The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1956-04-20
Indian Institute at Missoula

The third annual Institute of
Indian Affairs held last week on
the Montana University campus
was attended by over 200 inter.
estcd persons. including repre-.
sentativcS from the Bureau of
Indian Affairs. Public Health
Service. Montana Extension Ser.
vice. Relocation Center of the
Denver Branch office. and the
various Indian tribes of Mon.
tana. Workshops on Law and
Order, Health. Education. and
Economic Welfare were dis.
cusscd at great length with lead.
crs from different organizations
serving as chairmcn and report.
crS
This years theme "Opportuni.
tics of the Indian in Montana" -
program of general sessions.
concurrent workshops. business
sessions and entertainment -
brought interested people from
all parts of the state.
The three day conference was
sponsored by Montana Commit.
tee on Human Relations and ad.
miniStcred by the Community
Services Laboratory. College of
Arts and Sciences. Montana
State University.
The entire program is sup.
ported by the several Indian
tribes and the State Intertribal
Policy Board. Joseph X. Garry.
president of the National Con.
grcsS of American Indians. ad.
dressed the group the first day.
lie emphasized the all important
number one problem facing In.
dams today is - LAND.-Garry
stressed the importance of re.
tanning Indian ownership. lie
stated that in 1855 over 100000
acres were taken out of Indian
ownership. lie warned the group
tina, if steps were not taken
soon. the American Indians
would find themselves in the
same prcdicamcnt as the Japan.
Sc people are today.
I This year. tho four workshops
were: Law and Order. Education,
Health and Economic Welfare.
Specific questions in each were
considered.
During tho educational phase
Of the program il was cmpha.
= sized that high school graduates
be encouraged to 60 on to higher
education. The number of In.
dian students in Montana Uni.
vcrsitics numbered less than
twenty. This could perhaps be
increased through more scholar.
ships being made available to In.
dian students. Verne Duscn.
berry. Counselor for Indian stu.
dents at MISC. announced that
the state college offers free tut.
ton for any Indian student.
Tribes operating under the
Wheeler Bill have the oppor.
iurity Of securing loans for edu.
"a,ional purposes from the Wash.
ingt0n office where ten million
dollars is set aside for that pur.
pose. Brigham Young Univcr.
>ity offers scholarships for any
student Of Indian extraction.
Sherman Institute At Riverside,
California. offers assistance for
Indian students rs we'll as Has.
krll Institute At Lawrence. Kan.
>aS. II was felt certain that 70.
:ational crnirrs were necessary
10 train young Indians who never
completed high school -cspcci.
ally the young married couples.
\ program "f this type would
perhaps alleviate some Of the
"ardshipS on the reservations.
Law and Order
The groups suggested that
there should be more clarified.
'!nn. and adjustment made on
jurisdiction so that further con.
fusion will b. prevented. The
| group thought that confusion Oc.
"irS because there Is no definite
! procedure being followed by our
law enforcement agencies.
! Also tina, q recreation program,
should be- organized by local
: communities and also to try Ia
encourage local church members
I" organize q youth program
where juvenile delinquency
nigh, be- avoided.
Health and Sanitation
DR.. Paul Ensign from the Mon.
tama State Board Of Health con.
iributrd much IN the discussions
! q! health and sanitation among
Indians. II was brought out that
most reservations have some IA.
riliiirS To take care Of those whO
desire 10 take advantage of this
opportunity. In cases where
special treatment Is needed. the
Public Health Service pays trans
p0riation to and from such hos
pitfalls. This takes the financial
burden from individuals. North
crn Cheyenne and Rocky Boy