Evening star., 1946-08-04

the erea now occupied by the Ameri-
can Falls Reservoir and dam project
Included within the present domain
is the site of historic Fort Hall one
time center of five great westward
trails of destiny which the rum
bling, creaking OK team caravans
followed in their conquest of the
plains.
DR.. Minnie F. Howard, a resident
Of Pocatello, is zone chairman of
the Committee on Indian Welfare of
the General Federation of Womens S
Clubs. Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley of
Washington is national chairman of
the committee. DR.. Howard has
given many years to delving into
the rich history of the Fort Hall
site and is delightful encyclopedia
of information upon all that pertains
to its colorful early days of trial
and heroism.
10000 Project.
Today assistance and supervision
in education, health, agriculture,
grazing, the operation of an irriga-
ton project of more than $4,000
acres and the general supervision
OF the Indian program on the Fort
Hall Indian Reservation is provided
through the Fort Hall Indian
Agency. Two thousand enrolled
Shoshone and Bannock Indians live
on this reservation, as does Mr.. Carl
w. Beck, the superintendent who
administers it.
THE common impression that In
dians are on ration or pension
is absolutely erroneous" Mr.. Peck
points out. "They do not receive
a dime. The only cases where the
Indians on the Fort Hall Indian
Reservation are not entirely self
supporting are in respect to old-age
assistance, aid to dependent children
and aid to the blind. This comes
through the regular department of
public assistance channels, the same
as for the white population in the
surrounding territory. Only it is far
harder for an Indian to get such
assistance than it is for his white
neighbor."
The Fort Hall Indians have their
own tribal courts of law with tribal
judges. Invariably their decisions
are fair, so there is rarely an appeal
from them. Young Indians en-
broiled with the law feel that the
local courts are often less severe
upon them than their own Indian
courts.
Schooling is not conducted on the
agency grounds, as it was in my
fathers days.
Public Schools Play Part.
Most of the Indian children at
Fort Hall now attend public schools
with the white children in the sur.
rounding towns. The result is that
each year the Indians are doing q
better job In taking their places In
the community. disqualification and
medical care are available through
hospitals in Pocatello and Black.
foot and by physicians in these two
towns.
Some 10000 acres are being
1drHleu Dy tne Fort Hall Indians
Entirely Indian owned, the largest
herd Of Hereford cattle in Idaho
also feeds on the vast ranges OF
this Indian reservation, with its
thousands of acres of sweet, native
hay.
AS in my fathers time, there are
two ever-current problems. One i.
to protect the Indians themselves
and from their own hereditary char.
acteristics as they function against
them in machine age. The othe]
Is to insure them against the greed
OF unscrupulous whites who try te
induce them to forfeit tribal birth.
rights for less than the proverbia
mess Of potage.
Mr.. Beck believes that one answer
to the Indian problem with such
tribes as the Shoshones and Ban.
nocks, and others of their nomadie
background, is to interest them In
cattle-raising because of their per.