, California
.
SHERMAN INSTITUTE
BY E. W. HOLMES
One of the conspicuous features of Riverside, of which her citizens are
proud, is the great government Indian school located on Magnolia avenue
in the Arlington section. The name was given it as a tribute to
the late Vice-President Sherman, a warm friend of the American Indian,
who was at the time of its organization the chairman of the
congressional committee on Indian affairs. THere had been a
school for Indian youth near Perris, which, under the management of
Harwood Hall, had demonstrated the value of such a method of training
the Indian for American citizenship, and when it became evident that
larger accommodations and better surroundings wer necessary to carry
forward effectively this splendid philantropic work the effort to
secure the proposed larger instituion for Riverside had the support of
men of national repuitation, like Albert K. Smiley of Redlands, Collis
P. Huntington, and others, and of the California representitives
in both houses of congress. The cornerstone of the first building
was laid June 18, 1901, by Hon. A. C. Tanner, assistant commissioner of
Indian affairs, Senator Perkins and other taking part in the exervises
, and in May of the following year nine of the buildings were
completed, and the enrollment of pupils began. The school has an
enrollment in 1912 of 631 pupils, who hail from twelve states and
represent fifty-five tribes. The management of Harwood Hall, and
of his successor, Frank M. Conser, has been admirable, and the
character and acquirements of the graduates who have gone out from
Sherman Institute to take their places among other American citizens
furnishes the strongest possible evidence of the sensible and
thoroughly practical training given them That the climate and
other advantages claimed for the location by those who urged it is
evidenced by the report made by Superintendent Conser at the end of the
tenth year of its existence, when he says: "The school is located
in the midst of people of the highest culture and refinement, and the
student of Sherman Institute is fortunate in his fight for character
and edcuation to be surrounded by such influences. There has not
been a liquor saloon in the city for many years, and the sympathy of
the entire community is with the Indian boy and girl. In fact, a
more favorable environment could not be found for an education
institution than Riverside." The school grounds proper contain
forty acres, beautiful with lawns and walks and ornamental trees, amid
which are located thirty-five buildings of the Mission styles of
architecture. Adjoining is Chemawa Park, furnishing ample space
for field sports. Few colleges have buildings and surroundings
more beautiful than those of Sherman Institute.
The course of study provided carries the student through the eighth
grade, and those who desire can enter the high school of business
college of Riverside. But the industrial courses are placed upon
an equal plane with academic. The boys are taught carpentry,
blacksmithing, printing and other trades, and the girls trained in
sewing, general housekeeping, laudy work and nursing. The Indian
children gathered here have shown a special aptitude for music, and the
girls' mandolin club and the boys' brass band have always ranked high
in a musical way.
Four miles below the school proper the government has a hundred -acre
farm, well equippped, where the students are given training as regular
farmers, and in dairying and begetable growing. The vegetables,
butter and mild produced supply the needs in this direction of the
entire school. The farm has a value of some $75,00, and its productgs
in 1912 amounted to $8,379. The total value of the land,
buildings and equipment of the school and farm doubtless exceeds
$450,000.
History of Riverside County, California :
with
biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who
have been identified with its growth and development from the early
days to the present
Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic Record Co., 1912, 800 pgs.
page 119- transcribed by Carolyn Feroben
SEE THE SHERMAN INSTITUTE CENSUS- 1910
SEE THE SHERMAN INSTITUTE CENSUS- 1920
MARIPOSA COUNTY NATIVE AMERICAN LINKS
MARIPOSA COUNTY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY