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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISIOXER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS 15 status of the family, its means, and resources. . A icture is also taken of the home, occupants, and surroundin w%ich is sent to the officew ith the report showing allotment numY e'r , degree of blood, number in family, education, and land holdings. of each member, location and description of home, cro s raised, available equipment, and a tentative industrial program !or the famlly. The supeyn-tendents report that these visits have been the means of developing a closer bond of sympathy and understanding between the Indians and the superintendent and employees. . . FIVE-~~A~Ro ~ ~ ~ ~ s . - S y s t e pmroagtriacm s have been adopted on many of the reservations setting forth definite objeotives to be ac-complished each year for a period of five years. This method has brought about material progress among the Indians; and it is ex-pected that programs will be approved for a considerable number of additional reservations during the next year. The program is first made for the reservation as a whole, and then, on thz basis of the industrial survey reports,, a program is worked out for each separate family. To systematize the work and make it more effec-tire, farm chapters have been organized on many of the reservations, with repres ntative Indians as officers thereof. Competition be-trreen the chapters stimulates the work and furnishes an incentive for increased effort along industrial lines. The State agricultural colleges cooperate in every practical way and have placed their facilities at our disposal for the benefit of the Indians. HOMBEU ILDING.-One of the important objectives of the five-year program is an improved home for each family according to the cir-rumstances of the owner. Where funds are available and the Indian has reachd the stage where he is ready for a permanent home, in most localities, he brings in the logs from the mountains to the agency sawmill where the lo s are manufactured into lumber for his use. This leaves only the 7c o ors, windows, hardware, and roofing to be purchased by the superintendent from available funds, and sold to the Indians on easy terms. Where the Indians have been superstitious about living in a house after a d:ath has occurred thereinl the superintendents are gradually obviating this difficulty by having the sick India'n removed from the house to a tent. As t ~mego es on this superstitiqn will be gradually overcome. To en-courage the Inclians in provlding themselves with better homes, the superintendents keep plans and pictures of the completed buildings on exhibit at the agency office and other places. These act as an incentive by showing the Indians just what their homes will look like when completed, and implant in them the desire therefor. Where the Indians have individual funds on deposit under super-vision derived from oil and gas royalties, lease rentals, land sales, etc., it is the practice to encourage them to use such. funds for the construction of improved homes. REIMBURSAB~LuEx ~s.-Oneo f the most important factors in the progress made by the Indians within recent years has been the use of reimbursable funds, which comprise two classes, viz, appropria-tions made by Congress for this specific purpose, and tribal funds authorized by Congress for general support and civilization PUT-poses. The policy is to use tribal funds for this purpose wherever available, and thus leave the reimbursable appropriation for ex-penditure on the reservations which have'no tribal funds, as this ap- |