Difficulties of the American
Indian Student
. .Til#™ following essoy was written
b> Fobei’t *T. IVratovich Jr. of Ivla
work, Alaska. Young Mr. IVratovich
is a son of Robert IVratovieli, a
]>r miinent citizen of the West roast.
-o
The Indian student is often times
discouraged before entering college,
and due to this fact he never at
tempts to further his education any
higher than the one he received
from a reservation school. He real
izes that if he is brought from the
camp or reservation and passes from
one institution to another till he re
ceives his final diploma as a grad
uate with the degree of bachelor of
arts of a doctor of medicine, he must
begin bis life work— where? At
New York, Boston, Philadelphia, or
where possibilities may flourish. If
so. the chances are that he will die
of homesickness, or starve. As a
speaker at a church or society meet
ings, for awhile lie may prove an at
traction for persons to whom an
educated Indian is a novelty, hut
sucn occasional appearances uo no:
constitute a livelihood, for other
have tried it, and tlie white altruists
will go on employing white lawyers
ai d white physicians will prob
ably prefer the religious ministra
tions of a white clergyman.
Moreover, in an Eastern city the
Indian is at the same disadvantage
socially as professionally. Possibly,
ho had better settle in a more West
ern city such as Chicago, St. Louis
or Minneapolis—but he shall be in
the same situation here as if he weie
in the East for others have tried it.
M hat is there then left for the In
dian professional man to do? He can
go back to his own country. What
awaits him if he does? A little bet
ter welcome, perhaps, than he found
in the East, but not enough to satis
fy his aspirations for leadership. If
he is a physician, he has to meet
deadly competition with white physi
cians in any white community, while
among his own people the old medi
cine men fight him. If he is a law
yer he stands a larger chance, hut
the persons who bring him cases
usually do so because they hope to
use him as a lure for other Indians
in some scheme they are working.
Besides the old people laugh at his
un-lndian ways; most of the young
pe pie, even those who have had
their education near home, feel
esl ranged from him. His diploma
finds him nothing to do, and he des
pises the old life while in no condi
tion to get away from it. No wonder
he hasn’t any ambition to continue
his education.
me most mat win discourage an
Indian student occurs while he is in
college or in any school other than
the reservation school. Because o;
his complexion, the white student
will not associate with him. And
since, just coming from the reserva
tion where he always spoke his own
language, he has a difficulty in ex
prasdng himself in English, thev
call him a foreigner or an Oriental
such as an Italian, Japanese, Fili
pino, etc The Indian student is
proud of his own race and feels
hurt when he is called an Oriental,
and never cares to he wherever ha
is not wanted. No wonder he pre
fers to be in the reservation by him
self and among his own people where
he does not have to study theories
nor speak the English language, and
continue in the ways of living hand
ed down to him by his ancestors.
Th*re lies the key-note of the diffi
culties of the American Indian stu
dent - the reservation. The only
remedy I can recommend is to “abo
lish the reservation system.” Pro
brbiy a brief history and origin of
the reservation system is necessary
tc bring out my point.
When the thirteen States consti
tui.ed the American Republic, there
was no prophet to forsee the time
when the republic would stretch
f»om the Atlantic to the Pacific, an l
and from the Great Lakes to the
Gvll of Mexico. If there were any
such prophet lie was as a voice cry
ing in the wilderness; no one heard
01 heeded.
The infant republic did not know
and took little pains to ascertain the
extent of the domain which stretch
ed to the west, or the number or
character of the people who roamed
over it. As the boundary line was
pushed steadly westward, treaties
were made with the Indians that all
tile territory west of a given bound
ary was reserved for them forever.
I think it was about 1800 A. I), tluu
such a treaty was made, securing
for + hem for all future time the land
west of the Mississippi River. Ail
futi'ie time is a long while, and each
new treaty was made only to be bro
ken as increase of population and
incoming immigration made new de
mands on the continent for support.
Thus gradually grew up without de
sign the so-called reservation sys
tem. Less and less land was reserved
to the Indians; more and more was
taken up oy the whites; until at
lest certain relatively small sections
were deeded to separate Indian
tribes.
Jn lliese reservations, according
to tlie treaties made, the tribes were
at liberty to remain forever hunters
and trappers, freed from the obliga
tions and without the advantages
and perils of civilization. These re
servations have been practically pri
son yards, within which the tribes
have been confined. If any member
passed beyond the boundaries with
out permission he was liable to ar
rest. If he raised crops or manu
factured goods he could not carry