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United States. Office of Indian Affairs / Annual report of the commissioner of Indian affairs, for the year 1879
([1879])
Report of agent in Wyoming, pp. 166-169
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Page 166
166 REPORT OF AGENT IN WYOMING. BUFFALO BAY, July 27, 1879. DEAR SIR: It is with more than ordinary pleasure I have the honor to submit my fifth annual report of the Red Cliff Government Indian School, cbmmencing July, 1878, and ending June, 1879. Five years ago first of next month I opened the school in this place. On taking a review of that time it is interesting to note the advancement which the school has made. Then, several young men and girls came to school who did not even know the alphabet. Now, nearly all the little boys and girls can not only read understandingly, but most of them can write and cipher. The number under my care is 52 half-breeds; mhales, 25; females, 19; Indian males, 4; females, 4. Of the 52, 11 left the reserve in the spring. Forty-five pupils have been admitted to the school during the year. The number of scholars in attendance this year three months or more is 20; boys, 14; girls, 6. The number of Indians under the age of 18 who can read is 48. Adults over 20, 10. Largest monthly attendance, 32; largest average, 19. The number of months taught, 9. The painting of school-room and sugar-making rendered it impossible to teach the ten months. The standing of the pupils in their respective classes is as follows: Read- ing, fourth book, 4; second book, 16; third book, 8; first book, 15; A B Cs, 2; 30 write tolerably fair; 28 cipher well; 7 in addition, 17 in multiplication, 2 in division, and 2 in fractions. It gives me great pleasure in summing up this report to add, in my opinion, and it is the popular one of the people, that the Indians on this reserve are now advanced enough in education and agriculture to take care of themselves without any govern- ment aid. I am, sir, most respectfully, your humble and obedient servant, ROBERT PEW, Government Teacher. Dr. I. L. MAHAN, United States Indian Agent. I inclose herewith statistics compiled from farmers', teachers', and other employgs reports, for your further information. Respectfully submitted. I. L. MAHAN, United States Indian Agent. SHOSHONE AND BANNACK AGENCY, WYOMING, August 11, 1879. SIR: I have the honor herewith to submit my third annual report, with accompa- nying statistics, in accordance with printed instructions received from the office, dated June 18,1879: The number of Indians belonging and who have remained at the Shoshone and Ban- nock Agency during the year past is as follows: Shoohone and Bannocks, 1,250; Northern Arapahoes and a few Cheyennes consolidated with them, 900; making a total of 2,150 Indians. These Indians have remained quietly on the reservation during most of the year. Nearly all of them, however, went away during the last winter on their usual annual hunt and laid in a large amount of meat and secured a great many robes and furs. They are constantly improving in their condition and habits, but there is still room for greater improvements in this respect. Their disposition is peaceful, and they are desirous of persevering in learning the ways of the whites, especially in tilling the soil and in raising cattle. Their progress in these things will, I think, bear favorable comparison with that of any other tribe of mountain Indians. The mixed-blood popu- lation of these tribes are but few, and of squaw-men, the bane of most Indian agencies, there are but one or two at this agency. Althougk several opportunities have pre- sented themselves for incorporating such with the tribes, it was thought best not to allow white men to marry squaws abd settle upon the reservation, believing that squaw-men seldom benefit a tribe of Indians. This appears to be the wisest course to pursue, and if the same plan was adopted at all agencies they would find their people more tractable. SCHOOLS. There have been two boarding-schools opened during the year, one for each tribe. We had no suitable buildings for conductinz the schools, but, by permission of the office. Indians were hired and timber was brought from Wind River, 18 miles distant, they assisting to saw the lumber and erect three buildings for the purpose. Owing to the distance and the slow progress of procuring logs -f& lumber, the frames were cov- ered .with canvas, and although they are excellent or summer, will be worthless for
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