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Show 6 REPORT OF THE COM~SSIONEI6 OF INDIAN AFFdIRs directly interested in the respective subjects. The summer school work for teachers and the winter reading and studying of suggested courses are important means of increasing efficiency and are begin-ning to show definite results. PECULIASCRHO OL NEEDS OF TEE N+VAJOS.-Although it has never been possible to get an actual and rebable census of the Navajos, it is estimated that there are several thousand Navajo children of school a e out of school because of lack of school facilities. The capacity o f schools is being increased quite rapidly, but it is very expensive to build boarding schools which are the only type practicable for the Navajos because of the economic conditions among them. There-fore it will be several years until school facilities will be available for all of the Navajo children; moreover, the sheep industry being the princi a1 source of income of the Navajos, they must have some of their ciildren to help with the sheep during all seasons of the year. Because of these conditions it would be a means of getting all of their children into school at an early date and also of great economy in connection fvith the building program if the Navajo school plants were kept in operation during the entire year instead of for nine months as at present. Those children who are at home helping with the sheep during the regular school year while the others are in school could attend summer sessions and thus at least get a start in learning English and in elementary education instead of growing up in ignorance. Such a $an would undoubtedly appeal to the Indian arents as thsy feel, an are justified in the opinxon, that they must f ave the he1 of some of their children at all seasons of the year in the care oftheir flocks. If such a policy were adopted practically all of the Navajo children would be given at least a short term in school without further delay. To make it possible to inaugu-rate this policy it would be necessary to appropriate more money for support of schools, as it would be impossible to conduct the schools continuously with the present force of employees and with-out more supplies. SUPERVISORCSO' NFERENCD.-Lasyte ar's education61 work began auspiciously with a conference of several days in Washington by all supervisors of Indian schools for the discussion of policies and pro-cedure under our school system. A comprehensive program in which a number of the office personnel took art covered fully the range of educational activities and establishJin many ways a more effec-tive cooperation between the office and field service. Among the various subjects discussed special interest was shown in the welfare of returned students and the committee investigating this matter found ample evidence that the Indian Bureau has been placing students at work outside of the schools ever since Indian schools were established, hundreds annually as wage workers, as household and farm assistants, and in local industries in different sections; that ex-students are placed on railroads, highways, @ factories, mines, cotton and beet fields, and other agricultural activities, and that some of the larger schools have patrons (householders, hotels, business houses, etc.) eagerly awaiting each term closing to give clericd, domestic, and other em~lovmentto the aaduates. It was. however. rocornnie'nded that the su@rvisor of 1nYdian employment be given woman assistant; that visits he made to tho reservations and Indian |