school had been in operation long, more children were offered than it was prudent to take; this continued for about three months, when an influence was brought to bear by outside parties, who are interested in arresting improvements among the Indians, for pecuniary and political purposes, which so prejudiced the Indians against the School, the Agent, and the efforts that are being made for their improvement, as to induce many of the parents to take their children therefrom. A number of them have returned, but the school has not regained its former number. The improvement made by the children who have been steadily in attendance, has been quite satisfactory in their studies, and in their deportment, and industry when out of school.

The means of sustaining the institution and other necessary improvements, have been obtained to a great extent from appropriations by Congress, to be refunded from the proceeds of the sale of a portion of their land, which has the objection of using up their principal. It is desirable that a sufficient amount of the proceeds of their lands should be funded in a way, that the interest, instead of the principal, could be used for the support of the school and other beneficial purposes. A bill is now before Congress which would enable that to be done, but from present indications there are doubts of its passage.

Agent J. W. Griest furnished us with the following extracts from his report to the Department at Washington, last fall:

"That under the care of the Agency Farmer,

230 acres have been prepared and sown with Wheat.

Land cultivated by individual members of the tribe, and not included in the above, is estimated at about 300 acres, making an aggregate of 685 acres. Three hundred acres have been enclosed with post and plank fence, 150 acres of prairie broken, and 44,500 feet of logs have been taken to the Mill and sawed for fencing and building purposes, all of which have been cut and hauled by Indians.

Had the wheat been as good as the other crops, the produce of the past season would have been nearly or quite equal to the wants of the tribe, but as it is they will have but little flour.

The Agent states that under the system of paying the Indians for labor done in the interest of the tribe, they have continued to do all the work required, and this has been limited only by the means to pay them, and the material necessary to work with. The government of the Indians alone is comparatively an easy matter, but the counter influences of many, who for pecuniary and political purposes oppose all improvement in the condition of the Indians, have been developed to such an extent, as to present a serious obstacle in the way of their advancement.

It has been our aim as far as practicable to develop by their own industries, and such other means as we had

at command, the resources of the tribe, with a view of advancing them to a condition of self support; and most of the Indians have given us their aid in this particular, evincing a commendable interest in all we have undertaken, so far as they were able to see evidence of good results, while a few have opposed anything that looked towards supplanting their old customs.

GREAT NEMAHA AGENCY.

Agent M. B. Kent writes, "that there is much in the condition of the

IOWAS

to encourage the earnest laborers for their improvement. After a winter of unusual excitement among themselves, caused by agitation of the question of allotment in severalty of their lands, and excitement among neighboring tribes in regard to removal to the Indian Territory, they go to work this spring, with at least their usual vigor.” "The sanitary condition of the tribe has been good, the births exceeding the deaths in the ratio of 13 to 9. Two of the deaths were very old women and one an idiotic boy.

As has already been reported to Friends, the cultivation of small grain last year, proved an entire failure, owing to the grasshopper ravages, except about 20 acres of buckwheat, which was a success, yielding about 250 bushels. Corn, after several plantings, yielded an abundant crop, much of which is still on hand; the price being so low, many do not wish to sell. The hay cured, more than supplied the demand, and the amount remaining unused, is estimated to be almost one-half of the

1

whole amount cured, and is still in good condition. Eleven hundred tons were cured by both tribes of this agency. The amount of corn raised was estimated at sixteen thousand bushels, but the actual amount will not quite reach that. Potatoes, beans and turnips were also abundant, many families still having a plentiful supply on hand. Sixty-seven acres of new ground were broken by Indians during last season, and 1850 rods of fence made. A large quantity of posts and rails have been made the past winter, but it is impossible to estimate the amount. Seventeen acres fall wheat were sown, and 135 acres spring wheat are being sown, nearly all of which is now in the ground. Two full-blooded Indians have sown, who never before made the effort, after having received a little instruction, the rule being made, that those who had wheat sown for them last year must do their own sowing this spring. They have done so, and are found. to be apt at learning, and willing to make the effort.

"THE IOWA INDUSTRIAL HOME”

has continued in successful operation during the year, the average attendance being 25 pupils. The monthly averages of the day-school have ranged from 30 to 35, there being 42 on the roll.

In the matter of education, it is difficult to impress the importance of advancing beyond the mere ability to read and write, and so long as the young are permitted to reside with the tribe, subject to parental influence, the customs inculcated by ancient habits of life, cannot be eradicated.

Some Friends have expressed surprise and regre at

the small number of girls at the "Home" and "School." It is a fact, in this tribe three-fourths of the children of school-going ages, are boys, partly owing to the custom of considering the girls too old to go to school when they become 13 to 14 years of age.

At the Home the girls perform general house work, such as ironing, scrubbing, &c., and assist with baking. One-half the girls are occupied three hours of each school day in the sewing room, and are improving rapidly.

Those of the boys who attend school during the summer, are mostly small, and able to do but little of the general farm work; but they have rendered much assistance in planting crops, taking care of stock, milking, cutting and carrying wood for house use, &c. Some parents who are most advanced in civilization, are opposed to the system of manual labor, when it keeps their children from attending school, saying, "if they must stay out of school to work, they will have them work at home."

The "Home Farm" has been enlarged, so that it now contains 80 acres fenced, 20 acres of which were sown in fall wheat, which is in excellent condition, and 14 acres have been sown in spring wheat.

The stock is increased so that there are now 20 head of hogs, 3 cows and 4 calves. The procuring of stock is necessarily a slow process, as we have not the means of purchasing it. We expect to raise sufficient material to supply provisions the present year, except beef, so`expenses will not be so large as heretofore. The necessary expense of conducting this institution, has drawn heavily