The Word Carrier of Santee Normal Training School (Santee, Nebraska), 1910-09 - 1910-10

              The Word Carrier
of Santee Normal Training School.
VOLUME
XXXIX.
HELPING THE  RIGHT, EXPOSING THE WRONG.
NUMBER 5
SANTEE, NEBRASKA.
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1910
THIRTY CENTS PER YEAR
Our   Platform
For Indians we want American Education 1 We want Ameri-
Homes! We want American Rights! The result of which is
American Citizenship! And the Gospel is the Power  of God for
their Salvation 1	
The Yankton Congregational Association
Visits Santee
The thirtieth annual meeting of the Yankton
Association of Congregatioal Churches was entertained by Springfield, S. D., October fifth and
sixth The association numbers twenty-six
churches which were entitled to representation
bv pastor and delegates, and is the largest of the
denomination iu the state, including in its membership the most important Congregational
churches in South Dakota.
Ore afternoon was spent at Santee of which
the representative of the Argus-Leader gives
the fallowing report.
AT  SANTEE  INDIAN  SCHOOL
There is much interest in Indian education
in this part of the state. Springfield was the
earh Episcopal seat of the late Bishop Hare,
school here, a former Episcopal school
udian girls, is now under the care of Uncle
There are also a few Indian pupils at the
lal school. And across the Missouri, in
■ ska, is located the Santee agency and a
ods from the agency buildings is the well-
n Santee Normal Training School for the
Indians.
After dinner, the visitors, together with
a few Springfield friends boarded the ferry
boat. City of Springfield, and crossed the Big
Muddy. On the other shore, conveyances from
the antee Normal, situated about one and a
half miles from the river, awaited them, and they
rod' through the bottom lands where several
Indi.us are raising some so-called "squaw corn''
that would not look out of place in Minnehaha
county.
The school at the agency has beeu given up.
It is the policy of the government, as soon as
the Indians become citizens and receive their
shai" of land, to close the government schools,
et them attend the district school, or some
■te institution. There is a small district
ol not unlike the little red school house of
England, only it is painted white, near the
cy.    Yonder on a slight elavation of the
Hop^
for
Sam.
Norr
Nebi:
few j
knov
and
priv
schc
Nev
age;
mat
like
Glo
seer
gin,
wor
ground, rise the buildings of the Santee Nor-
•chool. Above them floated in the summer-
breeze of a beautiful autumnal day, Old
y, a significant emblem of loyalty and con-
.ted services of those who, from the being, have been the soul of the wonderful
t being done in that school.
The name of the Riggs family deserves to
be mentioned in the same breath with that of
Bishop Hare. The name of Stephen Riggs, a
pioneer missionary' to the Dakota Indians, who
came to this part of the country in 1838, shall
live in the history of the Northwest. In 1840
he began a translation of the Bible into the Indian language, and it was completed and published forty years later. He is the ant nor of a
most interesting book entitled : "Mary and I,"
giving the record of his experience among the
Indians.
The present Santee school was founded by
Rev. Alfred L. Riggs, a son of Rev. Stephen
Riggs, who came there in 1870, and who, with
his wife, a lady that has proved a very efficient
help in every way during all these years, has
been living and working at the school ever
since. In 1862, after th? Sioux outbreak in
Minnesota, the Santee tribe of the Sioux was
located in that part of Nebraska. And the
American Board, of Boston, the oldest missionary organization in the United States,had commissioned Dr. Riggs as a missionary to those
Indians. For forty years, he has been the controlling factor in the undertaking, enduring
many hardships, yet remaining true to his duty
as he saw it, and the wonderful results of the
work are seen in many unexpected ways.
While Dr Rigg8 enjoys the modest title of
principal of the school, his work has had to do
with all departments, to say nothing of the
added responsibility of making it known outside to interest, the people in the school. He is
ably seconded by his son, Mr. Frederick B.
Riggs, M. A., who is teacher of science and
manual training. He acted as the guide of the
visitors, showing them through the various
buildings. Like his father and his grandfather, he is a versatile mau, and ready to put his
hand to any kind of work.
The mauual training work includes carpentry,
blacksmithing, cooking, sewing, laundry, besides farming carried on, on the 320 acres belonging to the school, of which about 100 are
under cultivation. Everything about and in
the buildings is scrupulously clean and in
apple-pie order. It is not necessary to say that
the training given in the school proper, in the
Normal and primary grades is as thorough as
in the manual training section.
The visitors, even the men, were much interested in inspecting a very roomy and neat kitchen, and looking at a large oven in which seventy-five loaves of bread are baked daily wheu
the sehool is in session; also in the laundry,
where au up-to-date contrivance is used to dry
clothes before and after ironing, besides a huge
washing machine. Power for the shops and
electric lights is supplied by an artesian well
after designs made by Prof. F. B. Riggs.
AIMS  AND  RESULTS
The delegates gathered in the chapel of the
school for a short session. Dr. Fox introduced
Dr. Riggs, who addressed the assembly. The
venerable head of the Santee school, stood before that representative gathering, as one of
the highest types of scholarly, refined and
efficient Christain manhood. He stated that
the aim of the school has always been to inspire the Indians with high ideals. Pupils
come, not only from all parts of South and
North Dakota, but from Oklahoma, and the
Great Divide country. The Indians are taught
the great and noble ideals of life, he said,
through the gospel of Jesus Christ. There were
a number of Indians present, men, women and
children, aud young people, and the only difference between them and the whites was the
color of their skin. They were intelligent
looking, had honest, bright faces, and were
well-mannered, aud neatly dressed. They were
a most effective object lesson of the noble work
done at Santee.
Mr. Fred Riggs added a few words of explanation, stating that the manual training done
was not intended to teach the Indians a trade,
but to furnish a basis for it, and lead them to
self-help.
The school will open on October 15, with
100 boarding pupils and many day scholars.
The delegates deeply deplored the fact that the
work is greatly handicapped for lack of funds.
The Argus-Leader representative was naturally much interested in the printing department of the school, in charge of Mr. Charles R.
Lawson, who learned the printing trade in Chicago, and has been at Santee for twenty-two
years. Here is a fully equipped printing plant,
including a large printing press, a job press
and all the necessary adjuncts to print and bind
books and booklets. The work is all done by
the scholars under the personal supervision of
Mr. Lawson, who is an all-around printer.
Here is printed "The Word Carrier," in
English, and "Iapi Oaye" in the Indian language, both being edited by Dr. Riggs to help on
the work. A good deal of printing is doue for
other denominations, notably for the Episcopal
work among the Indians. The Indians also
patronize the job work section, as many of
them now like to have their own letter heads
and envelopes printed in white mau's style.
A great many booklets and leaflets, several
prepared by Dr. Riggs, are printed and used
to further the work.
Among the •publications of the school in the
Indian language must be mentioned a short
life of Abraham Lincoln, together with a selection of Aesop^s Fables. Also a booklet on
Tuberculosis, by Theodore F. Riggs, of Oahe,
the Indian school near Ft. Pierre. There are
also Indian hymn books, and the visitors heard
"America," sung in Dakota. Old school books
are rebound by the students to make them
last longer.
AN   INTERESTING   EXHIBIT.
The exhibit room, showing specimens of the
Indian students' work, was a revelation to the
eager visitors. Besides the fine showing made
by the academic department proper, there were
samples of cabinet making, carpentry, blacksmithing, basket weaving, sewing, drawing,
and the like, offered for sale, that were really
above the ordinary exhibition of a similar nature. The work was done thoroughly. This is
one of the Santee characteristics. The work
must uot only look good at Santee. It must be
good.    It must be genuine workmanship.
The graciousness with which Dr. Riggs and
his helpers explained the work done at Santee,
was thoroughly appreciated, and the impression received was that the real good Indian is
not dead, but is a very much alive being, who
is fully able to respond to the opportunities
that are his, when they are properly placed
before him, and he is taught how to make the
best of them.
Santee Notes
The pupils entered school promptly this year.
On the opening day seventy enrolled and within two weeks ninety seven boarding pupils were
in attendance.
The primary school, when turned out of
Davis Hall to make room for the new Dakota
Home, found its new quarters in the south side
of the second story of Perkins Hall. By taking down partitions a room was made. The
room is pleasant but far too small to adequately provide for the three primary classes.
Miss E. Jean Kennedy had a sale of clothing
at Whitney Hall on October twenty first and
second. This is a continuation of the sale held
last spring after the fire. The proceeds have
gone to the building fund and have given a big
lift.
An unusual opportunity was made the school
for the securing a good piano at a most reasonable price. It was purchased and put in the
music room at the Dakota Home. Tbe rent for
practice hours will soon help to pay for the
piano. It is a constant source of pleasure to
the girls.
Miss Lucia Cannon of Franklin, Mass. has
charge of the Dakota Home this year.
Mrs Emily Williams Harding and son George
have returned to Santee. Mrs Harding is
teacher of the primary school.
Miss Annie J. Moun was able to accept again
the position resigned last June and returned
the last of October.
Mrs Goodenough of Johannesburg, Africa,
visited her sister Miss Edith Leonard for a
week in October.
The Wellesley College girls made a gift of
$50 to the new Home for chiffoniers for the
girls' rooms.
Miss Louise Storck of Madison, Wis. is
mothering the little Birds' Nest girls. She has
a family of thirtysix.
Mr. Elmer Drew of Springfield, S. D. was
appointed mechanic the first of September.
Mr. Drew and family were gladly welcomed to
Santee.
Recent Mission guests have been: Mr. and Mrs.
| Charles Maxwell, Washington,  D. C.; Mr. C.
, A. Russell, Superior, Wis. j Miss Agnes Raasch,
Norfolk, Neb.;  Miss Maude Raymond, Y. W.
i C. A. Sec. of South and North Dakota; Mr. J.
S. Daniels, Y. M. C. A. Sec. of Nebraska.