Please note:
  1.  This week's pages 2 and 3 are from the September 25th issue of THE INDIAN HELPER and last week's pages 2 and 3 were from the October 2 issue. I inadvertently switched pages during transcription and I apologize for the mix-up. My mistake.
  2. Vine Deloria, Jr. will be speaking at the NMAI, Washington DC, this Wednesday, Oct 6th at 6:30. For more info, email ProgramsNMAI@si.edu or visit the NMAI web site at www.americanindian.si.edu 
-Barb      

 
 
OCTOBER 2, 1891 INDIAN HELPER
VOLUME VII, No. 4
                  THE ACORN AND THE OAK.
          ----------
   AN acorn from an oak one day
    Fell on the softened sod;
   By chance an ox that passed that way
    Upon the acorn trod.

   The acorn then in embryo
    A perfect oak contained
   And dews came down, and sunshine too,
    And clouds upon it rained.

   And time rolled on its mighty flood,
    And years rung out their knell;
   But on the spot a great oak stood
    Where once the acorn fell.

   And so a little word or deed,
    On the broad future cast,
   May prove to be a living seed
    Of great results at last.
               - *Friendly Greeting.*
 =================

    NOT AS OUR GIRLS ARE NOW.
           -------
   Little white girls who know nothing of Indian camp life, often wonder how their little Indian sisters who live in tents, look in their camp dress, and how they behave.
   Girls, shall we tell them?
   We know all about it, for we have been there our very selves, haven't we?
   And we are not ashamed to tell about it, for we have grown away up and beyond such ways of living.
   We feel proud because we have come out of the darkness of those days into the light of a better understanding of things, but we are not ashamed of a past we could not help.
   We know that some Indian girls in camp have a very free and easy time, but we are


fast finding out that the more KNOWLEDGE we get the happier and freer we are.
   When an Indian girl is ten years old she begins to learn how to cook, Indian way.
   She also learns how to keep the tepee clean.
   In some camps, after she is thirteen or fourteen she has little or no work to do until after she gets married, when she has it hard enough all the rest of her life.
   When she becomes a young woman the prettiest dresses are bought for her if her parents are rich, as Indian wealth goes.
   Girls do not wear as much buckskin as they used to.
   The pretty bright-colored blanket is generally given to her by her father.
   Around her waist she wears a broad belt made of leather.
   The belt is ornamented with large German-silver pieces, and sometimes a quantity of half-dollars and quarter-dollars are fastened to it.
   An Indian girl's moccasins and leggings are often covered with several pounds of beads, sewed on very artistically.
   She wears her hair parted in the middle and combed straight down at the sides and braided so as to hang close behind the ears.
   The part of the hair she paints a bright red or yellow.
   Long years ago she used to wear for a necklace, bears' teeth, and sometimes bears' claws and deer-hoofs, polished, but now beads take the place of such savage ornaments. 
---------------------------------------------------
       (Continued on Fourth Page.)
 

 


(p. 2)  [Sept. 25, 1891, HELPER, p.2]
  The Indian Helper.
  -----------------------------
  PRINTED EVERY FRIDAY, AT THE INDIAN
  INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL, CARLISLE, PA. BY THE
  INDIAN PRINTER BOYS.

  --> THE INDIAN HELPER is PRINTED by Indian boys, but EDITED by
  The-Man-on-the-band-stand, who is NOT an Indian.
  -----------------------------
  Price: - 10 cents a year.
  ==============================
  Address INDIAN HELPER, Carlisle, Pa.
        Miss M. Burgess, Manager.
  ==============================
  Entered in the P.O. at Carlisle as second class
                     mail matter.
  ==============================
  The INDIAN HELPER is paid for in advance, so do not hesitate to take the
  paper from the Post Office, for fear a bill will be presented.
  =============================
 General Morgan has returned from Europe, and is again at his post of duty as Honorable Commissioner of Indian Affairs at Washington, D.C.
 ---------
   Otto Zotom is very sick at his home in the Territory, and we hear that Julia Given is suffering from chills and fever. John Tyler at the Cheyenne Agency is also sick. The Indian Territory is a very sickly place generally at this season of the year.
 ---------
   Word from Jemima Wheelock again shows earnest energetic work as a teacher among her people, the Oneidas. She feels that she still lacks much in the line of an education and says she is not too old to go to school more, which she intends doing. She seems exceedingly grateful for what her eastern friends have done to help her. She is already looking forward to next Christmas when she hopes to have a tree for her thirty bright pupils.
 ---------
   The Superintendent of Haskell Institute, Lawrence, Kansas, Mr. Chas. F. Meserve, writes: "Some time ago I was sitting in the Post Office on an Indian reservation when a recently returned and neatly dressed Carlisle young lady entered and inquired of the postmaster if her INDIAN HELPER had come. As he handed it out to her he said, 'Does it help you any?'
   She promptly and politely replied, 'Yes, it helps me lots. I couldn't get along without it.'"
 ---------
   Henry Standing Bear writes to Capt.: "If you had seen our agency when you came you would have said: "How could my boys and girls return and stay home? I found all my horses in a starving state and all my cattle totally gone. They were taken to the bad lands during the trouble and were killed by the hostiles. Those were the cattle for which I would have money to put myself through school or college. I am at present assistant teacher, but will leave soon. I can't live here any longer. I am very anxious to get more education and will fight for it."  

   The system of numbering and registering the Jersey and Guernsey cattle in Richard Davis' charge is very complete. Each animal wears an earring, not diamond nor of the latest cut, but made of soft metal on which a number is stamped by which the cow or bull is known. A book is kept giving a history of each animal. The keeping of this book in connection with a daily report covering the number of gallons of milk, pounds of butter, number of  boys detailed to milk, the time each day they report, number of cows dry, number of calves, number of births, deaths, accidents and other things essential for our superintendent to keep track of, will give Richard considerable clerical work, and it will be an excellent school for him.
 ---------
   The Man-on-the-band-stand looked down on a great deal of fun last week, and enjoyed the roller-skating of the pupils so much that several times he was on the point of laughing out loud. Only think! If he had they might have found him out. But he saw one thing that made him proud as well as happy. Some boys were sitting on the new office steps when two ladies came up to go into the building. There was room enough for them to pass, but the two young gentlemen gracefully rose as they greeted the ladies who went up the steps. The Man-on-the-band-stand held his head high as he thought, "That is good manners for you. They know that ladies don't like to crowd past gentlemen on steps or in doorways."
 ---------
   The INDIAN HELPER commenced its seventh volume last week and in honor of the event appeared with a new engraved and very appropriate "heading," which gives five nice views of the Carlisle school, ornamented at the ends with a "before" and "after" picture of a fine-looking young Indian. In the Indian educational work the HELPER is all its name would imply, being without doubt a "help" that is felt and appreciated extensively. And, that the faithful and famous Man-on-the-band-stand may live to direct the HELPER's course till it reaches its seven times seventh volume, is the prayer of the PIPE OF PEACE. 
                 -[*Pipe of Peace,* Genoa, Neb.
 ---------
   Our Miss Wood, who is now a missionary among the Omahas is certainly very much in earnest when she says in a recent letter, "As I go into the homes here, I feel like taking every girl by the shoulder and fairly pushing them into the Pennsylvania farm houses and keep them there until they are twenty-five, at least, and it would be better if they never returned, for their condition here is truly pitiable and it makes one's heart ache to see it." Miss Wood says that Howard Frost is a loyal and grateful subject to the "Outing System." Robt. Penn is anxious to come east again, but she thinks is not well enough. Levi St.cyr has started, we are glad to hear.
 ---------
   Tom Schanandore is making for himself a splendid record at Mrs. Hilton's, two miles south of town.
 ---------
   A little New England boy writes: "I think the new heading to the HELPER is grand." 
 


 
(page 3)[Sept. 25, 1891, HELPER, p.3]
   Exhibition tonight.
   We are beginning to sigh for rain.
   Miss Seabrook has a new typewriter.
   No more skating allowed on the walks.
   How much will you take for your roller skates?
   The plasterers are at work on the hospital addition.
   The harvest moon has gone, and wasn't it a delightful one?
   The new office building is ready for the last coat of plaster.
   A party of hospital girls picnicked at the lower farm on Saturday last.
   Mr. John Bishop, of Columbus, N.J. visited the school on Monday.
   Miss Shaffner met a number of her Japanese friends in Harrisburg, on Monday.
   Miss Irene and Miss Richenda have commenced music lessons with Miss Moore.
   Miss Nana Pratt has gone to a young ladies' preparatory school, at Germantown.
   Mr. and Mrs. Standing gave nearly everybody a grape treat from the fruit of their own vine.
   The odor of the chapel paint so intoxicated Miss Cutter as to unfit her for school on Friday morning.
   Samuel Gruett and William Petoskey have been promoted to the mailing department of the HELPER and *Red Man.*
   Are you going to the Fair? Maybe so if we haven't used any tobacco or otherwise broken the rules of the school.
   Some of the boys are practicing running to compete for the prize in the running match next week on the Fair ground.
   Misses Moore and McAdam go every Saturday to Harrisburg to take instrumental and vocal instructions in classical music.
   Samuel Sixkiller has returned from his home-visit in the Indian Territory looking brown and well, and he is again at his ease as typo.
   Mr. Myers, of Ashbourne, with whom Julia Long and Susie Farwell live, visited the school last week and spoke very encouragingly to the pupils of No. 11.
   The sound of the hammer on the new boilers makes a joyful noise, for we do expect a cold spell after this warm wave.
   Mr. Wetzel gave his workmen a good time at Sterrit's gap, on Sunday. They camped in a cool place by a refreshing stream of water which obviated the necessity of carrying along anything stronger to drink.
   This does not sound well. The Man-on-the-band-stand heard the ladies speaking to each other and one was saying, "Have you noticed? Many of the boys who came in from the country forget to tip their hats, and they even forget when in the offices sometimes."
   Samuel Townsend came walking in from the station on Monday night, fresh from his home in Indian Territory. He is a Marietta, O. freshman, but will enter Dickinson, to take advantage of the law school.
    
  Celicia Wheelock has her old place as one of the normal teachers, since she came in from the country.
   The school battalion is now officered with Captains and Lieutenants in addition to Sergeants and Corporals.
   The Y.M.C.A. boys have started their Sunday afternoon meetings. Mr. Elvins of Dickinson will assist them.
   The potatoes that come from the lower farm are prodigies for bigness, but where are the tomatoes? We ALL love tomatoes.
   Everybody says peaches are so plentiful, but the boys and girls say they have not had much evidence of it in the dining room.
   Yesterday, Master Don was eleven years old, and received a handsome violin for a birthday present, from his papa and mamma.
   The Man-on-the-band-stand occasionally notices some boys and girls who have not yet learned better, throw ink from the pen after dipping it in the well. One of the distinguished home visitors, at study hour Tuesday evening, had a very handsome white apron ruined by a boy carelessly throwing ink in said manner. The teachers have spoken enough about this matter and now we think it is time for the careless pupils to be brought up standing, if they do not correct the untidy habit. Who likes to see ink blots on the floor?
   A large Herdic load of teachers and officers went in to Metzger Friday night to hear Miss Rankin read. The next day she visited the school, as a guest of Miss Botsford. The following Monday evening she visited some of the school rooms during study-hour and on reaching No. 12 last, gave the students there a treat by reciting to them a very pathetic story of the war and then livening them up again with a funny incident graphically told.
   Ah! The Endeavors heard from! The Man-on-the-band-stand knew of the first meeting of the Girls' Endeavor Society but left it to the Society to make some little manifestation as to whether or not they wished anything said of their meetings, in the columns of our weekly letter. Now comes the request to say that the meeting in the girls' assembly room last Friday evening was a lively one. On the debate of the question, "Resolved that the reservation system should be broken up," Nellie Robertson and Annie Boswell took the affirmative side, while Luzena Choteau and Adelia Lower spoke on the negative. So many of the members took part that the debate was of more than usual interest.
   One of the most interesting and exciting games that has ever been our pleasure to witness occurred Saturday between the Standards and Invincibles. At the end of the ninth inning, a Standard was put out at first after the man running home touched the home base. A dispute arose as to whether the man home should be counted for the Standards. One Umpire decided that the point should be counted making the score tie and the Invincibles left the field leaving the score:
   Invincibles - 1 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 - 8
   Standards   - 0 1 0 3 0 1 2 0 1 - 8
   There was splendid playing on both sides, and we hope to see another inning to decide the championship.      
 


(page 4)  (Continued From the First Page.)
--------------------------------------------------
  A garment greatly prized by Sioux girls is a cloth sack covered with elk teeth.
   We remember in the early days of the school what a pretty sack of this description Rosy White Thunder wore.
   The camp girl likes to paint her cheeks a very bright red or yellow, which colors (the Man-on-the-band-stand is bound to admit) are becoming.
   The young girls are quiet modest and shy.
   Many of them are models of propriety.
   Only the bad girls are loud and coarse and talk too much, which is also the case in so-called civilized society.
 ==============
   HONESTY OF ALASKAN INDIANS.
     -------
   The unwritten laws of the Alaskans are seldom broken.
   They never steal from a guest and never steal from one of their own totem.
   An unguarded camp or an unguarded house is sacredly respected.
   Though they may be used temporarily nothing will be destroyed or misappropriated unless impelled by want.
   It is an old-time custom to "cache" their surplus of blankets and goods.
   For instance, a family will build a mound hut or log cabin some distance from their dwelling house, in which they store their blankets and provisions where they sometimes remain for years and no native would think of stealing from this "cache."
   Again, wood may be corded by the sea shore or in the wilderness and no one will molest it.
   A deer may be left hanging on a tree out of reach of flesh-eating animals and no stray hunter will touch it.
   Whenever there are indications that a man will return for his possessions the same will not be molested.
   Could so much be said of the white men? 
            -[*The North Star*
 ===============
   We have just heard from Walter Holland, one of our boys who left here about two weeks ago for Carlisle, Pa., where he went to attend the Indian School at that place. Walter labored under difficulties, being an orphan and without means, but with energy and perseverance of which he is well supplied, we believe he will reach the top round and become a useful man. -[*The Indian Arrow,* Tahlequah, I.T.
 =============
   Of the 12 largest cities in the world three are in Japan.
   "Yes, my wife thinks she must have the HELPER again and I guess I am about as anxious to see it every week as she is. We have been more or less interested in the welfare of the Indian since James Kawaykla lived with us. James is a good boy and we hope he may do well." -[SUBSCRIBER.
 ----------
   "I have become so attached to the paper in receiving it one year that I will renew it for another year. -[BETHLEHEM SUBSCRIBER.
 ----------
   The hill of life has never been graded and never will be.
 ---------
   The devil has lots of silent partners in the world.
 ---------
   Lydia Gardner writes that she thinks that she and Blanche and Sarah have the best places of all the country girls. A great many of our girls think that, this year.
 --------
        Enigma.
   I am made of 13 letters.
   My 5, 2, 3, is to cry like a cat.
   My 12, 11, 1, 8 is what dudes carry.
   My 4, 6, 10 is what a drunkard becomes.
   My 9, 13, 11, 10, 2 is what we like to do on ice.
   My 6, 7 stands for "all correct."
   My whole is decidedly the tallest thing at our school.
 ---------
   ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S ENIGMA: Liberty.                =========
       STANDING OFFER.
   Premiums will be forwarded free to persons sending subscriptions for the INDIAN HELPER, as follows:
   1. For one subscription and a 2-cent stamp extra, a printed copy of the Pueblo photo advertised below in paragraph 5.
   2. For two subscriptions and a 1-cent stamp extra, the printed copy of Apache contrast, the original photo of which, composing two groups, on separate cards (8x10), may be had by sending 30 subscriptions and 5 cents extra.
   (This is the most popular photograph we have ever had taken, as it shows such a decided contrast between a group of Apaches as they arrived and the same pupils four months later.)
   3. For five subscriptions and a 1-cent stamp extra, a group of the 17 Indian printer boys. Name and tribe of each given. Or, pretty faced pappoose in Indian cradle. Or, Richard Davis and family.
   4. For seven subscriptions and a 2-cent stamp extra, a boudoir combination showing all our prominent buildings.
   5. For ten subscriptions and a 2-cent stamp extra, two  photographs, one showing a group of Pueblos as they arrived in their Indian dress and another of the same pupils three years after, showing marked and interesting contrast. Or, a contrast of a Navajo boy as he arrived and a few years after.
   6. For fifteen subscriptions and 5-cents extra, a group of the whole school (9x14), faces show distinctly. Or, 8x10 photo of prominent Sioux chiefs. Or, 8x10 photo of Indian baseball club. Or, 8x10 photo of graduating classes, choice of '89, '90, '91. Or, 8x10 photo of buildings.
   7. For forty subscriptions and 7-cents extra, a copy of "Stiya, a returned Carlisle Indian girl at home."
   Without accompanying extra for postage, premiums will not be sent.



 

  Transcribed from the original by Barbara Landis-- http://www.carlisleindianschool.org  There is a discussion page and blog linked among the menu options on the web pages.