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Show COMMBBIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 23 The Present.-In 1882, just a generation ago, Congress tardily recog-nized the all-important necessity for educating the young I n d i in the ways of civilization by the appropriation of $135,000. This meager sum has- been gradually increased since that time until the lsat appro-priation was $3,500,000. Educational work has kept pace with these donations on the part of a liberal people, who now possess the Indians' vast ancestral domain. Then 4,000 red pupils were gathered into inadequate, unsanitary schoolhouses, withlargely incompetent teachers and instructors; now there are 30,000 being educated according to the best and most approved pedagogical methods. Hygienic science has played its part in the construction of buildings, and intelligent wper-vision has been brought into action in the fields of industrial and mechanical instruction. The work of the class room has been cor-related with the industries of the field and the shop. Indian girls and boys are being taught how to care for their homes and farms. The excrescence of Indian schools-higher education-has been elimi-nated and practical work supplements intelligent theory. Political and personal favoritism has largely been removed from the appointment, promotion, and retention of school employees. Where only seven years ago the dictum of the politicians, and the favoritism of the agent, formed the basid of appointments, now merit, integrity, and honest work are given recognition. All school employees enter the service through competitive examination, and their retention . depends upon their effective industry, capability, andzeal as reported by disinterested andwell-informed inspecting officials. The result has been that the morale of the schools and pupils has improved. Sys-tems have been developed and evils recognized have been decreased. Length of service having increased, mistakes have more readily been discovered and remedies attempted, all of which were impossible under the old r6gime of shifting policies with shifting employees. Light has been turned upon dark places, and frequent inspections by com-petent officials have minimized many of the evils which in the past disgraced the Indian service. The unworthy are being gradually removed. Seven years ago there were 61 agents in charge of resmations and schoolu. These were all political appointments. Their term of service would not average four years each. The superintendents in charge of independent schools numbered 32. Under the policy which has been pursued since, and which has proven eminently satisfactory, the num-her of agents has been reduced until at present there are only 22. In the breaking up of reservation lines, the allotment of Indian Iands, and the segregation of the Indians into smaller a r w of supervision, the number of bonded school superintendents in cbarge of schools, agencies, or parts of agencies, has increased to 86. Continuous service - of well-educated men, accustomed to deal with young Indians, has had |