INDIAN SCHOOL PACIFIC NORTHWEST 77
Indians west of the Rocky Mountains are capable of the union of mental and physical discipline, as taught in your establish- ment. For I have seen with my own eyes, children, who, two years ago, were roaming their own native wilds in a state of savage barbarism, now being brought within the knowledge of moral and religious instruction, becoming useful members of society, by being taught the most useful of all arts, agri- culture, and all of this without the slightest compulsion." 10 The total lack of discernment as to mission methods and aims is often shown in the Victor-Bancroft work on Oregon. Their comment on this phase of the mission work is as follows : "But from pupils the wards of the mission were likely to become servants, while so much labor was required to make their teach- ers comfortable, and as the savage is by nature adverse to labor, the demands made upon the children at the mission were sure to operate against the success of the school." 11
Until the year 1839 the school was conducted within the mission house, but during that year a special room was added which became the school room proper. The equipment con- sisted very largely of the slates and books furnished by the Eastern friends of the mission. Reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography constituted the formal studies of the class room. Mr. Shepard was a teacher of some years standing, having taught in various villages in New England. We have no detailed knowledge as to what his methods of teaching were, but considering that he actually accomplished a great deal with the untutored minds of his Indian children, who respected and loved him, we know that he must have had considerable nat- ural ability as a teacher, great patience and perseverance, and great affection for those he taught. Some things which Shep- ard wrote to one of his former pupils in his home state con- cerning the love of his Indian pupils for picture books and "pretty" stories, rather suggests that perhaps he had wisely departed from the rather stern and rigorous ways which almost universally prevailed in the schools of that day, a suggestion which is well sustained by all that we know of the man's great love, and affection which his pupils manifested towards him. 12
10 Quoted by G. Hines: Oregon, pp. 22-3.
11 Bancroft: Oregon, Vol. I, pp. 162-3.
12 Quoted by Mudge: p. 183.
