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Lincoln Institution
Report of Board of Managers, 1896

Although we have much to encourage us in this great and good work we yet have to meet with some difficulties, and chief among them is the stubborn opinions and prejudices of many who regard our work as one of little interest and without sufficient results. The fact cannot be disguised that these much-to-br-pitird children do not appeal to the sympathies of the public at large, or even of those ever prompt and eager to help in other Christian work as they should. Instead of making themselves conversant by inquiry into the subject, they are wont to condemn these children of own own land as an alien race, dull, uninteresting and even unworthy of the reclaiming influences of religious education, whereas they are almost without exception gentle and easily managed, quick in imitating the manners and ways of those who have them in charge, and most eager and ready to avail themselves of the advantages given them of a good, plain education and even of many of the refining influences which surround them. Few indeed can realize this unless they could see them in their recitation rooms and at their meals. Their promptness in answering sometimes most difficult questions, their whole demeanor so marked by quiet politeness and good manners are things truly to be wondered at. It seems strange to us that those who devote much time to reclaiming of the poor children of our slums should fail to recongize the claims of these poor and seemingly uninteresting children of the forest. Are they not equally with them God's children? Are they not to be greatly pitied because of their ignorance, and being, as it were, excluded from the association of the civilized who alone can raise them up and give them some ambition in life? Have they not a right to demand the same consideration from the charitably disposed as other poor children? Why, then, should they be frowned upon and even shunned because of their imaginary unreclaimably depraved nature? This seems to us a very great inconsistency and one we would like much to understand. We can only fall back upon our own satisfactory efforts on their behalf and hope in time that thse prejudices may be successfully overcome. Then again we have still to meet the prejudices of those who contend for the reservation schools, and who seem to lose sight entirely what a stimulus our great and busy city is to rouse all that is within them to energy and progression. Here they are offered every facility for education, kind and patient teachers ever anxious and proud of their advancement and deeply interested in their present and future welfare. There, while surrounded by the drag-weights of old and early companions and environments - having no factories, shops or industries of any kind - leading a life of enforced idleness, how is it possible for them to contend against such odds or cultivate a better and higher life? Not to sink in the vortex would seem to be more than human, The fact that since the establishment of the eastern schools the Indian's home has in every respect been much improved, justifies the continuance of these schools.

It has always been our wish that they should remain with us and obtain places where they could be taught some profitable trade, but the ties of kindred are great even among the uncivilized and we cannot blaim them. We trust that having done our part conscientiously toward them, and being well trained in knowledge and religion, they may be able not only to make a way for themselves in life but do, as it were, a commendable missionary work among their people.


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