The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1961-12-14

II may be advantageous to trans
fer the office from Minneapolis
to Duluth in an effort to Inn
prove services to the heavily pop
ulated northern reservations,
which are in great need.
3. There are a number OF small
superintendencies In the Phoe-
nix jurisdiction which are remote
from Phoenix. The Task Force
received complaints about some
of them. For example, Owyhee,
which is on the Nevada-ldaho
border, is serviced from Phoenix.
In terms of miles, 1t is mucn
nearer to Portland, and would
appear to be more easily serv-
iced from there.
4. Some years ago, the Navajo
Jurisdiction was an area Office
in itself. In recent years 1t has
been treated as a superintendent
cy reporting to the Gallup Area
Office. The Navajo represent pc
tween one-fourth and one-fifth
of all the Indians under Federal
jurisdiction. 1t would seem much
more appropriate to restore the
Navajo Reservation to area stat
us. Administration of Navajo al
fairs and the necessary close
contact with the Navajo tribal
government calls for an area d.
rector at Window Rock or Gallup
with such superintendencies at
various points on the large res
ervation as are deemed desirable.
If this plan is carried out, the
other tribes within the present
Gallup jurisdiction Pueblos,
Utes and Jicarilla and Mescalero
Apaches) would then constitute
separate area with a natural
center of gravity at Albuquer-
que.
sUPERINTENDENTS
In the opinion of the Task
Force the selection of superin-
tendents Is one of the major
functions of the upper levels of
the Bureau and the Department.
The superintendent is a field
agent who should have maximum
on-the-spot decision-making au-
thority. In the course of its hear
ings and in visits to the Indian
country the Task Force was pro-
foundry impressed by the caliber
and dedication of many superin-
tendents. These AZ men together
with the ten area directors are
the truly indispensable part of
the Indian Service. Wherever the
Task Force found an economic
development plan in operation,
increased job opportunities, i'm
proved housing, and lifted In
dian morale, there was an out
standing superintendent working
in harmony with effective tribal
leaders.
On the other hano, in an or
ganization as large as the Bureau
of Indian Affairs, desli1g with
complex problems of human re-
lations, there are bound to be
some superintendent whose atti-
tudes and actions arouse dislike,
lack of confidence, and resist
ance among Indians. The Task
Force d1es not know whether a
formal procedure can be found
10 identify in advance superin-
tendents who can work well with
Indians and those who cannot,
but the difference in results is
plainly visible on the reserva-
tons. Perhaps a prediction can
best be made on the basis of
previous success in working with
Indians in other field positions.
A superintendent should dem
-onstrate to the area office that
he can handle authority before
a full delegation is given to him.
Only those who have demon
strated their ability to receive
and carry out full authority and
to work successfully with Indians
ought to continue as superinten-
dents.
We suggest that no man be
placed in SUPPLEMENTARY
without a period of in-service
training. We also suggest that
the practice, which seems to have
been followed in many cases, of
promoting to superintendencies
technical or professional employ
ees who have made good records
in their special fields, is of doubt
full validity.
Furthermore, when good SUI
perintendents are found, there
should be way to reward them
in place, rather than move them
to other jobs which are rated
more highly because they spend
more money or have more en-
ployees. The Task Force suggests
that a superintendent at small
agency may actually have more
difficult task, and perhaps more
acute problems, than the super
intendent at a larger reservation
with a correspondingly larger
staff. We urge that the Bureau
and the Department explore the