isolated element of the population. There will be many difficulties and, in some instances, it may not be desirable to bring about a complete merger between the white and Indian civilization. The Indian culture will be preserved where it has the means of subsistence and the vigor to survive, as demonstrated in some areas in the Southwest. As this modern civilization calls for a higher degree of mechanical ability, the Indian naturally skillful with his hands can find a self-supporting place. The problem of making a section of the population numbering between 350,000 and 400,000 selfsupporting can be and will be solved. The problem has not been solved before largely because of the lack of resources in the attack upon it. For example, in examining the expenditures of 22 Indian schools for the fiscal year 1929, it was found that the average expenditure for clothing per year per pupil was $22.26, against minimum requirement of at least $50. As to diet, the average per pupil per day, even under the last allowances available, was considerably below the 37.8 cents found to be the minimum requirement by a carefully selected committee of physicians and specialists. The actual figures for food per pupil per day in these 22 schools was 20 cents, of which 14 cents represented food purchased and 6 cents represented food produced. Examination of these figures should indicate one reason why the health of the Indian population is not up to white standards.

BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS

The Board of Indian Commissioners is an independent organization dissociated from the Indian Service and acting in an advisory capacity to the President and the Secretary. Its work has been valuable and enlightening. A summary of its current activities will be found in another part of this report. Attention is particularly called to its full report published separately which contains a valuable review of the entire period of Indian administration.

OFFICE OF EDUCATION

The plan of reorganization of the Office of Education has been completed and is in process of execution. Its principle is the establishment of the Office of Education as a research organization rather than an administrative agency. It will transfer to other agencies its present administrative activities so far as possible and concentrate on fact finding and research in the many fields of education. In the

past it has been the administrator of the educational system of Alaska. As rapidly as may be that responsibility should be transferred to other agencies more local to Alaska. It has, through an anomalous development, become the custodian of the Alaskan reindeer through its efforts to assist the Alaskan natives to become selfsupporting. Care of the reindeer will be transferred to more appropriate channels. The energies of the office will thus be devoted to itsproper functions of investigation and publication of data designed: to be of assistance to local authorities in proving school standards. It will have an administrative division, under a chief clerk; a division of educational research and investigation, under an assistant commissioner; a division of publications, under an editor in chief; a library division, under a librarian; an educational service division, under a service chief; and a division of major educational service, under the commissioner himself. Known in the past as a bureau, its present dissociation from administrative burdens will be marked by a change of name. Hereafter it will be known as the Office of Education.

The work of the advisory committee on education is one of the most important with which the Office of Education is currently associated. This advisory committee is made up of a number of the most prominent educators of the United States. Its work will be to make an exhaustive and authoritative study of the activities of the Federal Government in the field of education. It is made up of men of experience and individuality, and nearly every school of thought regarding this problem is represented. Its work should be of the greatest importance in shaping the future trend of the Office of Education and in forming a basis for recommendations to Congress. The cooperation of those invited to serve on this committee has been gratifying.

Independently, a nation-wide survey of secondary education is now in progress under a three-year appropriation program. The results of this survey will be of great value in presenting to the country the facts of this phase of education.

Local government in education is, in my opinion, the keystone of proper training for citizenship by universal public education. A unique distribution of the taxing power, so that the majority of the taxes have been raised and spent in the local districts and States

and only a modest percentage outside of those for war and its after effects has come from the Washington Government, has permitted a wide range of development in the public schools. There have, fortunately, been no national universities. State universities developed after a prolonged period of privately operated and later privately endowed institutions of higher learning. These private institutions have provided a constant stimulation for State institutions of equal rank. The hand of centralized government has been largely kept off the school-teacher and the schoolroom. In some areas absence of a proper sense of self-government, financial disability, and a lack of organizing power have provided some dark spots. A suggestion has been frequently made that a national mechanism should be set up to bring these dark spots up to the average level of the country. Correction of abuses is a poor method of administration. There is a distinct menace in the centralization in the National Government of any large educational scheme. Abnormal power to standardize and crystallize education which would accompany financial power would be more damaging to local aspiration and local self-respect and to State government and State self-respect than any assistance that might come from the funds. We can not rise higher than our source. That source in government with us is local. There is a distinct place for research and the dissemination of information in the administrative side of education in the National Government but it should not be recognized as an administrative position with large funds at its disposal. A department of education similar to the other departments of the Government is not required. An adequate position for education within a department and with sufficient financial support for its research, survey, and other work, is all that is needed. That is the aim of the newly reorganized Office of Education and that will be its position in this department.

The office will give increasing attention to the possibilities of the use of radio in education. To that end a series of conferences have been organized and are proving of value. The radio constitutes an entirely new force, giving practically continent-wide range to the voice and the musical instrument and, hence, to lectures and features not otherwise available to rural classrooms. It seems inevitable that great use must be found for the radio in our public

educational system. It will render it possible to choose the most expert lecturers and to have their audiences in many places-homes and classrooms instead of one hall. It has been used until recently largely for entertainment and amusement, but is passing out of that stage into that of community and domestic utility. Its possibilities in the field of education will be closely followed by the Office of Education and its use furthered through consideration by the Radio Education Conference.

PENSIONS

The Pension Bureau, under the direction of Col. Earl D. Church, will be based as far as possible on sound insurance principles. A high grade of medical service is demanded. Many important individual decisions involving substantial amounts of money must be made and they should be based largely upon the physical findings of the medical staff. The large problem of handling the pension affairs of those having proper places on the rolls through their declining years needs to be carried out with sympathy and efficiency, both from a human and a financial standpoint. The aims of the Pension Office will be honesty, fairness, justice, and promptness. It is particularly important to eliminate all elements of fraud. Help will be given to those who have rendered the requisite service to their country, but there is every reason for not bringing in among those so honored and helped any who are not deserving. A sound economical basis which will operate with justice to all concerned will be the aim of Colonel Church and his associates. Experience in the insurance field will be a splendid starting point for maturing plans to that end, and for administration of the civil service retirement laws, for which the bureau is responsible. Plans are also in process of formulation for practical coordination in the field between the efforts of the Pension Bureau, the Veterans' Bureau, and the National Soldiers' Home, looking to an elimination of overlaps and duplications in administrative work. The magnitude of the bureau's work may be judged from its disbursements for the past year totaling $229,889,986.48. The basis for disbursement is largely statutory, but as these statutes are founded in a large part on recommendations of the bureau the importance of sound plans for the future as a basis for recommendations to Congress is apparent.

THE NATIONAL PARKS

In dealing with national parks, the efforts of the department will be concentrated on three principal efforts: First, the high standards for scenic and recreational values established by the present parks must be met by any new park projects; second, rounding out the national park system by bringing some new carefully selected parks into the system, by bringing under its jurisdiction the national military parks, and by adding desirable areas to existing parks; third, the consolidation of park areas by elimination of private holdings within their boundaries. In visiting the parks I have found the personnel of this young and vigorous bureau one of the most valuable contact groups between the Federal Government and the people. It has taken its place as a major bureau and should be classified as such. The road and trail program is being energetically carried out. Five million dollars a year for this purpose is the present appropriation. A 10-year program has been drawn up and is being followed. It contemplates reconstruction of existing roads on modern standards and the construction of certain new roads and improvement and extension of the trail system. Large areas in the parks are to be left in their natural wilderness state, accessible only by trail on foot or horseback. An excellent example is Glacier National Park. I have seen no reason to modify this plan in order to open new country in the older and highly developed parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite. Preservation of primitive landscape conditions, adequate protection of wild life, and the safeguarding of forests and watersheds can not be carried out if a reasonable balance between accessibility and wilderness value is not maintained. A group of landscape architects pass on all plans for improvements in the park system and roads and trails are built according to designs that will give the least injury to natural features. The public-utility operators are cooperating in this field.

The Park Service faces splendid opportunities in new fields of public education as well as along its present lines. It now serves 3,000,000 people annually. I have asked that a careful survey be made of the rates and returns of the various utilities operating in the parks to the end that a fair balance between service and profit may continue to be struck.