What's To Become Of The Indian?
Answering the question, "What is to Become of the American Indian?" oftimes asked by our well meaning people, Benjamin Brave, full-blood Sioux from the Brule reservation in South Dakota, student in the printing department in the journalism class at the State School of Science here this week, gives the Indian's answer, says a news story from Wahpeton. Mr. Brave's article, which appears in the "Small Pica," the school paper, follows in full.
"What Is to Become of the American Indian? The only good Indian is the dead one, was a popular phrase in the 19th century. The question now is, What is becoming of the American Indian?
"From time to time the Indian is called to our attention. We see him in the "movies," on the reservations and at rodeos, with his aboriginal makeup and his feathered paraphernalia. Once a member of a great race, we now refer to him as 'the vanishing American.'
"A new generation now faces a great problem. What is to become of the Indian youth? In him lies the hope of his race. For him there is if he intends to hold his own along side of his white brother, a difficult task and a great responsibility. He has started late in a competition, a competition for education, culture and intellectual power.
"Scarcely 30 years ago we find the American Indian in his primitive and semi-savage state, with his pagan ideas, pagan dance and pagan worship. Thirty years have brought about great changes in the white man's world, transforming invention and great progress.
"Do you think that civilization in [ ] primitive state could get back to where it now is in 30 years time. The Indian may be lazy, worthless and unreliable at times, eager to learn the white man's vices and [ ] his virtues. But civilization doesn't happen over night. Give the Indian a chance, put before him the best of your civilization, give him time to grasp it.
"One notable advantage the Indian has, that of being a natural athlete. This he gets from his fathers, who for generations have fought rivers, floods, the wind and the sun. Fighting nature has built for the redman a wonderful physique, fine inheritance which he must guard against the invasion of vices the white man has brought.
"The responsibilities of saving [ ] race from vanishing lie in the Indian
youth's ability to preserve the health he has inherited, guard against
the vices which have been brought to him, and learn to [ ] what is best
in the white man's civilization."