University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1937 Intelligence and achievement of white and Salish Indian children Bessie Young Marble The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Marble, Bessie Young, "Intelligence and achievement of white and Salish Indian children" (1937). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 7913. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/7913 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. TKd AED ACRIi:VüJ±jlTT 0? ..iilTE AxO SALlSxi IISfJlAtJ CxilLDIiijJT ix B.A, State Uni/Versity of/Montana ( 1936) Presented in partial fullfillment of the requirements for the degree of Easter of Arts STATA UUrVSRSITy OP MOIJTANA 1937 Approved: Chairman of the Board of Examiners Chaiman of Committee on Graduate Study Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: EP38714 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI* OttMMrtstion UMI EP38714 Published by ProQuest LLG (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQ^st* ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 - 1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Introduction by Former Superintendent Charles E, Coe Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SALISE INDIANS I was in the employ of the United States Indian service for more than thirty years, two thirds of this service was executive and supervisory, either as Superintendent of various Indian reservations or as Special Supervisor, During this period of Service I was at all times In more or less Intimate contact with many of the Indian tribes occupying the western half of the United States and have had some contacts with the Indians of British Columbia, These long years of service afforded an excellent opportunity for studying the different tribes and making comparisons of their native abilities. The Sa^-lsh Indians, occupying the present Flathead Indian Reservation are of the Sallshan family and rather closely re­ lated to the Coeur d* Alene, Fend 0»Rlelle and Kallspel tribes. Remnants of the two later tribes are with the Sallsh on the Flathead reservation. The Sallsh have fever been a peaceful people and are proud of their long continued friendship with the white race. Before white settlement put an end to tribal warfare, the Sallsh suffered severely from raids of the fierce Blackfeet, While they were peace loving and did nothing to Incite war. In defense of their homes and hunting grounds they were brave and resource­ ful, and were able to defend their heritage against their more aggressive neighbors. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The records of the Lewis and Clark expedition show the Salish Indians as being of the highest type of Indians encount­ ered on that historic journey. They particularly emphasized the Salish traits of honesty, truthfulness, and morality. The religious history of the Salish is peculiar and very interesting and differs from that of any other tribe of North America. The missionaries in all other cases carried the gospel to the Indians, but the Salish made a sustained effort of their own to get this religion. Having heard something about the Black Robes (Priests) from some wandering Iroquois Indians, they desired to have this new religion for their own. The nearest priests were in St. Louis, more than a thousand miles away. The trails were momarked and unknown and country through which they must travel inhabited by warlike and hostile tribes. To undertake such a journey required courage, intelligence, perseverence and many weary months of hard and dangerous travel. Without going into details, it is sufficient for the purposes of this article to say that the Salish started four different expeditions to St. Louis to request the Black Robes to bring the gospel to them. Some of these expeditions failed and were never heard from, but these Indians refused to succumb to the hardships of the trail or to give up their quest, and finally reached St. Louis. The Black Robes came, established a Mission at St. Mary's, now Stevensville. This Mission was later moved to St. Ignatius, and the school established there was the first educational institution in Montana. The story of the Salish Quest presents all the elements of devotion to an ideal, per- Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. sistence against unknown dangers and almost imsnrmonntable difficulties that were displayed by the Knights of King Arthur in "The Search for the Holy Grail," The foregoing sketches from Sallshan history afford striking illustrations of the dominant traits of these Indians^ I was Superintendent of the Flathead reservation for nearly fifteen years and I believe I know all of the older members of the tribe as well as a white man can ever know an Indian. I have celebrated with them in their festivals and sympathized with and aided them in their sorrows. These contacts have caused me to admire and respect them and to rate their native ability, charQ.Cter, and intelligence very highly among the tribes of the United States. Missoula, Montana. May 10, 1957. )Signed) Charles E. Coe Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. d THE INTELLIGENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT OP THE SALISH INDIANS Tntrodu'c tojry. a I. Introduction............................... 1 II. Historical Background,...... 7 III. Economic and Social Background.......... 15 IV. Economical and Home Background.................. 19 V. Character of the Flathead Indians as Told by Explorers, Missionaries, and Early White Settlers.............................25 VI. Results of Intelligence Tests.................. 52 VII. Results of Achievement Tests............ 59 VIII. Age-Grade Distribution........................ 46 IX. Correlating Study...... 50 X. Conclusions.............................. 54 Bibliography............................. 58 Appendix................. 61 Mathematical Calculations....................... 62 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLES Page I, Distribution of Intelligence Quotients by Sixteenth. Degree of Indian Blood........... 36 II. Distribution of Intelligence Quotients by iarger Groupings............ 37 III. Showing Points in Drawing Scale........... 45 IV. Age-Grade Distribution from Unit Scales of Achievement Records .............. 48 V. Age-Grade Distribution from Drawing Scores.,,. 49 VI. Showing Comparison of Percentile Scores....... 53 VII. Showing Comparison of Percentile Scores........54 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. GRAPHS I’. Intelligence Tests Showing the Scores Page of Five Racial Groups ............. 37a II. Showing the Achievement Scores In Reading of Five Racial Groups........... .... ...... 40a III. Showing the Achievement Scores in Geography of Five Racial Groups............................. 41a IV. Showing the Achievement Scores In Literature of Five Racial Groups .......... 41b V. Showing the Achievement Scores In Science of Five Racial Groups........................ 41c VI. Showing the Achievement Scores In History of Five Racial Groups.............. 41d VII. Showing the Achievement Scores In Fundamental Operations of Five Racial Groups...... 42a VIII. Showing the Achievement Scores In Arithmetic Problems of Five Racial Groups.............. 42b IX. Showing the Achievement Scores In Spelling of Five Racial Groups......... 42c X. Showing the Achievement Scores In Capitalization of Five Racial Groups .......... 42d XI. Showing the Achievement Scores In Usage of Five Racial Groups......... 43a XII. Showing the Achievement Scores In Punctuation of Five Racial Groups ............. 43b XIII. Showing Points on Drawing Scale of Two Racial Groups................ 45a XIV. Showing Age-Grade Distribution I of Two Racial Groups ...... 48a XV. Showing Age-Grade Distribution II of Two Racial Groups............................... 49a Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. s INTRODUCTION Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Th(à etudy of this problem has been undertaken for the purpose of Uiscovering the aiflerences, if any, existing in the intelligence and achievement of the Salish Indians as compared