University of Virginia Library

39. Indian School-Boys
BY CAPTAIN DANIEL GOOKIN (1674)

PART I[150]

THAT which I shall here offer, may be included under two heads. First, that our utmost efforts be used, with all industry and diligence, that the Indians, especially the children and youth, may be taught to speak, read, and write, the English tongue.

For this end I propose, first, that as many of their

children as may be procured, with the free Consent of their parents and relations, be placed in sober and Christian families, as apprentices, until the youths are twenty-one years, and the maids are eighteen

INDIAN WRITINGS.

[Description: Black and white illustration of a kind of hieroglyphics — pictures used as words.]

years of age: the boys to be instructed in the trades practiced by their masters; and the girls in good housewifery of all sorts: with this provision in all contracts and indentures, that they shall be taught to read and write the English tongue at the cost of their masters. And this may be easily accomplished, because servants are scarce in New England. The ordering of this affair must be committed to the management of prudent persons, who have an interest in the Indians, and who may be able, by their authority and wisdom, so to argue the case with the Indians, as to convince them that such a plan is for their children's good. For Indians are generally so indulgent to their children, that they are not easily persuaded to give them over to the English.

Secondly, another way for bringing this matter to pass, is by setting up one or two free schools, to teach them to read and write English. But this thing hath

some difficulty in it; partly because a person suitable to be a schoolmaster will not be willing to leave the English society, and to live constantly among the Indians, as such a work would require. There is also the question as to how the Indian children that are sent to school, shall be provided with food and clothing, without charge on the Indian property of the Indian tribe. The only exception to this should be a blue coat for each of them once a year, which will not cost much, but will greatly encourage the Indians.[151]

For the accomplishing of this matter for the Indians within the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, I have consulted and advised with Mr. Eliot;[152] and we both joined in a proposal to the honored commissioners of the United Colonies, at their last meeting. I have consulted also with most of the principal rulers and teachers of the praying Indians,[153] and they have generally agreed and approved the expedient following.

PART II

THERE is an Indian village, within twenty-eight or thirty miles from Boston, westward upon the road to Connecticut, called Okommakamesit, otherwise Marlborough, which lieth very near the centre of most of the praying villages. This Indian plantation[154] joineth unto an English town called Marlborough; so that the English and Indian plantations bear the same name. In this Indian plantation there is a piece of fertile land, containing above one hundred and fifty acres, upon which the Indians have lived for some little time, and they have planted apple-trees thereupon which bear an abundance of fruit.

This parcel of land, with the addition of twenty

acres of the nearest meadow, and a woodland of about fifty acres, is well worth two hundred pounds in money.[155] Yet the Indians will willingly devote it to this work; for it brings little or no profit to them, nor is it ever like to do so. The Englishmen's cattle devour all in it, because it lies open and unfenced; and while the Indians planted there, it was in a way fenced by them; yet by their improvidence and bad fences, they reaped little benefit in those times; and that was one cause of their removal.

Now I propose that. the parcel of land above described, be set apart for an Indian free school, and confirmed by an act of the General Court of this colony, for this end forever:[156] and that it be fenced with a stone wall into two or three enclosures for cow pastures. This may be done easily, because there are stones enough at hand upon it. Then to build a convenient house for a schoolmaster and his family, and under the same roof may be room for a school: also to build some outhouses for hay, and cattle The cost of all this will not amount to above two hundred pounds in money. When this is done, the place will be fit to accommodate a schoolmaster and his family, without any other salary than the use of this farm.

Moreover, it is very probable, that the English people of Marlborough, will gladly and readily send their children to the same school, paying the schoolmaster for them. This will better his income and be good for them, for they have no school in that place at the present. In regard to this plan, I have heard some of the most prudent white people lament; but it is expensive to raise a school and support a schoolmaster for twenty or thirty children, and the inhabitants are backward in doing it.

The laws of the colony require every village consisting of fifty families, to provide a school to teach the English tongue and to write; but these people of Marlborough, because they have not quite fifty families, take that low advantage so as to ease their purses of this common charge.[157] But as soon as this school herein proposed, is set up, it will be to their interest to put their children to it, because this will be the cheapest and easiest way that they can take.

By my plan the schoolmaster will reap an advantage in his neighborhood, and be in communion with the English church at Marlborough. This will tend to remove the first difficulty. Besides, the English and Indian children will learn together in the same school, and that will promote the Indians' learning to speak the English tongue. Of this we have had experience, when Indian children were taught by English schoolmasters at Roxbury and Cambridge, in former years. Then several Indian children were kept at those schools. A second difficulty is this: how shall these Indian children, though they have their schooling free, be provided with diet[158] and clothing, without public charge? I answer, that I have conferred with several of the most prudent and judicious Indians of the other towns, who think there will be no difficulty to provide board for their children, by procuring it at reasonable rates from the Indians, their countrymen, who inhabit Marlborough. And as for clothing, a little serves them, and that of a poor sort, and their parents can provide it, especially if the Honorable Corporation order them a blue coat once a year in the beginning of winter, and also provide them with books.