Letter from George Stout, 1899-03-18

Philadelphia, Mar. 18, 1899 Herbert Welsh, Esq.

My dear Sir:

Your letter of the 16th instant was received asking for information relative to the regularity of attendance of the Indians boys from the Educational Home at our school.

The attendance of the Indian boys has mostly been good. There was a time last Fall from October until near Christmas, that we had considerable trouble with several of the boys. I refer to Baker, Travusic, S. Sangloise, Henry Conture, Hostine and others, who seemed to have no good reason for absence. Truancy was understood by us to led the cause.

I sent word many times about absence and learned from Colonel Givin that some boys were attracted by foot ball or golf, some by skating, some for alleged sickness, some to work, etc. the superintendent would find that boys had been absent without his knowledge, and then he was keeping them home for punishment. The La France boys were required or allowed to work at times until their names were taken from our roll. Whilst some were irregular, I was informed that they were about to be sent to their homes. We had twenty Indian boys in the beginning of the term, before its close two thirds of them and left our school. This was in marked contract with the course of the Indian boys of former years. When they did leave their books were seldom handed in. We had to send for them mostly, and often could not get the full sets returned.

The boys simply dropped out without notification of their leaving and we were left to hunt information and our books.

I trust I may be allowed to say a few words in praise of the boys themselves. Among the score of boys from the Home since September last there was not a bad Indian. But every one was a good boy, most them were very good. Good far beyond the ordinary sense of the word as applied to school boys. A few of the largest were rough in the yard at play like their white companions, in foot ball season, but never a word of complaint from the Teachers. In school they all were good, always. They were attentive, studious, and mostly bright. A few of the boys, Stafford, Holstine, and Jimerson, did not fully grasp the work. They may not have been in class long enough or they may have been ranked too high. Whilst Thomas LaFrance, Clifford, Shango, Salem Moses, Thomas Jacobs, Dominic Travusic, Joseph Tarbell, Edward Conture were a credit to themselves and the school

Edward Skinandore is mostly the number one boy of his class. This good record of study and conduct is not confined to the present term, but has been maintained by the Indian boys since the first admission to our school.

My teachers as well as I feel sorry at the loss of any and every Indian boy who leaves without graduating to the High or Manual Training School. It seems to me, therefore, that the absence complained of cannot be charged to our school nor to the boys themselves, but to outside conditions.

Very respectfully,

George H. Stout, Principal Newton ? Boys Combined ? grammar School

Document History

• Transcribed by HS 2025-07-27