Joseph Hancock

Title: Working at the School in Red Wing
Type: Book
Date: 1905
Source: Minnesota Historical Society

Description: In this section of Hancock's article, he talks about his work at the school in Red Wing and his efforts to learn the Dakota language.
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Activities:

1. Hancock considered learning the Dakota language an important part of his work. What does this suggest to us about Hancock?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: This tells us that Hancock was interested in talking to the Dakota in their own language. He also mentions that the Dakota themselves often tried to help by using signs and gestures to teach Hancock the Dakota language.
2. Hancock says that he purchased a hand bell to call the children to school. Why would this be necessary?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: During that time, children may not have had watches or clocks in their homes or villages and the simplest way to gather them together would have been with a common signal; in this case, the bell.
3. What other method did Hancock use to encourage students to attend school?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: He started to hand out raisins at the end of the school day to encourage students to return the next day.
4. Why do you think Hancock would have written down Dakota words and their English meanings?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: Part of his job in Red Wing was to teach Dakota children to speak English. He also wanted to learn Dakota himself. By creating "word books" of terms and their meanings, he was able to have a resource that would help him in his efforts. Other missionaries in the area are known to have published Dakota-English dictionaries for missionary and school use.