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Show 106 REPORT OF THE COMYI88IONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. was appointed. His reports are transmitted to this Bureau through the United Statea Indian inspector stationed in Indian Territory. Under his direction are four supervisors of schools for the several nations (with the exception of the Seminoles), as follows: Benjamin S. Coppock, of Oregon, for the Cherokee Nation; John M. Simpson, of Wisconsin, for the Chickasaw Nation; Calvin Ballard, of Illinois, for the Choctaw Nation, vice E. T. McArthur, transferred July 9, 1900, to the regular Indian service, and Miss Alice M. Robertson, of Indian Territory, for the Creek Nation, the last-named appointed July 23,1900, vice Calvin Ballard. Headquarters for the several supervisors were established as follows: Vinita, Cherokee Nation; Muscogee, Creek Nation; South McAlester, Choctaw Nation, and Ardmore, Chickasaw Nation. These nations early in their history were charged with their own government, and schools were established, and fnll corps of teachers and employees were appointed under the different laws of the respec-tive nations. As set out in the last annual report of this Bureau, all branches of their public service were tainted with favoritism, nepotism, a reckless mismanagement of finances, and in many cases corruption was rampant. These flagrant breaches of good government were no. more severely felt than in educational matters. The schools under the control of various missionary bodies were e5cient agents of civilization; but in those entirely placed under tribal authority deterioration, if nothing worse, was everywhere felt. Possessing ample means for maintaining an adequate system of public schools in those places where the greatest need existed, the money was expended on large academies, seminaries, and colleges, where the ornamental curriculum of a white fashionable boarding school was given to the favored few, leaving the fnll bloods and poorer classes of mixed bloods to depend upon poorly equipped, miserable little schools, usually erected by subscriptions or donations. It is said that fully 90 -per cent of these small neighbor-hood schoolhouses have no furniture except the old-fashioned wooden benches. Owing to limited powers, the Department has been unable to make as radical changes au the conditions warranted, yet numberlass improve-ments have been inaugurated. The superintendent of schools in his report says: As a result of our past year's work we can already note some improvements. When we entered upon our duties here more than a year ago it was openly charged that various native school boards were selling teachers' powitions at from $10 to $25 each. No such chargea have been made during the past year. With but few exceptions the Indian school boards have cooperated with us heartily. Teachers are mauifest-ing a livelier degree of interest in their work and are endeavoring to improve their qnalifieations. Some of the poorest teaehers have been dropped, not having heen ahle to pass reasonable examinations. |