OCR Text |
Show COMMISSIONER OF IXDIAN AFFAIRS. xxiii other persons connected with schools wholly supported by the G-overn-mgnti" (3) To make rules and regulations for the conduct of such schools as are wholly supported by the Government. By this enlargement of the duties of the Soperintendent of Indian Schools, Oongress took from the Oommissioner of Indian Mairs the authority to appoint and discharge superintendents, teachers, and other school employ6s and to make rules and regulations for conducting the sehools, but left with that offioer the duty of disbursing all funds for Indian education-the duty of making all purchases for tbe schools and all contracts for educating Indian ohildren, of building school. houses, paying school salaries, and settling the accounts of all officers who disburse money for school purposes. At first glance this law seems to be comprehensive and far-reaching, but, in my opinion, its scope is restricted, and it does not, in fact, fur-nish adequate means for the carrying out of its apparent purpose. As stated, the act of June 29 last changed the law then in force in two particulars only-first, in the authority to mdke appointments and dis-missals; and, second, in the authority to make school rules and regu-lations; and' it left undistorbed all the official machinery of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for disbursing school moneys, making school cou-tracts, paying school salaries, etc. The responsibility for all such trans-actions remains with the Oornmissioner of Indian Affairs; and, neces-sarily, all the business records pertaining thereto must be embodied in the records of the Indian Office. With all this business, as it occurs, and with the methods of conducting it according to law or precedents having the force of law, the Superintendent of Indian Schools should he thoroughly familiar, so that he can intelligently and efficiently dis-charge his duties, which, limited as they are, imply and require knowl-edge of the details of the entire Indian school service; and this knowl-edge caube obtained in no other way than by visiting the schools, and by supervising, under the Bureau of Indian Affairs, all the matters of Indian education that are considered and determined by that Bureau. In this may the Superintendent might have his restricted duties so en. Iarged that they would cover the entire subject of Indian education, and his limited official power so increased that it could comlnand all the &cia1 machinery of the Indian Bureau in the execution of his de-oisions upon school matters. Upon these considerations I .have reached the conclusion that the most natural, economi~la, nd eeffective administration of Indian school affairs will be secured by enlarging the prerogatives of the Superin-tendent- (1) By placing nuder his immediate supervision all matters connected with all branches of Indian education, insteadof restricting him to two lines of work in connection with bnt one class of schools; and |