Jambs E. Gregg, Principal George P. Phenix, Vice Principal Frank K. Rogers, Treasurer William H. Scoville, Secretary The Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute HAMPTON, VIRGINIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES William Howard Taft, president Clarence H. Kelsey, vice president Francis G. Peabody, vice president George Foster Peabody Charles E. Bigelow Arthur Curtiss James William Jay Schieffeun Frank W. Darling J. Henry Scattergood Samuel C. Mitchell Alexander B. Trowbridge Chester B. Emerson James E. Gregg Robert R. Moton W. Cameron Forbes Henry Wilder Foote Homer L. Ferguson c A circular of information to all who are interested in the education of the American Indian OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL June 1, 1922 In April, 1878, at the request of Captain R. H. Pratt, a group of seventeen Indians, who had been held in Florida as prisoners of war, were admitted to Hampton Institute, which had been estab- lished by General S. C. Armstrong , ten years before, as a normal and industrial school for Negroes. The satisfactory progress of these first Indian students led to the addition of forty-nine more from the Northwest in the autumn of the same year. The enter- prise immediately won the interest and sympathy of Presi- dent Hayes and of the Honorable Carl Schurz, Secretary of the Interior; and in the following year the Government established at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a school for Indians to provide training similar to that of Hampton in elementary subjects, agriculture, and the mechanic arts. The Government continued to give financial support to the education of Indians at Hampton until 1912. The enrollment rose to 160 in 1887; in 1911-' 12 it had fallen to 81; in the following year, when the appropriation had been withdrawn, it was 44; in 1918-19 it was 16; this year there have been 29 Indian students. It is evident that the lack of Government aid, the distance of Hampton from the more important reservations, and the fact that this is not distinctly an Indian school have operated and will operate powerfully to hinder Indian students from coming to Hampton. Futhermore, the strengthening in recent years of the schools in the West — both the Government schools and those un- der private and church management — has in large measure met the need of such training as Hampton offers. In April of this year, Miss Caroline W. Andrus, who, suc- ceeding Miss Cora M. Folsom, has been for about fifteen years Indian Correspondent and in charge of the Indian Record Office, resigned her position; and in view of the present small enrollment of Indian students, the Trustees of the Institute have decided to appoint no one to succeed her, with the understanding that her work shall be cared for, so far as possible, by the other officers of the school. It is not in the least intended to cut off or to discour- age the admission of Indian students; all who wish and are quali- fied to enter the Institute will be welcomed and, as before, will be gladly granted all its privileges. In view of the good record which many of the Indian graduates and part-course former stu- dents of Hampton have made, it is to be desired that there may continue to be a representative group of Indian students here. The entrance requirements are now somewhat higher than they have been; new students should be able to do work of high-school grade. But the advanced courses in teacher-training , home eco- nomics, business, and agriculture, as well as the eleven courses of the Trade School in carpentry, blacksmithing , automobile me- chanics, etc., are stronger than they have ever been; in agricul- ture and in normal training, courses are now offered leading to the degrees of B. S. in Agricultural Education and B. A. in Edu- cation. It is hoped that there may he some Indian students who will wish to take advantage of these courses. As in the past, spe- cial attention will he given to the care of all students in manners and morals; and the inculcation of practical Christianity is held to he the most important purpose for which the Hampton School exists. Catalogues and other material describing the life and work of Hampton Institute will be sent gladly upon application; and questions upon any points not covered by this circular will be welcomed.