The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 29, July 1925 - April, 1926 Page: 102

                                
Southwestern Historical Quarterly

given some of the Caddoes and Anadarkoes permission to go on
small hunting and scouting parties. This was not for any profit
to be derived except recreation for the Indians, who were restless
because they were too closely confined.23
The principal occupation of the Indians was agriculture, for the
object of the Federal Government was to make the reservations
self supporting communities. With that end in view it employed
two farmers to instruct the agency Indians, and two laborers to
assist them.24  Ross wrote Neighbors, September, 1856, that crops
were not as good as they had expected them to be because of the
early appearance of grasshoppers and later extreme dry weather.25
In September, 1857, Samuel Church wrote Ross that the Indians
were doing well with their crops; besides wheat and corn, they had
large crops of peas, beans, pumpkins, squash, and melons.       The
stock looked well and the women milked the cows and made butter.26
About the same time Jonathan Murray wrote Ross concerning
progress among his tribes. Due to frosts and snows, planting had
to be done three or four times. They had raised an abundance of
vegetables, and the chinese sugar cane which the Indian Depart-
ment had sent them promised a heavy yield.27 Major Neighbors
in his report to the department for that year, 1857, said that the
Brazos Agency had produced 8,000 bushels of corn and 1,560
bushels of wheat on five hundred forty acres. Besides this, there
was a large supply of vegetables, enough for subsistence for the
next year.2s
The Government neglected the matter of education for the
Agency until just about a year before it abandoned the reservation
system in Texas. Reverend John W. Phillips of the Methodist
Episcopal Church wanted to establish a mission school for the
Indians, and Neighbors wrote Mix September 10, 1855, that he
hoped Mix would consider the plan favorably. The tribes were
anxious for a school, and he thought the Indians ought to be edu-
cated; the children ought to learn English.29       Five days later,
"35 Cong., 1 Sess., House Doc. No. 2, p. 557.
2"34 Cong., 1 Sess., House Doc. No. 1, p. 504.
34 Cong., 3 Sess., Senate Doc. No. 5, p. 730.
a235 Cong., 1 Sess., House Doc. No. 2, pp. 557-558.
"735 Cong., 1 Sess., House Doc. No. 2, pp. 559-560.
2"35 Cong., 1 Sess., House Doc. No. 2, p. 551.
234 Cong., 1 Sess., House Doc. No. 1, p. 541.