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Show 16 EEPORT On THE COMMISSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIILS. This plan of maging the courses of study in Indian schools conform to those In the States in which the schools are located will place the teachers in the Indian schools in closer touch with the teachers of the larger system of schools for white children, and will provlde opportunities for the former to receive inspiration and help from the teachem of non-Indian schoola It will make the two school systems so nearly alike that Indian pupils may he easily transferred to white schools as has already been done in a large number of instances; it will also put the various Indian schools, particularly the day schoola, in condl-tlon for future absorption into the state school systems, because of following the mme course 08 study and to a considerable extent the same seriea of text-books. We are planning to do more in the way of following up pupils after they leave the schools, in order that they may be helped and safe-guarded during the critiml years in which they start to make. their own way in the world. The transition to the reservation is many times rather violent for the pupil who has been carefully sheltered in the nonreservation boarding school from the tempta-tions of the world. Sympathetic guidance for the boys and girls at this critical time is greatly needed. Mention has already been made in this report of the way in which the cooperation of some of the railroads with the employment bureau may help in this work. I am trying, however, to work out a plan whereby the responsibility of following up the students when they leave school will rest with the superintendents of the schools. The essential features of the plan are that the pupil, when he leaves the reservation, shall carry a letter from the superintendent to the superintendent of the non-reservation school, acquainting the latter with the essential facts in the life of the pupil, and indicaflng the conditions on the reser-vation to which he will return. The nonreservation superintendent will then have someaguidance in providing for that pupil the kind of training that will best fit him for the conditions prevailing at home. When a pupil leaves school he will carry a letter to the super-intendent of the reservation to which he returns, with directions that it be presented immediately upon his arriv4l. This will give the home superintendent a splendid opportunity to gather from the pupil an idea of his plans and prospects and to give the pupil whole-some advice. It will open the way for the superintendent to keep a fatherly eye on the boy until he gets well on his feet. With s view to improving the instruction along industrial lines the chief supervisor of schools has prepared a series of bulletins for the teachers of the service, which will be issued during the coming year. They are as follows: (1) Farm and home mechanics; some things that every boy should know how to do, and hence should learn to do in school; (2) some thiigs that girls ought to know how to do, and hence should learn how to do when in school; (3) outline lessons in housekeeping, including cooking, laundering, dairying, and nurs- |