SCHOOL-WORK FOR THE INDIANS.
The regular correspondent of the Tribune, in reporting a conference with Mr. Teller, the Secretary of the Interior, upon his Indian policy, gives this question and answer:
“What is your view of Indian education, and of the Hampton and Carlisle schools in particular?”
“I recognize the usefulness of those schools, but I insist that they are entirely inadequate, as any number of them would be, to accomplish what is desired. The Hampton and Carlisle schools no more meet the exigency than Yale and Harvard supply education to the youth of the whole United States. There are 50,000 Indian children. We must furnish means for their education. Hampton and Carlisle will do for the training of teachers. But we must get the schools, which are to educate the masses of Indian children, out nearer to the tribes.”
This is our view, exactly. Use these and similar institutions at the South for training the young people brought to them from the Indian country to become teachers and mechanics. Then let them go back to their people and serve as teachers of the home schools and leaders in the mechanic arts.
The reports from our schools have crowded our limited pages for the last two months, and have compelled us to leave over a number of articles which will be found in the pages of this number. Our readers will agree with us that these articles contained so much of spice that they have not become mouldy by the delay. We wish, however, to notify our teachers and missionaries that we desire as speedily as possible the renewed use of their pens. Nothing, however good, can be a substitute for their fresh views and facts.