Page 431

REPORT OF SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA. 
431 
and although all have been dismounted., cavalry tactics are used and the
red 
trimming on the uniform was changed to cavalry yellow, new cap cords and
devices adopted, the command armed with the Springfield carbine, and waist
belts and cartridge boxes supplied by the Ordnance Department of the Army.
The organization was similar to that of the Regular Army, the drills were
regu- 
larly and successfully conducted. a small hospital corps and signal detachment
were added and partially equipped, and with our fine band of 48 pieces the
regiment, numbering about 400. with beautiful national and school colors
flying, field and staff officers--the latter including a surgeon and chaplain-
mounted, and the regiment accompanied, in the capacity of aids to the com-
mander, by the six noted chiefs, Geronimo, American Horse, Hollow Horn 
Bear, Quanah Parker, Little Plume, and Buckskin Charley, proceeded by 
special train to Washington and participated in the inaugural parade. The
appearance and conduct of the regiment brought praise from the President
and 
compliments from all sides, but the fine appearance of our boys on this_;---
can best be made known to the public by the reproduction here of the compli-
mentary letters from the Secretary of the Interior and yourself: 
SECRETARY'S OFFICE, 
Washington, D. C., March 9, 1905. 
Capt. WILLIAM A. MERCER, 
Superintendent Carlisle Indian School, Carlisle, Pa. 
MY DEAR SIR: It gives me very great pleasure to congratulate you, and through
you the 
Carlisle boys, whose fine appearance, soldierly bearing, and excellent performance
while 
participating in the inaugural procession here on Saturday last elicited
great applause, 
especially from the President, the members of the Cabinet, and others who
had the 
pleasure of witnessing them as they passed by the President's stand, and,
I am informed, 
also all along the route of the procession that day. 
Please thank your boys for me for this demonstration of their appreciation,
in part, 
of the efforts the Government is making in behalf of their education. 
Yours, very truly,                         E. A. HITCHCOCK, Secretary. 
OFFICE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, 
Washington, March 13, 1905. 
Capt. W. A. MERCER, 
Superinteadent Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa. 
My DEAR CAPTAIN MERCER: I wish- you would say to the boys who took part in
the 
inaugural parade that I was more than gratiffed-I was positively astonished-at
their 
fine marching and soldierly appearance. Wherever I have gone in Washington
since 
that day people have been talking about the Carlisle cadets; and I have been
very proud 
of having them under my jurisdiction. I hope to be able to say something
of this 
face to face when we meet at commencement. 
Sincerely, yours,                           F. E. LEUPP, Commissioner. 
Much attention was given to systematic physical exercises for both boys and
girls, the good results of which are noticeable in the finely set up appearance
of both, the increased average good health, and apparent expressions of con-
tent and happiness. In athletics our track team won noted victories over
large 
colleges and made excellent records; in baseball we did well, and our football
eleven was most successful. As the students engaged in athletics, even the
members of our teams, are required to keep up the schoolroom and industrial
work, there are no bad results, but much that is of benefit to the individual
and to the school in the pleasant diversion it lends to the regular work
and 
most desirable and beneficial break in the monotony of school life which
it pro- 
vides, and all at no expense to the Government. In fact, the money received
from two or three of the important games of football has maintained the athlet-
ics of the school, prepared field, built training cages, bought equipments,
paid 
coaches, provided funds for the special instruction at summer schools and
for 
the higher education of individuals which would otherwise have been impossible,
and made it possible to meet without serious handicap in tests of strength,
skill, and endurance their white brethren of the colleges with great credit
and 
much benefit to themselves. For the first time Haskell and Carlisle met on
the gridiron and in a most interesting game at the St. Louis Exposition.
Car- 
lisle was decidedly victorious. 
The outing system as carried on for a number of years past was continued
successfully. It is productive of the very best results and is one of the
most 
valuable aids to the practical education and general uplifting of the Indian
youth, and is made possible to the great extent in which it is conducted
here 
only by the splendid Christian and industrial environment of the school.
In general, the school did good work the past year, and apparently there
is 
a good prospect of better work and improved conditions for the present year.