REPORT     OF   HAMPTON      INSTITUTE.                   253 
Joseph Estes had been teaching in the Government school with great success;
his Hampton 
methods had been copied by other teachers. 
David Simmons, who had worked faithfully as issue clerk for some years, voluntarily
resigned his 
place to take a farm. I saw his crops; the wheat was very beautiful. The
agent said, so far as he 
knew, it was the best wheat raised in Dakota. One noticeable thing is that
nearly all of these chil- 
dren are very regular in their church attendance. 
We have returned about twenty-three to LowerBrul' Agency. Of this number
several have died, 
and I heard of two only who have acted badly. One boy, who was here aboutsix
months and sent 
home because physically unsound, has painted himself, and was a regular attendant
upon the dances, 
I learned. A girl whowas here a short time and was returned home because
unwell had been very 
wild. Some had dropped back, but had come up again. Like all children, some
had been indis- 
creet, but I believe it was nothing more. 
At Crow Creek Agency I found one girl whose conduct had been very bad. To
this agency we 
have returned more than twenty. Some havebeen teaching, some farming, and
others working in the 
shops. Eugene First Hail, a promising boy, whom we took home a year ago because
of weak lungs, 
has greatly improved in health and is working at his trade in the Government
shop. The agent 
says he is the best boy he has ever had in the shop. He made a desk for the
agent's office which 
would do credit to a much older workman. 
The boys who returned with me found the schools closed, and not being able
to secure places in 
the shops, went to work in the harvest field. 
Amy Wizi, daughter of the chief, not finding her home civilized enough, could
not eat as they ate 
or sleep as they slept. She took some chinaware which her father had some
time before bought from 
a retired agent, but which he had been unable to use, and arranged for the
first time the table in a 
civilized manner, thus delighting the old man's heart. 
It surprised me that these children stand up as well as they do. The old
Indians try to drag them 
down, fearing they may lose their power. Where employ&s have not a missionary
spirit jt is to 
their interest to keep these boys out of employment. In some cases there
is not enough sympathy 
for them and they feel it. In the next place there are not facilities for
work. The demand is now 
greater than the supply. These students go and ask for work and the agent
really has nothing to 
give them. Major Gasmann, whose heart is thoroughly in his work, is going
to apply to the Depart- 
ment for more schools, shops, and houses for employS's, and thus provide
for the returned students. 
This is of the first importance and everything should be done to further
his effort. 
The reports from the various agencies are covered by the figures already
given, and the 
general feeling among the most thoughtful and trustworthy of the agents is
expressed, I 
believe, in the following letter from Major Gasmann at Crow Creek: 
As soon as the young men return home they generally demand work. Unfortunately
I have not 
the work to give them. I can only employ a certain number. They become impatient
at this 
delay and sometimes speak unadvisedly with their lips. I have advised them
to work with their 
friends upon their farms until such time as I can get work for them at the
agency. I regret that 
some of them have joined with the old chiefs and have consulted with them
unwisely. None of 
them, as far as I know, have gone back to Indian ways, but not having employment,
they are rest- 
less and sometimes unreasonable. 
Here at Crow Creek two are now at work, one as wheelwright and the other
as blacksmith's ap- 
prentice. The others are all working on farms; have assisted in harvesting
and haying and, as far 
as I can see, have conducted themselves well. I am in hopes of being able
to establish several day 
schools soon, here and at Lower Brule, where I shall place those fitted for
such work. I am doing 
all I can for these young people, and I have do doubt but that most of them
will do well. What we 
must have is more industries at the agencies, and day schools where these
young people can be 
regularly employed.46 
The test of the trained Indian is certainly his record at home rather than
at school, 
and as the observations given above cover a period of five years, we feel
that even if they 
are not held to be conclusive proof of the steadfastness of a majority of
our returned In- 
dians they should at least be laid before the public and given due consideration.

The earnestness of the present administration in doing justice to the red
man gives 
reason for the hope that during the next four years rapid progress will be
made in pro- 
viding means for his improvement, to which I believe everything goes to show
that the 
Indian will respond. There are to-day twenty tribes or parts of tribes ready
to take up 
lands in severalty, waiting for necessary legislation, and herded meanwhile
on reserva- 
tions, without hope. Probably not 3,000 out of the 11,700 Indian youth now
enrolled 
in boarding and day schools are getting a thorough practical training. Fifteen
thousand 
would take it if they could, thirty thousand need it. Weak, half-equipped
schools will 
never do it. 
By providing last yeaT twenty-five assistant farmers, our Government recognized
the 
need and wisdom of helping the present generation of Indians with practical
teaching for 
their daily life; ten times that number should be employed to help them select
farms 
and prepare them. A good farmer to every hundred Indian families would accomplish

better results practically than a teacher of thirty Indian children collected
for a few hours 
a day in a school-room on a reservation. The Canadian Government instituted
some 
years ago home farms on their reserves, on which farm instructors reside,
who taught the 
Indians the practical management of their farms. They have done a good work,
have 
diminished the cost of supporting Indians, and are an example to our own
legislators. 
It is needless to say, however, that when these Indians farmers or agents
are appointed 
for political reasons, as is sometimes the case, they are worse than none
at all. 
Payment of the treaty debt of over $4,000,000 would if wisely used in this
and other 
directions push forward the whole line of Indian life without cost to the
nation. 
My own opinion is, decidedly, that the best training we can give an Indian
is three 
years at school, dividing the time equally between study and work; then from
one year