City and State excerpt March 9, 1899, p. 159

City and State excerpt March 9, 1899, p. 159; 1899.45029; article continues p. 160

AN UNFIT SUPERINTENDENT

It is quite clear to those who know the facts relative to the Educational Home that the Indian Rights Association was amply justified in the position which it has openly taken that Colonel Given, its present Superintendent, is unsuited by education and disposition for the position which he occupies. We trust that the management of this institution, now that it has obtained from the United States Government an appropriation for the coming fiscal year, may determine to replace Colonel Given by some more suitable person, whose temper will be under better control in dealing with subordinates, and will be able to show some satisfactory record of experience in educational work. When, during the past month of December, reports of serious abuses existing in the Home came to the Secretary of the Indian Rights Association, as a preliminary step he sent a thoroughly competent and trustworthy man to visit the Home, and to report what such an investigation might reveal. This was Mr. Matthew K. Sniffen, a gentleman whose services rendered to the Indian Rights Association during many years, and to many other public interests are so excellent as to be worthy of the highest praise. Mr. Sniffen’s full report shows that the condition of the institution was exceedingly untidy, and in other ways very unsatisfactory. On these points we shall not now touch, as they bear only indirectly on the object we have in view. Mr. Sniffen visited the school Friday morning, December 9, 1898, in company with David Peak, a former pupil of the school, a half-breed Chippewa, who is now supporting himself as a trained nurse in this city. On entering the building Mr. Sniffen says:

“We met one of the boys, who was asked by Peak if the superintendent was about; he replied that the latter had gone to the city.”

After describing the uncleanly condition of parts of the school visited, he continues:

“We then started for the kitchen, which was in a separate building. Before we could get there, however, we heard some one calling out sharply, “David, what does this mean? What are you doing?” On looking around, we saw Colonel Given, the superintendent, rushing up to us. He repeated his question. Peak said he was showing me the school. Given wanted to know why he had not come to the office. Peak replied that he had asked the boys if the superintendent was about, and was told that he had gone to the city. Given then began to upbraid Peak, telling him that he had no business about the place, and ordered him off the grounds. He attempted to strike Peak, but the latter avoided the blow, and said: “Don’t you dare put your hands on me.” Given called to one of the employees to send a couple of men to put Peak off the grounds. We started to leave the place, Given following and still wrangling with Peak, becoming more and more excited all the time. At this juncture three employees came up to where we were standing. Given renewed his argument with Peak, and, in a loud voice, ordered him off the grounds, warning him never to come on again unless he wished to be removed by force.

“Peak told Colonel Given that the Indians were his friends, and he knew they were not being properly treated. As long as he had right on his side he promised to do what he could for them. Given said the Indians were being well cared for. Peak asked, ‘By whom?’” This seemed the last straw. Given had fast been losing his self-control. He became so enraged at this remark that he rushed at Peak, striking him a violent blow on the left side of the head. The young man naturally resented this, and returned the blow, knocking Given down.

“To prevent further trouble I took hold of Peak and led him off the grounds. One of the complaints made by the boys of the school was that Given frequently struck them, and the latter incident strongly corroborated their statements.”

On the same day that Mr. Sniffen visited the Educational Home Mr. A.E. Turner, of the “Evening Bulletin,” went there. His statements, which appeared therein at the time, fully corroborated those of Mr. Sniffen. He made also an additional statement afterward, which in substance is as follows:

“Mr. Turner said that some three years ago, when there were rumors of cruelty on the part of the superintendent of the Home, he had visited the place and wrote an article for his paper, which was followed by that official leaving rather abruptly. He was therefore somewhat familiar with the institution.

“He stated that on entering the place he found a group of six or eight boys in a first-floor room. He asked them what they were doing; they said they had nothing to do. He asked why they were not at school; they replied that they had been taught all they could be taught. When asked why they were not working, said there was no work for them to do, and they were not permitted to go out to look for work.

“One boy said he had been at the school three years; had come there on promises made on the reservation (he came from a New York reservation); he studied in one of the class-rooms less than a year, and had been there two years doing nothing. Said he wanted to learn blacksmithing, but was not permitted to go out to look for work.

“The other boys all said they had nothing to do; no other way of spending their time.”

While Mr. Turner was visiting the institution a little incident occurred which indicated the political influence back of it, and which was so effectively appealed to later on to continue the appropriation for its maintenance. A sergeant of police came in, accompanied by another man. He said, addressing the superintendent, “We understand that you are the Quay delegate from this division.” “To which the superintendent replied, “Yes.” The Philadelphia Inquirer is authority for the statement that while the question of the appropriation still remained in doubt, Messrs. Penrose, Bingham, and Adams went before the Conference Committee of Senate and House and “proved conclusively” that the adverse report of the Indian Rights Association, made subsequent to and separate from Mr. Sniffen’s report, was without foundation in fact.

It is evident from the foregoing facts that a man of a very different type from that to which Colonel Given belongs should be selected to control this institution. It is of interest to note, in connection with a publication of reports on the ill-kept condition of the school, that prompt steps were taken toward improvement in that particular. A vigorous renovation was begun, and so great was the change effected by scrubbing, painting, etc., that when other representatives of the Indian Rights Association went to the Home, ground for complaint in this particular had been removed.

Document History

• Transcribed by HS 2025-08-06