Weekly Chemawa American., July 03, 1908, Image 7

Supplemented) bemawa Emerican
- Washington, D. C, June 2, 1908.
Superintendents ' "
of Nonreservation Schools. ;
Gentlemen: Under the present reigulations of
t ie Indian Office each nonreservation school
is assigned a specific territory from which to
collect pupils ; and it has been the custom
at this time of the year to call for estimates
from each' school of the amount of money
deemed' necessary for the collection of pupils
and tneir transportation to and from the
school during the coming fiscal year. Thus
the disbursement of money on account of
"collection and transportation of pupils"- is
left practically to the direction of the super
intendents in whose schools the pupils are
enrolled.-" ;;;;-. ' :;" -
An extended trial of the present system
of collections and transfers convinces me
that it does not meet existing conditions
Therefore, all regulations of the Indian
Office pertaining to the assignment of tei
ritory for each school, and the authority, or
custom under which Superintendents have
been sending collecting agents into their as
signed territ ories for the purpose of procur
ing pupils, are hereby abrogated ; and here
after lo collecting agent shall canvas - any
territory in the interest of a nonreservation
school.-'' ' 1
. Indian parents living on a reservation who
desire to send their children to a nonreser
vation school may do so, making application
to the Indian Agent, or Superintendent in
charge of the Agency, and designating the
school of their choice. Indians not living
on a reservation will correspond directly
with the Superintendent ' of the school in
which they wish to place their children
All Agents, and Superintendents in charge
of Agencies, will be charged with the duty of
arranging for such transfers, from their res
ervations to nonreservation schools as the
parents request, under the rules relating
thereto, and will b3 required to submit prop
er vouchers for all' expenditures incident to
the transportation of such pupils. Under nO
circumstances will an expenditure be allow
ed in the accounts of any non-reservation
school, Superintendent or any employee or
other representative detailed by him to col
lect children or take them to school, or for
the transportation of any child sent to the
school from any reservation after the receipt
of these instructions.
The. transporation of eligible pupils coming
to the school from homes not on a reser
vation will be reported and paid as heretofore
by the Superintendents of the schools which
they enter. When necessary to return pu
pils to their homes by reason of sickness, ex
pulsionj graduation, expiration of time or
other cause, the facts and reasons should be
, set forth to the Office and authority asked
for the expenditure, and when authorized the
amount necessarily used will be paid in the
customary manney If an escort is required
in any instance, the fact and reasons should
be submitted when authority is asked for the
other' expenditures. , , .
There will be no objection to correspond
ence with Agents and Reservation Superin
tendents for the purpose of presenting the
merits of your schools and enlisting their
aid in obtaining pupils; or to the liberal cir
culation of advertising matter setting forth
the attractions of your buildings, grounds,
course and methods of instructions, etc.
Where parents. desire to send their children
to some non-reservation school, but leave the
selection to the the agent or Superintendent,
he will use his discretion, taking into con
sideration in such cases climatic conditions,
distance, ages of pupils, expense of transpor
tation, and character of industries taught at
the various schools; but if the selection of the
school is not expressjy left to him, he will
send the children to the school which the
parents designated.
Before enrolling the children of Indians
not living on a reservation, or making any
expenditure with a view to their enrollment,
every Superintendent ruust assure himself
that they are eligible under the rules. The
consent blank now in use must be properiy
filled in every case, except the "Voucher of
Solicitor", which, of course, is not hehcefor
ward to be filled. In localities or under con
ditions where there is any doubt as to the
value of the vouchers, you should require
affidavits as to the degree of Indian blood,
etc. This caution will be necessary for the
reason that Superintendents will be held
strictly accountable for any pupils found in
their schools whose blood does not justify
their enrollment, and such pupils will be sent
home at the personal expense of the Super
intendent enrolling them. ; , ; m r
Acknowledge the receipt of this circular.
Very respectfully,
(Signed; F. E. Leupp.