OCR Text |
Show extending financial help to "such associations or individuals who are already engaged in educating the Indiins" as may be approved by the War Department. In 1820 twenty-one schools conducted by different religious societies were given $11,838, and from that date until the appropriation of $100,000 in 1870 the principal educational work in relation to the Indians was under the auspices of these bodies, aided more or less by the Government. The contract system was a natural sequence of the efforts to systematize this work and harmonize it under existing laws and regulations. The growth of the system has been gradual since its inception and reached the maximum amount during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1892, when the contracts amounted to $611,570, more than one-fourth of the amount appropriated for regular Government schools. Since that time nearly all religious bodies have discontinued the acceptance of governmental aid. Thwe discontinuances were either voluntary or by action of the Indian department under various Congressional require-ments. About this time the agitation of the contract or sectarian school question was begnu, and deferring to the sentiment that reli-gious bodies should discontinue the use of Government funds in their educational work among the Indians, steps were taken for a gradual reduction in the amounts to be allowed. There were doubtless equities involved in the matter, and it was thought that aa much hardship as possible should be avoided in the final abandonment of this plan. In 1889 there were set aside for contract schools $529,905; 1890, $562,640; 1891, $570,218; 1892, $611,570; 1893, $533,241, and$537,600 in 1894. From this year there was a gradual decrease, the amount set aside for 1895 being $463,505. These reductions were the result of various denominations giving up or reducing their contracts. The policy of gradually substituting regular Government schools for those conducted under contract, was discussed by the Secretary of the Interior in his Annual Report for 1894, and a 20 per cent reduction in the amount allowed contract schools was suggested. This policy of reduction was not adopted by Congress until the appropriation act for the fiscal year 1896 provided that contracts should be made only with present contract schools and to an amount not exceeding 80 per cent of the amonnt so used in 1895. The amount for 1895 was $285,715, exclusive of eleven schools amounting to $177,790, which, being appropriated for specifically, were not affected by the reduction. Therefore a reduction of 20 per cent on the amount allowed in 1895 gave for 1896 the sum of $228,306, plus $142,490, for nine schools especially appropriated for. This year, Rensselaer and White's Manual Labor Institute did not desire contracts, and the Indian schools at Wittenberg, Wis., ltamona, N. Mex., Greenville, Cal., and Hope, Nebr., were either purchased or leased from the respective owners and conducted by the Government. |