The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-12-12
Hard Problem
TO INACCURATE SCHOOL
SYSTEM
In Indian Territory When
Tribal Relations are
Broken.
Special to Daily Leader.

Special to Daily Leader
Musko1ee, {. T., Dec ia problem
whict is causing the leading educators
of Indian territory much worry and
must soon he settled ty congress is to
=. ::..,,:.,;c an adequate system Of schools
20 he ,naugurated after the dissolution
of tribal governments III indian ter
ritory in 1906 and continue until the
time when statehood and permanent
school laws shall be established. The
leading educators of Indian territory
are now devotrg much study to tho
subject, and some express The fear
that if congress docs not take proper
action this winter most of the children
of Indian territory VIII suddenly find
themselves without school privileges
after the present systems Of educa-
ton fostered by the various Indian
nations cease 50 exist with tie disso-
luton CT the gOycrnnents that srp
ported them
j. ID. Rcae,lct superintendent of
schools in Indian tcrrrory and the
leading authority on education here
has addressed communication 20
congress EN- 9hasizing the seriousness
of the situation ami requesting leg
solotgo. tb3g ,,.futor 10 ,ror,ido Cor Tho
education OF the children or the ter.
ritory in the interim between 1906
and the inauyusation of state govern
ment
Mr.. BENEDICT believes one of two
plans to be practicable One would
be for congress TO appropriate large
enough sun. OF money to supllant tho
present school system of the Indians,
building new school houses wherever
necessary and paying teachers out Of
the appropriation
rhe other plan suggested by Mr.
Benedict scehs t. he favored by sev
eral educators, including Benjamin
Copncck, snporvisur OF schools IN the
Cherokee natiCn, is to pass a lill en-
powering the tinted states govern
ment to purchase al Of The available
school property Of the FIVE civilized
tribes ,nclu ling school houses and
schoul Ian Is and trans:orm them into
the new system which viii te adopt.
ed when stateho1d is secured.
Most OF the 81, hoo! property of the
Indian uaticns." said Mr.. Benedict in
discussing the subject, lis in good con
dition and could easily be converted
TO the use Of the state. The buildings
now used as day schools could be
used as district schools until the var
ious districts could afford to build bet
Ter school houses Those Of the sem
inaries Nhirh are located in towns
could be uso'. f = city or county higf
schools | would favor allowing the
Indians to dispose OF the country
boarding schu0lA TO Individuals Thes,
could charge tuition as tney do nov
and the parents who could afford 4
could send their children. thus reliey
ing the territory or state Of a part o
the burden of supporting the schools
which will he heavy enough at best
The school buildings and equipmen
owned by the Indian nations are il
fairly good condition and s)me o
the schools are equal in every respoc
to the best in the states By follow
ing this plan the Indians could be pai'
good price for their school rIopert
! and still they would have equal priv
/ ileges With white people when The ne'
system was inausurated"
Mr. Benedict says that there ar
over 300 localities where the schoC
house was built and Is owned by tn
community In many Of these tn
United States government has place
teachers this wear, paying them out {
the 100000 appropriation. In other
the teacher IS supported by subs sril
tions or by tuition paid ty the scholar
u is believed that the goyernmer
can get possession Of these scho'
buildings without huy1ng them III
+ people IN these communities are s
7 anxious for schools that they wouI
relinquish all claims to the buildinl
o If the government would guaran'
% them teachers.
e After provisions are made 4
schools during The perlod before stat
hood is secured many other perple
ing questions must be settled III
ID most serious Of these is how 10 raj
IS the money 10 support the schools
ID the interim between ;iibal dissolution
'e and statehood only a very small pI
d pol ton Of the land Of Indian terrific
= may be taxed Land held by he orI
a - -rr-4a.l -, Etr Haf..r. II non rnrra f