgeous flower-caps.
Although many parents and friends were
prevented on account of bad weather from being here at the beginning, yet by Tuesday night
all had succeeded in reaching us. There were
many old Santee pupils present at the closing
exercises,several of whom had come to see their
own children graduate or be promoted into the
high school. Of the two graduates, both had
been long with us.   Howard Frazier, of Santee,
had completed the fuR course from the beginning.    George Firecloud came here from Fort
Totten, North Dakota, five years ago, an;! entered as an adult primary pupil.   A determined
purpose and faithful work brought him on until he satisfactorily completed the high school
course.    We believe that both young men will
i do themselves credit and be an honor to the
] school.    There were   five who were ready to
I receive  certificates for the completion of the
grammar school work, and to pass  into the
high school.
The selections given by the pupils were
chosen with the thought of presenting some of
the conditions and needs of different parts of
our country. A few problems, such as that of
the city and that of the immigrants,were spoken
of. Other recitations showed the prime needs
of the country: religion and a missionary purpose in life, ability to grasp opportunities,
and true ideals. Patriotism was emphasized
in each one.
The school gave two choruses, "Hail, Alma
Mater," and a fareweR song. The girls sang
also, "I know a Bank where the Wild Thyme
Blows." The chorus has been doing good work,
and tbe results were, as usual, much enjoyed.
The- announcement of promotions is always
read at this time, after which Dr. Riggs presented the certificates and diplomas. His words
of encouragement and commendation, suggesting victorious struggles with seR, as well as
good scholarship, were fuR of meaning to those
going out from us.
Although they sang "Parting words are sadly spoken," yet it was with bright and happy
faces that the pupils climbed eagerly into the
wagons the next morning, and started home in
the rain. We are glad to believe that many
have gone expecting to be of real use at home,
and we know
them to be so
that the year's
work will help
J. M. M.
Indians and Environment.
In the course of an interesting article on the
differences between white and Indian boys,
a writer in the May Southern Workman thus
speaks of the influence of environment on the
Indian:—
"The Indian is much more susceptible to the
influence of his environment than the white boy.
This trait is in a great measure answerable for
the "going back to the blanket'' by the returned
students. The heathen influences of the reservation aud of their homes hang like a miRstone
about their necks, ever pulling them down. It
is a false impression, however, that all returned
students are overcome by their environment,
for none of them sink to their former level, although they do often sink far enough to discourage their instructors. It is possible to pick
out on any given reservation a certain number
who have gone down under the influence of their
home environment, but a greater number who
have successfully withstood it can easily be
found on the same reserve. UsuaRy those students who have been longest away from home
cope most successfully with their environment.-
Where there is a daily competition between the
school and the home,the home influence will win.
Thus the education of Indian youth has been
discouraging work to many teachers. But the
day for discouragment is passing. The old
generation is fast disappearing, and the returned student now goes back to returned students'
homes. Indian tribes differ widely, and consequently the environment differs in each particular tribe. In one where aR civilization is resisted as " white man's ways" the best method of
educating the younger generation is to remove
them entirely from the reservation. In another
tribe, where the people seek to know and do all
they can to improve their condition, the reserva
tion schools are the best fori both pupil and parent
because they give mutual encouragement.