| OCR Text |
Show EDUCATIONAL WORK AMONG THE INDIANS A Narrative of Grand Effort and Glorious ResultsShould Re-sultsShould Put an End to all Opposition Opposi-tion Inspired by Bigotry. (From the Butte Miner of March .12.) To go into details concerning the work of Saint Marv's mission would fill a whole volume, but suffice it to say it prospered from the very start. Father HeSmet a year or two later went to Europe, and succeeded in securing additional assistants as well as funds to carry on the work. The first grist mill and first saw mill in Montana were constructed at Saint Mary's as early as lS-io, the mill stones having been brought from Europe. These stones; may be seen today in the museum at Saint Ignatius' mis- tiun- . .j , , . Saint Mary's mission was temporarily closed in IS.rA owing to the fact that' the Indians seemed to become estranged, careless, indifferent and pretentious, preten-tious, to a degree that all efforts of the fathers in their behalf were unheeded. This condition of affairs af-fairs was brought about by some winter season hunters and trappers appearing among them on the pretense of coming to practice their religion, demanding de-manding that the fathers support them. On being refused the wolfers and trappers proceeded to poison the minds of the Indians, and even succeeded beyond their fondest hopes. It was deemed expedient expedi-ent to close the mission and teach the Flatheads a lesson. The improvements were leased to Major John Owen with the proviso that they revert back to the fathers at any time they wished them; the improvements to be kept in good condition. The conveyance and lease of the property is believed to be the first ever executed in Montana, and bore the 'date of November 5, 1850. However, in September, the mission was reopened. The work was carried car-ried on with great success by different priests, among the number being Father Ravalli, who passed to his rest in his seventy-third year on October 2, 1SS4. His body was interred in Saint Mary's cemetery, ceme-tery, among the Indians, and a large monument today to-day marks the spot. Saint Mary's mission was finally fin-ally closed on the fiftieth anniversary of its foundation, found-ation, being brought about through the removal by . the government of the-Flatheads to the reservation - set aside .by the government for their use and now known as the Flathead reservation. - ', "Historical facts relate that the first Saint Ignatius' Ignat-ius' mission was founded as early as 1811 by Father DeSmet and Father Hoecken among the Kalispel Indians on the banks of the Pend d'Oreille river. However, this site proved a most unfavorable one. Always with the spring brought high waters caused by the melting of the snows in the mountains and a new site had to be chosen. The priests had now gained a better knowledge of the country and were not long in choosing a site in the Jocko reservation, where Saint Ignatius stands today. This site was the unanimous choice of the Indians. The spot proved one of the most fertile and abundant of the northwest territory, and here the Indians thrived and prospered. The place was called by the Indians Sinielemen, which means meeting place or rendezvous. rendez-vous. The valley is from ten to twelve miles in width and runs from south to north about thirty miles. At its northern boundary lies the Flathead lake, one of the prettiest bodies of water in the northwest country. It is about forty miles in length and ten miles wide. The Northern Pacific railroad runs within six miles of the southern boundary. Saint Ignatius' mission was established in the fall of 1S.1-1 by Father Hoecken and Father Menetry, and it is said to be the finest institution of the kind in Montana. Although the treaty by which the Indians were remQved from the Bitter Root to the Jocko reservation provided that the Indians were to have a school and teachers, a blacksmith, carpenter, etc., still it was some years before those were carried car-ried into reality. In 1856 was erected the first church at the mission, mis-sion, this structure being 40x100 feet, with belfry, the material being secured by means of a whip saw mill. The frame was erected and held together I by wooden pins, nails at that tunc, being unobtatn- able in that part of the country, and even if obtain- , I able, would have been nearly as precious as gold. This church stand.-, today on the mb-sbm site, but it I is no longer ii-ed as a meeting place, having given . j. way to a tine -tone f-tnicimv, costing about, J.V'im. The work undertaken by the Catholics in thi- ' mi.-ion had all lhe hardships which had to be con- .. f tended with in others, but they persevered and tho , fruits of their effort.- is Mih'icienf dory for all th;it ' has been done in behalf of the Indians. Iu the yar a sclu.ij for ib.e Indian children was considered a possibility a- well a- a neeo--ii. and building- were started. .My fall of the folio-ing folio-ing year a colony of Sisters of rmvideuce from , Mmtreal came to lhe ini--ioii. e-tablishinir the tir t '. school of it- kind in the norl bwe-t . I'roni this time on the matter of civilizing the Indians s'-omcd to practically assured. The little colony of women workers who came on! from Montreal wa- coin- . posed of SUer Mary of the Infant -le-ii, ft the head. Sister Mary Ivlward. Si-ter l'aui Miki and '. ' ' Sister Icini. They "went lo .New York, tiineo aroun-l the Isthmus of Manama an-l v.' to San I-ran risen, reaching Vancouver. Ore.. July 11. M vta- ; .the seventeenth day of October when they reached '. . the mission, after a most i in-some journey overlau.l ' ' from Vancouver. Immediately upon their arm a I they opened the s. h-.ol, altboudi the building was not yet ready. That they biubbd well is evidenced from the f.plen.vd structures which are a part of ' the mission today, a photograph of which i- -howu elsewhere. Si-ter Mary is still a resident of Saint' j lirnal in-' mission, where -he enjoy.- lairly go..d , health. ' . The Frsuliue si-ters followed the sister., of Providence in and they have accomplished wonders in the education of the Indian chddren. f "Mather Van rir. Society of .le-us. is in chars: .. . I of the mission, with Father D'Aste a- a-si.-tant. I Both the fathers have been there for many year-, I and are greatly loved and revered by the Indians. j" Sister Angelia is in charge of the Siters of Provi- , , dence school, while Mother Perpetua is superior of . , the Si-ters of Frsuliue The former have charge of the boarding school, while th latter conduct the kindergarten. Father Van Gorp superintends the boys' school, being assisted by other fathers and teachers. The total number of children enrolled is 050. The girls are taken as early a two yer-, and may remain in the school as long as they desire. They learn all the domestic duties as well as to teach. The boys are permitted to remain in the : school until they are fifteen or sixteen years of aze, after which they are supposed to be able to battle for themselves. There are some thirty-three person engaged in the work, there being ten fathers, teachers teach-ers and brothers, fifteen Sisters of Providence and eight Ursuline sisters. ; "The school for the boys was started in 17 by Father Palladino. now priest in charge of the Missoula Mis-soula parish. The fat Iter was connected with the Safcit Ignatius mission from 17 to 187:5. and then again from 183 to iss7. To him is due much of the credit, for the historical facts as recorded herein. here-in. For. forty years this noble Christian man has I labored among the Indians and white people of : western Montana, and he is loved and honored by all who know him. The boys were taught nearly every' known trade, but that of saddle and harness making seems to have the most charms tor them. The boys devote themselves very industrious- J ly to their chosen work, and many of them have be- j come quite proficient. . I "The newest departure in the boarding school j was the nursery or kindergarten, where little papooses from two years up were received. This was stated by way of an experiment, and it has . t proved from the beginning a most successful veil- ture. ;. I ''Some fifteen years ago an elegant church edi- ; I fice was erected at the mission. It is a stone stnu;- ture, somewhat larger than the Missoula Catholic Church, and is considered one of the finest buildings S in the state of Montana. It's value is about !,3.,orio, j. although Ihe exact cost, did not amount to that much, owing to the fact that the material was quar- ried in the vicinity of the mission. . " "One has but to visit lhe mission to see the great and marvelous work that is being done with the In- dians by the Catholic people. On every hand are ; . j evidences of the many things these boys and girls . . have been able to accomplish through the tutorage j j ' of these zealous and untiring workers." j |
