The Word Carrier of Santee Normal Training School (Santee, Nebraska), 1905-01 - 1905-02

              the Word Carrier
of SANTEE NORMAL TRAINING SCHOOL.
VOLUME   XXXIV.
HELPING   THE   RIGHT.   EXPOSING   THE   WRONG.
NUMBTCK  1.
SANTEE, NEBRASKA.
JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1905.
THIRTY CENTS PER YEAR.
Our  Platform.
For Indians we want American Education!
We want American Homes! We want American Rights! Tlie result of which is American Citizenship! And the Gospel is the power
of God for their Salvation!
Cheyenne River Field, J904-'05.
 *-4 '
Rkv. Thomas L. Riggs, Missionary Superintendant.
Central Station
Oahe church.
<0: -v. Industrial School,'
Cherry Creek Station.
Cheyenne River Church,
Mr.   ud Mrs. Eugene Redfox.
Touch The Cloud Station.
Supplied by Native Missionary, Society.
Buffalo Church,
Fox Ridge and Middle Chey
ei.iie River district.
Temporary Supply.
Elizabeth Memorial Station,
Lower Cheyenne River
Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Phelps.
Virgin Creek Station.
Virgin Creek Churoh.
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Flexible
15 miles from Pierre, So. Dak.
east side Missouri River.
25 members.
Discontinued June ioXH.by direction ofAmerican Missionary Association.)
70 miles from Oahe, north
side Cheyenne River.
148 members.
90 miles from Oahe,
north side Cheyenne River.
50 miles from Oahe,
■    via Lindsay.
15 members.
35 miles from Oahe,
north side Cheyenne River.
15 members.
70 miles from Oahe,
between Cheyenne and Moreau Rivers.
35 members.
90 miles from Oahe,
north side Moreau River.
12 members
White Horse Station.
Little Moreau Church.
Supplied by Native Mission
ary Society.
Remington Memorial Station.    115 miles from Oahe,
Moreau River Church. via Agency, south side Mo-
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Counting,    reau River.
57 members.
Hope Station on Bear Creek.    123 miles from Oahe,
Mr. and Mrs. John Bluecloud.    via Agency, south side Moreau River.
Thunder Butte Station. 150 miles from Oahe,
Mr. Bluecloud supplies. via Agency, south side Mo
reau River.
Plum Creek boarding school for ten pupils,
(65 mdes from Oahe at Leslie, on south side of
Cheyenne River near Cherry Creek) in charge
of Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Griffiths, was discontinued in 1903-'04, after many years of excellent work,because the American Missionary Association could not continue its support. The
same need for it exists, and many regrets are
expressed by the Indian people at its discontinuance. Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths still live in
the mission building. Mr. Griffiths is at present engaged in the Indian trading store at
Cherry Creek.    Both are strong factors in the
Christian life  of the community,  helpful to
Indians and white people alike.
When, during the Mission Council held at
Oahe,in June 1904, the announcement was made
that the American Missionary Association had
again decided to close Oahe School, it met with
a strong protest from the members of the Mission, and especially from those who have been
engaged in the work of the school. The reason
first given for closing was lack of funds. Then
Mr. Thomas Riggs made a
proposition to the Association to assume the financial
support of the school, but
this was strongly vetoed, the
additional reason being given, that, in view of the extensive school work for the
Indians carried on by the
Government, the work of the
Mission School is unnecessary. The action of the committee was a great blow to
us  all.
It was very hard to explain the siutation to the Indians. Mr. Riggs dreaded
his first trip over the field
when it would be necessary
to tell the people, and it partook much of the nature of
a "penitential pilgrimage,"
in which he was flagellated
at every stopping place. Mr.
Riggs wrote, "The people
seem to be somewhat mixed about the closing of Oahe
School. They blame every
body but themselves, and many think we are
largely at fault. I suppose it is rather necessary to have a scape-goat to turn loose, bearing
the sins of the people. I may as weR be the
goat as any other.''
Before the middle of September we had over
thirty applications from pupds, and no doubt
could have fiRed the school to its limit of fifty,
for more and more are the Indians coming to
appreciate the work and results of the mission
schools.
An Indian woman who has been in a position to observe closely the work of the school,
and to whom I had explained that the men of
the executive committee thought the government schools were doing all that is necessary in
that line said, "The men don't understand these
things. Can't we tell the women of the churches
about it? They know how children ought to
be brought up. When the women take hold of
a thing it goesV Then she said, "Do you suppose if we Dakotas raise money for the school
and do more to help ourselves that the white
people wdl help us again?" Not only by the
Indians has regret for the closing of the school
been expressed. The Indian agent, business
men of Pierre, pastors and church members
in the vicinity, have aR said they thought
it a mistake and a great pity. A leading
physician in Pierre who has been our school
physician, and who is also visiting physician to the Pierre Government School, said, "I
think it is a very strange position for a Missionary Society to take. It isn't merely a question
of teaching the Indian to read and write, or to
work: of course the government schools can do
that; but it is a question of character building
and christian training,—that the government
does not pretend to do, but it is what the Indian
most needs—".
But regret is unavailing,and the fact remains
that after twenty years of faithful, successful
work with the need for it undiminished, Oahe
school is closed.
Three of our pupils went to Santee, some
have gone to the different government schools
on the reservation, and some have remained at
home.    As to our teachers, Miss Hazen, of the
Academic Department, has gone to Santee to be
matron of the Dakota Home. Miss Christ is
also at Santee in Domestic Science work, and
Miss Hurlburt after spending the summer at
her home in Ohio, came back to Dakota in the
fall, and visited a number of the Congregational
churches in the interest of the Indian work.
She is now at Leslie with Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths
"holding down a claim," seeing something of
Indian life at home, visiting former pupils,and
getting more material with which to interest
the white churches.
A special movement has been started among
the Dakota Women's Missionary Societies to
raise money for the re-opening of Oahe School.
Up to the present time there has been contributed:
Moreau River Women's Society   $3 00
Buffalo Church Women's Society     2 50
Lower Cheyenne River Women's Society 12 00
Special gift from Mrs. Phelps in memory of a beloved son    12 50
From special sales '   12 50
Total   42 50
as a nest egg for Oahe School. Who will help
on the good work? M. L. R.
Christmas at Oahe seemed very strange with
Mr. Riggs away and with Oahe School closed.
It could hardly be a 'Merry Christmas' under
those circumstances. The Spotted Bears were
the only Indians in the vicinity. Mrs. Spotted
Bear had been sick and was not able to be out,
so Christmas we, Mrs. Riggs and Lawrence,took
a Christmas tree with trimmings and gRts
down to their house and made celebration for
them. While the tree was lighted Christmas
carols in English and Dakota were sung, the
meaning of Christmas was spoken of, and prayers offered. Each of the family received appropriate tokens; not the least appreciated of
the gifts was the Christmas dinner, consisting
of a chicken ready to cook, vegetables, bread
and a plum pudding! As they partook of the
dinner on Christmas day, little Peter said, "It
is unpleasant outside; but we eat very nice, I
wish Christmas would come again very soon."
The Sunday School and English service at
Oahe are kept up for the benefit of the white
community. Twenty names are enrolled for the
Sunday School, but the attendance varies greatly. For Christmas the chapel was prettily decorated with greens, and a special carol service
had been prepared; but as it was a very stormy
day only a few besides the regular pupils attended. Silver star badges for perfect attendance are proving an incentive to greater regularity. Four were decorated with the stars on
New Year's Day,—a month's perfect attendance
entitling one to wear the star for the following
month. The same four are to wear their stars
during February. The lessons taken up this
year are the Bible Study Union Lessons on the
Old Testament Heroes. Last year The Life of
Christ in the same series was studied. Many
of the pupils have bought the pretty Minion
Edition of the American Revised Bible and
considerable interest in the lessons is manifested.       M. L. R.
Santee Association.
A meeting of the former pupils of Santee
Normal Training School residing on Santee reservation was held February 3, 1905, at the
house of Rev. Francis Frazier and conducted
by Mrs. Susan Bahr. The meeting began by
singing and prayer. Mrs. Bahr then told the object of the meeting which was freely discussed.
It was decided to form a society and these
officers were elected. Guy Jones president,
Jean Frazier secretary, and Francis Frazier
treasurer.
It was voted to hold a meeting every three
months. A collection was then taken up for
the New Laboratory fund. Between thirty and
forty were present and it was a very enthusiastic meeting. Jean Frazier, Secretary.