Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1913 — “RED SKINS” AS GRADUATES [ARTICLE]

“RED SKINS” AS GRADUATES

Instead of Orations Graduates Give Demonstrations of Education They Have Received at Carlisle. Carlisle, Pa.—r-Wlth unique commencement exercises fifteen Indians, from nearly as many scattered tyibea, graduated from the government Indian school here. In place of orations and essays, the aborigines gave demonstrations of practical work taught at the government school. The exercises were held in the school gymnasium, and included among the many visitors were state and federal officials and many old Indian chiefs from a number of western states, a few garbed in the habiliments of their race. When the curtains were pulled back they revealed a stage equipped with charts showing how to farm and devices used in expert agricultural work. Peter Kastman, one of the graduates, gave a descriptive talk on “Farming at School and at Home.” The other talks were accompanied by descriptive stage settings. One subject was "Sewing.” by Lida O. Whelock. Another was on "Home Building,” by Joseph H. Broker, who. with assistants, erected a house on the stage and showed how it should be done. Another number was a demonstration and a talk on “Sanitation in

Indian Homes,” by Francis Panburn. F. A. Abbott, acting commissioner of Indian affairs, made the principal speech of the afternoon and presented the diplomas. Besides the fifteen graduates fifty pupils received, industrial certificates.