The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-08-26
EDUCATION FOR
INDIANS 4 | 4:
Program for EnIarging School
! Facilities Under Way
4. by Government.
WASHINGTON Aus. ae.-(B:

the Associated Press Plans for
the Improvement OF the con ition
OF the Indians with particular re-
gard to health and education. are
being worked out BY Commissioner
Burke of Epdian affairs with the
approval Of Secretary Fall.<a an
increase in the estimates for thu
Indian Bureau probably will be.
asked in the next Indian appcopria-
ton bill
The American Red Cross re-
Gently acceded to a request fror1
the Interior Department for the
assignment Of three trained nurses
to- be detailed to the Indian Bureau
for one year. as the first step IN
Commissioners Burke's program. =
addition plans for enlarged school
facilities to educate 900 Indian
children OF school age NOT now
IN sphou! are being worked out.
5000 OF this mum
Der belong to the Nava5oe tribe
and have never been to school.
The nurses assigned, to the IN
dian service. It was said at the IN
dian Bureau Will make a survey
of conditions on Indian reserva-
tons and give demonstration OF
what may be accomplished by wo-
men trained as nurses and In vel
fare work. to lay the foundation
for asking Congress for an appro~
priation to enable the indian
Bureau to employ on the reserya-
lions women OF a higher grade lot
matrons and general field service,
according to Commissioner Burke's
plans.
There is a great opp2itunityi'
Commissioner Burke said today In
comm ending on his plans, for I'M
proving home conditions among
Indians and in teaching sanitation
and looking after the health Of
children The American Red Cross
at its recent meeting, made an
allotment of funds to cover the.
expense necessary to employ the
three nurses and they will be soon
assigned'-tU the Indian Bureau and
will go into the field to spend one
year. One will be Stationed on the
Pine Ridge and Rosebud-reserva-
lions in South Dakota; the other
two will go to the Southwest and
work among the different Indians
in Arizona and New Mexico. This
is only part of general plan
adopted by the Inferior Depart
SuSI1I LUZ III plOSia6 AAA OSSSSA - .
con ditions among the Indians.
Another subject that is receiv-
ing a great deal OF attention IS
that OF education-buildin up
the schools already+ins the Service,
increa sing the attendance to tlsir
full capa city. and Strengthening
the personnel There's is said to be
20 900 Indian children Of school
age. not now in school. and fully
6 900 OF this number are Navajoes
that have never been.to school An
Increase in the estimates for edit
cation will be sumbitted.<sin the
hope that Congress Will reepond
In view Of the demand
.It is planned, il the money can
be obtained. to enlarge many OF
the school plants by porch anc
other cheap constructio nand it IS
also hoped that two abandoned
military posts. Fort Wfngate. New
Mexico, and Fort Apache Arizona,
can be transferred by the War De-
partment to the Interior Depart.
ment to be converted into Indian
schools. Both Of these posts are
d desirable and we'll located. and
should care for probably 1000.
pupils
Inc interior -aDeparIneblG ana
the Indian Bureau are giving much,
attention to health conditions at
the several Indian schools and u>
on the different Indian reserva-5
tons. and the present luliey is 70
try and have at least one hospital
upon every reservation with a ca
pacity sufficient to care for the
sick. and particularly Indians that
are very aged and infirns and with
out means or homes where they
can be comfortably and properly
cared for.