honestly and industriously, to save it without being sordid, and to spend it without waste or extravagance are fundamental in character building and will bring to any young man or woman a useful education of great value.

I ask you, therefore, to push the sale of these stamps vigorously as an educational and economic matter no less than a patriotic one, and to do everything practicable to get Indians, young and old, in the way of earning money and saving some part of it for thrift investment, and that you discourage cashing such stamps prior to maturity, except in the case of extreme need.

Herewith are inclosed instructions as to the method of accounting for stamp purchases, the funds that may be used therefor, and the reports you will be expected to make to this office.

Sincerely yours,

EDUCATION.

CATO SELLS, Commissioner.

Last year I presented at some length certain basic principles involved in educating the Indian, mentioning the purposes of the tentative course of study, and giving an outline of the methods adopted and believed to be especially applicable to the education of the Indian pupils.

Under this theory and system of education the Indian schools, although not always fulfilling the ideals of our curriculum, have maintained their usual standards remarkably well against unavoidable odds that prevailed during the closing months of the war and have continued since the armistice in a steadily increasing cost of supplies and operation that made economy a paramount necessity.

It may not be widely understood that the Government Indian boarding school, in many respects, is in a class by itself. It provides for those in attendance lodging, subsistence, clothing, medical attention, and transportation, as well as academic and industrial instruction. For the last fiscal year the law permitted an expenditure of $200 per pupil, except that where the attendance was less than 100, a per capita expense of $225 was provided for. Formerly the maximum expense authorized was even less, though perhaps not more restrictive of good results, if the wide difference in the cost of all supplies be considered. Discerning observers have commented in terms of surprise that an Indian boarding school can accomplish work of the scope outlined within the cost limit stated above, for it is generally known that industrial schools for other than Indian students expend approximately twice as much, or more, per pupil; and this will hold true with reference to the more liberal provision fortunately made for the coming year, which allows $225 per capita for Indian schools having an attendance of 200 or more, and $250 per pupil for the schools of less than 200. Thus, whatever deficiencies appear in Indian education, or whatever failure to accomplish the fullest results, must be charged rather to insufficient provision of moneys than to other causes. An instance of adverse conditions is exemplified in the vast amount of daily routine work which must be done in an Indian school

of whatever size or capacity. It has not always been possible to employ sufficient labor to perform this institutional work, much of which is without value as instruction, but it has been done by Indian pupils who have thus given more of their time to it than is consistent with the best educational results. Of course, much of the work is of value to them for training and experience when properly correlated with systematic class instruction. This is true in connection with the shops, repair work about the plant, the labor devoted to agricultural activities, and for those duties of the girls which concern cooking, sewing, or housekeeping.

Notwithstanding the limitations mentioned, I am expecting for the coming year a more stable and effective organization in our instruction service, and a resumption of conditions that will place the schools upon a more workable basis, and I have lately brought to the attention of all superintendents and school workers matters of special importance with a view of strengthening educational activities.

A RADICAL DEPARTURE AS TO ENROLLMENT.-The work which the Indian Bureau has undertaken during the past half century toward the civilization and education of the various Indian tribes has brought encouraging results, especially within recent years. There has been a rapidly increasing number of those who speak and use the English language, who have adopted citizen's apparel, are in customary daily intercourse with their white neighbors, and are breaking away from tribal ties. An admixture of blood has occurred to such an extent that many Indians are hardly distinguishable from whites, and there has been in the Government schools too many of this class who properly belong to State public schools, although their number has of late been materially diminished. Again, the public school of the State is the place for the children of those Indians who have been released from guardianship. The combined capacity of Government schools is not sufficient for all and the real Indian should be given the preference as to educational opportunity.

In order to eliminate those toward whom the Government's duty has been fulfilled and who with the assistance of the States should now depend upon their own resources, and to reserve the privileges of the Indian Schools for children of a greater degree of Indian blood who are still wards and without advantages, I have believed it wise and expedient to prescribe certain amendments to the Indian school rules.

These amendments define the classes which should be eliminated from Government schools. Although they bear date of July 29, and of course concern the future more than the past, they are given in full as follows:

To all superintendents:

JULY 29, 1919.

The rules for the Indian school service, approved July 14, 1913, are hereby amended by adding thereto, following paragraph 9, page 4, the following provisions:

"9a. There shall not be enrolled in Government nonreservation schools any Indian children who are not under Federal supervision, without prior authority from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

"96. There shall not be enrolled in any Indian reservation boarding or day schools any Indian children not under Federal supervision, except such as are entitled to share in the benefits of treaty or trust funds from which the school is maintained without prior authority from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

"9c. Except as to reservation schools supported from tribal funds or under specific treaty stipulations, Indian pupils who have ample financial resources or whose parents have such resources sufficient for the payment of all or part of the expenses of the pupils' education, whether or not the parents are wards of the Government, shall be required to pay their transportation, and all or part of the actual cost of their support and education, not to exceed $200 a year, or at the rate of $20 a month or a fraction of a year. Superintendents will enforce this regulation.

"9d. All pupils above the sixth grade entering a vocational school shall be enrolled for four years or for a sufficient term to complete the vocational course provided by the school.

"9e. Pupils thus enrolled for the vocational course shall be permitted to return home for vacation once only during such term of enrollment, at their own expense ordinarily unless in exceptional cases the superintendent finds it just or advisable to pay their transportation; otherwise the pupils shall remain at the school during the vacation months, or, if allowed to depart, shall pay a charge of $25 per month for each month's absence, unless in especially meritorious cases the superintendent shall grant not to exceed 30 days leave."

The scope and purpose of the amendments were explained in a letter of instructions accompanying the same, which appears below: JULY 29, 1919.

To all superintendents:

The accompanying amendments to the school rules restricting enrollment of pupils to those who are under Federal supervision demand more than passing notice. For several years attempts have been made to eliminate from the Indian schools pupils whose parents are citizens, particularly those possessing only a small degree of Indian blood. Notwithstanding past efforts in this respect, there are still enrolled in many of our Indian schools a large number of near-whites. In many cases, these pupils live in towns or in communities where there are at least average public school facilities. The justification usually given for the enrollment of such pupils in Government Indian schools is that they wish to have the benefit of the vocational training offered or that the parents are poor and in need of assistance. Superintendents frequently accepted such explanation as satisfactory, provided the applicant possessed as much as one-fourth Indian blood. Superintendents of nonreservation schools contend that they must rely on the statements made by the reservation superintendent as to eligibility of the pupil, but sometimes pupils are first enrolled and the justification for their enrollment supplied at a later date. This is particularly true as respects the enrollment of pupils who are not living under the jurisdiction of a superintendent or agency. Greater care must be exercised in this matter in the future than has been practiced in the past.

In order to carry out the requirements of these rules, there must be the closest cooperation between the superintendents of reservations and superintendents of nonreservation schools. Reservation superintendents should not approve applications

of pupils unless they have definite information regarding them and have satisfied themselves that without Government assistance the pupil would be deprived of school privileges. It is not a sufficient justification that a child would be better off in a Government school or that it would be desirable for such child to have vocational training, but the question should be "Does such Indian boy or girl have the same school privileges in the community in which he or she lives that other children enjoy?" If they do there can be no real justification for the enrollment of such boy or girl in a Government school, except possibly in rare instances where other factors enter which might justify waiving the rules. Furthermore, where the Indian children are entitled under State law to attend its public schools, it should be first ascertained whether there are good and sufficient reasons for their not so attending, before they are received in a Government school.

In all such cases the applications should be first forwarded to my office, accompanied by a full statement of the facts, and the applicant should not be admitted to the school until the approved application has been returned to you. It may be necessary to make exception for full bloods or in case of some special classes of Indians who are technically nonwards and citizens, but who are, nevertheless, practically under governmental supervision, as, for instance, the Eastern Cherokees of North Carolina, or the Choctaws of Mississippi.

The children of Indians who have received their patents in fee to their allotments are to be excluded from enrollment in a Government school supported from gratuity appropriations unless in a given case the Indian child should be a Federal ward, irrespective of the status of the parents. You are directed to accept hereafter no Indian pupil of the classes indicated, and to take steps to eliminate such pupils from your present enrollment at the end of the school year or at the end of the definite term of enrollment of each such pupil. If doubt exists as to the status of any pupil or any applicant, such case accompanied by all attendant facts and information must be presented to me for a decision. Responsibility for elimination from the schools of nonward citizen Indian children rests upon the superintendent. Inspection officials are hereby instructed to make, at each school they visit, careful investigation of the eligibility of the pupils enrolled and report to me all violations of the school rules and of these instructions. Superintendents who negligently permit or approve the enrollment of ineligible pupils in Government Indian schools will be held personally responsible. It follows, therefore, that the utmost care must hereafter be exercised, both by the reservation superintendent and by the nonreservation superintendent, in order effectively to enforce these rules.

Frequently pupils in the prevocational grades have been transferred at Government expense to schools located at great distances from their homes when the only justification for such transfer was the wish of the pupil or parent, or the desire of an employee to take a trip as escort at Government expense. This practice must be discontinued. No pupil will hereafter be transferred to a distant school or accepted for enrollment in a nonreservation school until he has completed the highest grade in the reservation school, except in cases where the reservation school is overcrowded, and then as a rule such pupil should be sent to the nonreservation school nearest his home. Specific authority must be obtained for any deviation from this rule and only in very special cases will authority be granted to pay transportation of pupils in the prevocational grades to other than nonreservation schools nearest their homes.

I wish to again impress upon superintendents, and particularly upon reservation superintendents, the importance of giving special attention to the matter of requiring Indians who are financially able to do so to contribute more toward defraying the expenses of the education of their children. Where parents or pupils have sufficient incomes of their own, they must hereafter be required to bear all or a part of the cost of their education. More and more Indians must be taught and required to rely on their own resources and to depend less and less upon the Government.

The purpose of this circular and the amendments herewith should be made generally known both to pupils in schools and to their parents and guardians. I regard this as an important matter and in direct line with the declaration of policy, promulgated April 17, 1917.

In this connection I will further invite your attention to sections 246 and 247 of existing school rules. These requirements as to attendance of Indian children in public schools must be complied with in all cases where Indian children have reasonable access thereto and where such children may be received without valid objection from the public-school authorities, whether or not upon payment of tuition. As to Indian children not under Federal supervision, you should exercise your influence and give your assistance whenever opportunity affords toward the reception of such children by the State public schools.

An acknowledgment of this circular and the amendments should be made at this time, but I wish a full report on or before October 30, advising me just what steps you have taken, are taking, and the effect of these new rules on the enrollment of pupils in your school, as well as the results secured in getting parents and pupils to contribute toward the expense of the pupils' education and support.

CATO SELLS, Commissioner. Shortly following the announcement of the amended rules as above given, the Washington (D. C.) Post made editorial comment as follows:

A PROGRESSIVE POLICY.

The progressive policy adopted by the Interior Department with respect to the Indians has been further emphasized by orders recently issued by Cato Sells, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and calculated to place the Indians upon a plane of independence and self-reliance. It is proposed to remove all restrictions upon all lands owned by or allotted to members of the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma of one-half Indian blood, and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs has ordered that a complete list of all members of those tribes 21 years of age or over be compiled. While the Government will exercise a careful watch over these people, yet they are to have charge of their own lands with a greater degree of freedom than ever before.

Amendments also have been made to the rules governing the Indian school service for the purpose of preserving these institutions for the sole benefit of the Indian children who are under Federal control and of debarring children whose parents are fully able to provide for their education. At nonreservation schools no Indian children are to be enrolled who are not under Federal supervision, and at Indian reservation boarding or day schools no children shall be enrolled who are not entitled to share in the benefits of treaty or trust funds from which the school is maintained. Where pupils or their parents have ample resources they must pay transportation of children sent to school and must pay $200 a year tuition and board.

The reasons for these amendments to the rules are obvious. Schools supported from tribal funds are for the benefit of children of those tribes, and should not be used by others. Schools maintained at Government expense are for Indian children who have not the privilege of public schools and whose parents are not financially able to pay for their education. There is no reason why an Indian who possesses valuable lands, possibly yielding him a handsome income, or who enjoys an income from other sources should have his children educated in vocational training at Government expense, with the Government even paying the child's railroad fare to and from school.

Commissioner Sells, whose administration of the Indian Bureau has been highly successful, has in these matters given further evidence of his ability to fairly and justly look after the Nation's wards.