INDIANS WELL TREATED

Former Superintendent Lewis Refutes Adverse Criticism

Writing from Washington, D.C., regarding the adverse criticism which has been recently circulated against the Indian school in this city, William V. Lewis says:

“I spent seven years at the Educational Home from June, 1884 till August, 1891, five years as a teacher, and the last two years as superintendent. During that time the pupils were well fed, well clothed, and well cared for in every respect. I never knew of pupils being ill treated or abused. The instructions from the Board of Managers were that corporal punishment was only to be inflicted in rare cases when all other means had failed, and the only by the superintendent. If any complaint could be made it would have been that the management was too lenient and kind. I have often heard Mrs. Cox say that the home was built for the boys and their good and comfort must be the first consideration.”

“I have visited all the reservations from which the school drew pupils, most of them a great many times, and found the returned pupils almost always spoke in high terms of the school and their treatment there.”

“ A large number have returned to the school different times for a second term. Would they have done so had they been ill treated while at the school? Almost without exception Indian agents spoke well of the returned pupils and assisted in securing of other pupils. There are many more Indian boys and girls desiring to come to the school than can be accommodated. The pupils who have returned to the reservations have been most active in urging their relatives to come to the Lincoln Institution for day such trades as shoemaker, tailor, baker, broommaker, etc., and going to school a half day. The boys who worked outside went to school about two hours in the evening. Now, any one will know that an Indian boy with white apprentices, where he has to use our language constantly, padi the same wages, and has to stand or fail by the same practical standard as other boys, is getting a better industrial education than he can possibly get at the shop at the school where the Instructions is more theoretical, and he receives practically no compensation.”

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer Fri. Jan. 5, 1900, p. 8