OPA

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Philleo Nash today issued a statement summarizing the status of the Seminole Indian lands claims case which is pending before/the Indian Claims Commission. The text of the statement follows:

"In response to many queries from the press and from individual citizens, and in order to halt further spread of unsubstantiated rumors, the following status report is submitted concerning the lands claims case of the Seminole Indians now pending before the Indian Claims Commission for additional payment from the Federal Government for lands once held by the Indians of Florida.

"Two claims were filed with the Claims Commission, one by the Seminoles of Florida (1950) and one by the Seminoles of Oklahoma (1951), as successors of the Seminole Nation. (Seminole is a name given to the Indians living in Florida at the turn of the 19th century, consisting of Indian immigrants, chiefly Creeks of the Hitchiti-and-Muskogee-speaking stock, with an admixture of remnant Florida prehistoric aborigines.) The claims of the two present Seminole groups have now been consolidated inasmuch as they were identical claims for "recovery of the value of a parcel of land being all of the present State of Florida excepting three enclaves." (The three excluded areas were known as the Picolata Purchase on the northern Atlantic Coast, the Forbes Purchase on the upper Gulf Coast, from Apalache Bay to Apalachicola Bay, and the Pensacola Purchase on the northwestern Gulf Coast, all consisting of lands sold by Spain prior to U. S. accession of Florida.)

"The case is based on the cession to the U. S. by the Seminoles under the Treaty of 1823 of about 32,000,000 acres for which they received 4 million reserve acres, 6,000 dollars’ worth of livestock and farm implements, and 5,000 dollars per year for 20 years; and also upon the cession of the reserve lands under a later treaty made in 1832 in exchange for lands in Oklahoma territory.

"Hearings have continued intermittently for several years, with deliberations at one period focusing on the motion of the Miccosukee tribal groups to dismiss the monetary claim in favor of restoration of title of the lands to the Indians, However action on such a motion is outside the jurisdiction of the Indian Claims Commission whose authority is confined to granting monetary settlements,.

“On May 8, 1964, the Indian Claims Commission handed down an interim opinion acknowledging that the Seminole Nation, as it existed at the time of the 1823 treaty of cession had original Indian title to almost all the lands that now comprise the State of Florida, except for the three tracts called Forbes, Pensacola and Picolata Purchases and certain Spanish land grants. Title to the reservation established by the 1823 treaty was held to have been extinguished by the 1832 treaty.

"The case was ordered to proceed for determination of (1) the net acreage of the lands ceded under the 1823 treaty, except for the reservation lands, the value of the lands as of September 18, 1823, and the amount of consideration paid under treaty; (2) the acreages of the reservation lands and the value as of May 9, 1832, and the amount of consideration paid under the treaty; and (3) the amount of credits or deductions to which the 'United States may be entitled.

"In view of the many steps yet to be taken in the case--most time-consuming among which is the gathering of documentary evidence of the actual acreages and value of the lands in question--it cannot be indicated with any degree of certainty how much more time may elapse before final decision is possible, As the case now stands, all issues on titles, boundaries, acreages and land values must be determined before there could be any indication of possible amount of recovery."

About thirty American Indians are being provided a course in co-operative management and leadership training that will enable them to successfully operate enterprises that vary from arts and crafts through campground, credit, farming, fishing, livestock, marketing, paddy rice, and tourism.

It began in mid-July at the University of Wisconsin and is funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Training includes nine weeks of classroom and group learning situations interspersed with one week researching on their home reservation and a two week field trip reviewing selected United States cooperatives.

Following this 12 week -period a one-year on-the-job training opportunity, which selected United States coo-operatives have agreed to provide, will be given each participant. Three one-week seminars are scheduled, one after each-four months of on-the-job training.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Louis R. Bruce, a former member of the board of directors of the Dairyman’s League Cooperative Association and former public relations and promotions director of Mid-Eastern Cooperatives, a chain of 23 co-operative supermarkets said in commenting on the program:

“It is particularly appropriate that Indians be trained in cooperative techniques because they suit the Indian tribal concept. Indians take readily to the idea of cooperative enterprises both, as tribes and as groups of individuals.”

Classroom and group leadership training if provided by the International Cooperative Training Center and by the Center for Community Leadership Development, both of which are at the University of Wisconsin.

All field and on-the-job training is arranged for and supervised by Cooperative Education and Training, Inc. (CET), an organization representing United States cooperatives. Their management work experience may be anywhere in the United States where participating cooperatives can provide the training required. However, those cooperatives nearest reservations will be favored.

Expenses of participants during the, classroom training period are paid by the Bureau, as well as the travel, expenses of participants and their families during their on-the-job training period. Participants will be paid the going local wage by those cooperatives for which they work during the on-the-job training portion of the program.

Information on the program is available from International Cooperative Training center, University of Wisconsin Extension Service, 610 Langdon Street, Madison, Wisc. 53706.

Jerome F. Tomhave, 42, an enrolled member of the Gros Ventre Indian Tribe from Elbowoods, N. D., has been named Superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Southern California Agency in River side, Calif., Louis R. Bruce, and Commissioner of the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs, announced today. Tomhave replaces Stephen Lozar, who transferred from Riverside to the Colorado River Agency in Arizona.

Tomhave began his career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1951, serving as a clerk-stenographer at the Ft. Berthold, N. D., and Agency. He has held positions of increasing responsibility in Bureau installations in Ashland, Wisc.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Aberdeen, S. D.; and Hoopa, Calif. From 1966 until 1968 he served as Realty Officer in Hoopa, Calif. and was then appointed Superintendent at the Fort Totten, N. D., Agency the position he held when he was named to his present position.

Tomhave is a graduate of Haskell Institute, Lawrence, Kansas. And served in the U. S. Army from 1951-53.

"Mr. Tomhave has demonstrated his ability to work effectively and harmoniously with Indian people, " Bruce said, "and I know he will continue this record in southern California."

Tomhave is married and the father of six children.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2012—Four cabinet-level departments joined the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation today in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve the protection of Indian sacred sites. The MOU also calls for improving tribal access to the sites. It was signed by cabinet secretaries from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy and Interior. It was also signed by the chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

"The President is insistent that these Sacred Sites be protected and preserved: treated with dignity and respect. That is also my commitment as Secretary of USDA," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "I know my fellow Secretaries share in this commitment. We understand the importance of these sites and will do our best to make sure they are protected and respected."

"American Indian service members are fighting to protect America on distant battlefields," said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. "I'm pleased this new agreement will help protect Indian sacred sites here at home."

"Protecting America's air and water and our nation's heritage is an important part of the Energy Department's commitment to Tribal Nations across the country, particularly those that are neighbors to the Department's National Laboratories, sites and facilities," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "I look forward to continuing this important work and collaborating with other federal agencies and Tribal Nations to protect Indian sacred sites throughout the United States."

"We have a special, shared responsibility to respect and foster American Indian and Alaska Native cultural and religious heritage, and today's agreement recognizes that important role," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "Inter-agency cooperation fosters our nation-to-nation relationship with tribes, and that's certainly true when it comes to identifying and avoiding impacts to the sites that tribes hold sacred."

"Through collaboration and consultation, the signatory agencies will work to raise awareness about Indian sacred sites and the importance of maintaining their integrity. The tools to be developed under this MOU will help agencies meet their Section 106 responsibilities, "said Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA, ACHP chairman. "The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is very pleased to be part of this historic initiative to address the protection and preservation of Indian sacred sites."

The MOU will be in effect for five years and requires participating agencies to determine inter-agency measures to protect sacred sites. It also sets up a framework for consultation with tribes, creation of a training program for federal employees to provide educational opportunities concerning legal protections and limitations related to protection of the sites, creation of a website that includes links to federal agency responsibilities regarding sacred sites and the establishment of management practices that could include collaborative stewardship of those sites.

The MOU calls for development of guidance for management and treatment of sacred sites including creation of sample tribal-agency agreements. It sets up a public outreach plan to maintain, protect and preserve the sites, and calls for identification of impediments to federal-level protection of the sites. Additionally, the MOU provides for outreach to non-federal partners, tribal capacity-building efforts and it establishes a working group to implement the terms of the agreement.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632- 9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).

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It is a very great honor to appear before this distinguished audience.

I know that you are aware that the problems of Native Americans are gathering, day by day, an increasing and long overdue awareness and commitment in the conscience of all Americans - and certainly with the United States government.

NOTE: This text is the basis of Secretary Weinberger's oral remarks. It should be used with the understanding that some material may be added or omitted during presentation.

¬But I am sure that even at this late hour, we still do not fully comprehend all that needs to be done to make our constitutional pledge of equality a living and meaningful reality for Indians,

I do believe, however, that our failings now are more of omission than commission more from misunderstanding of the needs, rather than any plot to deny rights and needed programs, and one of the things I hope to learn more about, and quickly is your real needs.

I hope and I trust that our awareness of those needs will us to develop that basic understanding necessary for beginning on a new Indian era in which - as president Nixon has declared - "The Indian future is determined by Indian acts and Indian decisions,"

We think we may have made such a start, l would like to talk to you today about our department's expanding role in Indian affairs.

Is a department which serves people: and even more important helps people help themselves.

Our people are experienced in dealing with the basic problems that plague you - such as poverty, bad health, isolation, discrimination, inferior education, negligible economic opportunity, alcoholism and matters of social welfare - problems that are not unique to any one people or race,

So the very fact that some additional Indian programs are now lodged with hew is a step forward - the Indian programs. In hew will be nurtured, sustained and enhanced by all our other programs and people who deal every day with the problems of the disadvantaged,

As we work more with you on these matters of grave mutual concern, he will be doing so with an acute awareness of the treaty relationship and the deep obligation we have to you as native citizens of this land.

In particular, l want to allay any fears you might have that, in our concern for you as a people, we might lose sight of your traditional concern for and desire to retain natural Resources. We know of your never-ending struggle to enjoy them,

We can assure you that our delivery of hew services will never depend on the relinquishment by you of any of those natural resources.

While we stand ready to acknowledge that all our problems both historic and contemporary have not been solved. There has been some progress and that should not be overlooked.

Total federal funding for Indian affairs has substantially increased. But more important is the fact that Indian are given more control over how that money will be spent. It is increasingly being put in the hands of tribal governments and other Indian organizations. This is true with economic development funds and it is true with HEW programs and money.

In recognition of your convention theme, "restoration now," we should note that some lands are being restored to their rightful native American owners - 48,000 acres of sacred land near blue lake to the Taos pueblo; 21,000 acres to the Yakima nation; the use of pyramid lake waters to the Paiute tribe; and most recently, the house overwhelmingly passed A.

That would restore land and government services to the Menominee tribe of Wisconsin, as the president made clear in his message to the convention, we sincerely hope that this will pass the Senate so it may be signed by the president.

I am aware that one reason why l was invited to address the convention is because you are looking to my department as

A new ally in the struggle to improve the living conditions and opportunities for the Indian people, it is right that you should,

- for 18 years, we have administered the Indian health program since it was transferred from the interior department,

- last year, the Indian education act gave our office

Of education new responsibilities,

- and this year, we acquired the office of economic opportunity's Indian program.

I want to mention here that our department has taken over more from the office of economic opportunity than just some of the OEO programs, our undersecretary of hew - the department's second officer - is Frank Carlucci, the former director of OEO who has been intimately involved in the management of Indian programs for a number of years,

Frank and I work together constantly, and his advice to me on policy development is invaluable, thus you may be certain that our continuing scrutiny of Indian programs takes place at the top, as well as in the various operating bureaus and agencies.

So HEW obviously is gaining a greater stake in your future. I can assure you that we are making every effort to bring greater knowledge and even more effort to the programs we administer for the benefit of the Indian people.

In order to help me assess our total efforts in Indian programs, I will be looking to the new office of Native American programs under the assistant secretary of human development,

This new assistant secretary ship was created right after I came to the department to establish a central place at the highest level of the department to work on sensitive human problems in which we have a special interest.

The new office will administer the special Indian self-determination programs but a major change will be made in the way these programs operate this fiscal year, the grants will be made directly to tribal councils, who may then select administering agencies or use the funds in other ways that will carry out the administration's policy of self-determination for Indians.

An expanded budget in this program will enable tribal councils to determine their own priorities, and fund them

Accordingly, we do intend, as well, to give special emphasis to urban Indian centers.

A new responsibility entrusted to the department is the program of grants authorized by the Indian education act.

Which congress enacted last year, the program will be administered by a deputy commissioner of Indian education, we actively solicited and are now reviewing the suggestions of the national advisory council on Indian education for a person to be appointed to this high post.

So that the school districts can develop their funding plans, I am announcing today that the 1974 funds - $40 million have been released and will be allocated by hew.

To assure Indian participation in this new program, the act requires that all projects receiving funds must be developed in cooperation with the Indian population to be served, including tribes, parents and, where applicable, the students themselves.

The office of education will continue to provide additional funds under the more traditional impact aid program and title

I of the elementary and secondary education act which focuses money on disadvantaged children, but we hope that under the leadership of a deputy commissioner, who is himself a Native American, that all our education programs will better meet

What you perceive to be the needs of your children.

Education is a key to self-determination and education will receive heavy hew emphasis as we move down the road that leads to full self-determination,

Another new effort we have under way is being administered by a special Indian-Alaska native desk within our national institute of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

We are well aware of the concern you have for alcoholism, the abuses and desolation your people have suffered is underlined by the fact that this problem affects an estimated 50 to 80 percent of all Indian families. We know the havoc this creates disrupting both family ad tribal life-exactly as it also affects millions of non-Indians. We know it a disadvantage and we intend to fight it as a disease that can be co trolled or cured

Alcoholism among Native Americans is a priority effort within the NIAAA, currently we are funding 140 projects, a third of which are serving urban Indians arm the remainder are based on reservations. About so of these 'projects were transferred last year from the office of economic opportunity, last year funding totaled $6,8 million and this year we expect to spend nearly $7 million on alcoholism treatment and rehabilitation services for Indians and Alaska Natives at the community level - in larger cities rural areas, and on reservations.

This special program was something we initiated administratively by ourselves. There has no legislation mandating such a program. Our approach basically is to give the Indian and Alaska native people the resources so they may themselves solve their alcoholism problems, we also made a grant to the American Indian commission on alcoholism. Drug abuse, which has an all-Indian staff and is providing technical assistance to the individual projects.

As far as the general health program is concerned, I think know well the gains it has brought about in the past 18 years - the increasing numbers of people being served and favorable impact this has had on death rates and the reduction of serious illness, but you also know that we are intensifying our efforts in this struggle of ours to bring the health of native Americans up to that of the general population, that is why we are spending more money on Indian health, building more hospitals, and bringing more Indians into the service than ever before,

Obviously, this is no time to slacken our momentum and we have no intention of doing so, we expect to spend over $200 million this year - almost double the 1969 level, our goal is to raise the health of the 489,000 American Indians and Alaska natives for whom we are responsible, to the highest possible level.

Toward this end, we have greatly expanded opportunities for Native Americans to build health careers within the Indian health service.

At the present time, more than 53 percent of the 7,142 full-time personnel of IHS are Indians and Alaska natives. Many of these people have been trained in our special schools and courses conducted by IHS, all-Indian tribal boards participate fully with IHS staff in planning, operating, and evaluating the health program at every administrative level.

Our office of health manpower opportunities has trained more than 4,000 Indians and Alaska natives as allied health professionals, more than 1,600 have been trained in health leadership and health management positions and for further advancement into the health professions - including physician training, registered nurse programs for practical nurses, and special nurse training in obstetrics,

In our recent reorganization of the health area, we moved from an advocacy type structure to a functional approach, previously one person had represented each principal minority group, including one for the American Indians on a functional basis, however, recognizing the unique relationship between the federal government and the American Indian, we made special provisions for the American Indian by establishing a liaison office for Indian affairs in the new health resources administration whose responsibility it would be to coordinate the activities of that agency with the Indian health services in hew, the bureau of Indian affairs in DOI and so forth.

there are noteworthy developments in the activities of HEW's office for civil rights, which is responsible for administering title vi of the civil rights act of 1964 for many years this office was totally absorbed by the effort to bring about the elimination of the Southern - black white - "dual school system,"

The last three years, however, the office of civil rights has articulated and begun to enforce actively a policy, which requires school districts to remove barriers to equal educational services for Indian children - resulting from the failure by school districts to appreciate and reflect the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of Indian Children.

We believe the educational development and achievement of Indian children should not be restricted by the failure of school districts to create educational environments which reflect and value the language and cultural heritage of Indian children just as they reflect and value the language and cultural heritage of non-Indian children, compliance activities underway in Wisconsin, Arizona, and New Mexico have stressed this very important point, in the area of financial assistance to Indian students in colleges and universities, the office of civil rights will soon release a memorandum which will address the concerns raised by many Indian students regarding the distribution of federal financial aid for higher education, our objective is to eliminate discrimination wherever we find it.

Similarly, a memorandum of understanding among the office of civil rights, the Indian health service, and the medical services administration of hew has been finalized which will prohibit any state or local hospital or extended care facility from turning away Indian patients who choose to be treated there because such patients are also eligible for benefits from the Indian health service, further, the memorandum of understanding establishes a system to prevent Indian people from being turned away from state and local health care facilities because of an alleged inability to pay.

I hope that you can see as we do in all these various steps a beginning of that new Indian era of self-determination that we all seek, but possibly more important than individual programs and funds - in the long range - might be our basic approach, instead of telling you what we are going to do, l am interested in asking you what you believe we should be doing - and what you think we are doing wrong, I came here fully as much to learn as to talk.

This month, the hew office of Native American programs began a series of six regional meetings to receive Indian advice and recommendations - and complaints - on activities the new office should undertake, such meetings already have taken place at the reservations at warm springs, Oregon, and fort Berthold, North Dakota.

I urge you, and all Indians, to take a full, unconstrained part in these sessions - let us have your recommendation and suggestions and ideas, we plan to consult you on a regular basis and we want our programs to reflect Indian needs and desires.

In the past, I fear, the federal approach was that we knew the answers and we proclaimed those answers with the bold and total confidence that only uninformed people can project.

Now, at least, we are conceding that we don't know the answers, and we are setting out to learn, work on education programs for us as we work on education programs for you.

So there are some signs of new directions and we trust that our listening and learning can be counted as one of the most promising.

We know that our efforts are late by decades, not by months or weeks.

We know that our past efforts have been only partial and tentative successes.

But we also know of the depth of our commitment and that can be the most important fact of all, because our long story has demonstrated at least one thing: we can do what we want to do.

So I pledge you our very best efforts at compassion that works, compassion works that is built on deeds and not words. And I pledge you my total personal involvement, commitment and cooperation.

Interior's Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Forrest J. Gerard today announced the appointment of James L. Sansaver as Special Assistant in the area of trust services.

Sansaver, a member of the Assiniboine-Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation, will work on the Assistant Secretary's immediate staff in matters involving natural resource programs and the strengthening of tribal governments.

An attorney from Wolf Point. Montana, Sansaver was admitted to the Montana Bar in 1961, practiced general law in his hometown form 1961 to 1969, and served as Montana County Attorney for two terms from 1961 to 1962.

Sansaver served in the BIA Billings Area Office as Chief, Division of Rights Protection, 1974 to 1976, and Chief, Division of Resource Development 1976 to present. He has also served in the BIA as a water rights liaison officer and tribal relations specialists an attorney in the Office of the Commissioner, Washington, D.C.

Gerard said that Sansaver's experience and education would provide "expertise urgently needed in dealing with the multi-faceted situations which involve the Indian tribes' natural resources, the Nation's energy needs and the knowledge of tribal government as it relates to resource development."

Educated at the University of Montana, Sansaver earned his B.A. in history and political science in 1957, L.D.D. in 1961 and J.D. in 1970. From 1976 to 1977. he was U.S. C.S.C. Fellow in the Woodrow Wilson School of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Sansaver, a member of the American Indian Bar Association, has served as legal rights consultant to the National Tribal Chairmen's Association (1971-1974), Montana International Policy Board, and the Native American Natural Resource Development Federation of the Northern Great Plains Tribes (1974-1976).

Sansaver, who is married and has three children, included in the 1978-79 Who's who in America series on Who's who in the West (16 Edition).

Assistant Secretary Forrest J. Gerard announced today actions in the ongoing effort to organize and improve the management systems and structure of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Interior Secretary Cecil Andrus and Under Secretary James Joseph announced September 21, 1978, that they had reviewed and approved the general principles of a reorganization plan for the administration of Indian Affairs. Although the reorganization plan has not been given final approval by Andrus and Joseph pending analysis by them of all details of the plant they have given authorization.to begin implementation of some features of the reorganization.

The first steps of the pIan includes a vigorous search for a BIA Commissioner, appointment of an interim agency head, immediate assignment of a Gerard deputy to direct and concentrate full effort on the BIA Management Improvement Project, and establishment of two planning and evaluation offices at the Assistant Secretary level.

The actions "maintain the integrity of the recommendations of the Secretary's Task Force on BIA Reorganization, while reflecting the analyses and comments of tribal leaders and employee-review teams," stated Gerard. One Task Force recommendation called for an Indian Affairs structure of an Assistant Secretary, three deputies, and an agency head.

"Our plan," Gerard explained, "follows a less cumbersome and more conventional structure: an Assistant Secretary, with one deputy at the Departmental level, and a Commissioner, with one deputy at the Bureau level. This structure permits the Assistant Secretary to give greater attention to the responsibilities as principal policy advisor to the Secretary on Indian matters affecting the Administration, while the Commissioner will provide needed leadership and direction for the Bureau on a daily basis."

The Assistant Secretary said that his office "will oversee the selection process and tribal consultation which will lead to the nomination and confirmation of the Commissioner. It is essential that the person be in place early in 1979." As an interim measure, Gerard announced the temporary appointment of Martin E. Seneca, Jr., as Acting Deputy Commissioner and LaFollette Butler as Acting Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner. They will serve as functional and operational heads of the Bureau until the selection and confirmation of the BIA Commissioner. Seneca, a Seneca Indian, is Director of the Office of Trust Responsibilities, and Butler, a Cherokee, is Special Assistant to the Phoenix Area Director.

In this phase of the action plan, the Assistant Secretary:

• Assigned Deputy Assistant Secretary George V. Goodwin to head the Management Improvement Project, directing at the Departmental level the implementation of the overall effort to organize the BIA management systems. "This assignment of my top administrative staff to devote full attention to this vital Project demonstrates the seriousness with which the Secretary, Under Secretary and I approach our responsibility to meet the critical needs in Indian country through an efficient, effective and organized trust services agency." Gerard said.
• Assigned Deputy Assistant Secretary Rick C. Lavis to serve in a generalized capacity at the Departmental level, with functional duties broadened beyond his present designation as deputy for program operations. --Announced that: two new offices will be established in the Office of the Assistant Secretary to provide a stronger planning and evaluation function at that level.
• Announced the continuation of the BIA Area Offices as intermediate levels of authority, with future changes in the role of the 12 offices to be determined by future action plans and office-by-office reviews.
• Announced a review of administrative procedures to determine which authorities are to be delegated to the lowest operating level of the BIA and whether economies can be achieved by eliminating overlapping functions

A cooperative agreement between the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Board of Parole and the Federal Probation System to provide rehabilitation and employment services for Indians just released from Federal prisons has been signed, it was announced today.

The agreement calls for a "concerted" effort to unify court, prison and parole procedures and the many educational, vocational and employment services provided Indians by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The agreement noted that "conviction on State or Federal criminal charges does not disqualify Indians from eligibility for assistance by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Conviction may, in fact, be an indication of a need for special assistance.

Robert L. Bennett, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, said the agreement "will allow those who determine if an Indian offender is ready for parole, those who supervise his parole activities, and those who operate programs designed to help Indians become productive members of modern society coordinate their activities for the benefit of Indians now obviously at odds with society."

The agreement was signed by: Bennett; William E. Foley, Deputy Director, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts; Myrl E. Alexander, Chief, U.S. Bureau of Prisons; and Homer L. Benson, member, U.S. Board of Parole.

Robert Lo Bennett, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, announced today that Lawrence J. Kozlowski, formerly superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs· Miccosukee Agency, Homestead, Fla., has been appointed superintendent of the Jicarilla Agency, Dulce. N. M.

He will fill the position left vacant by the recent transfer of Ralph Bo Armstrong to the post of Project Engineer in the Navajo area. The transfer is effective October 22.

Kozlowski is a native of Illinois and received his bache1or·s degree in Education from Roosevelt College. Chicago. There he also took graduate work.

In August of 1951 he joined the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a teacher with the Alaska Native Service, Wrangell. Alaska. In February, 1966. Kozlowski as promoted to the superintendency of the Miccosukee Agency.

He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II as a signalman aboard U.S. merchant ships.

Kozlowski is married and the father of two children.

A new course of study for young American Indians, based on the strengths and historical significance of their heritage will be used in schools of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Department of the Interior reported today.

Developed by Dr. John Bryde, who has worked for 22 years in Indian schools conducted by the Jesuit Order, the new course has been tried in the Holy Rosary Mission School on the Pine Ridge, S.D, Indian reservation, as a means of developing self-esteem and capability This combined elementary and high school has a capacity of 500 students and is the largest Indian private school in this country.

Dr. Bryde is now at Fort Yates, M.D., under a contract with the Bureau of Indian Affairs working on instructional materials and teaching guides for the course, which he calls "Acculturation Psychology" or "How To Be A Modern Indian ...” It will be started in the first and ninth grade levels of Indian schools and is expected to be expanded to other grades.

One of the few white men to speak the Sioux language fluently, Dr. Bryde developed the new approach during his doctorate research into the psychological problems of Indian children A study of the records of both Indian children and white children in the Dakotas showed that Indian children overachieved the national norms on tests taken while they were in the fourth to sixth grades, but at .the seventh grade began to fall behind.

How to stop this reversal of performance became the subject of Dr. Bryde's research under a $10,000 grant by the National Institute of Mental Health.

He decided that many Indian youngsters at about the eighth grade level tend to feel alienated, even from themselves, and feel rejected, depressed, and lost The differences from reactions of the white students were significant".

Dr. Bryde then sought a remedial or therapeutic approach and decided that a major factor in the breakdown of scholastic achievement and general performance of Indian youth was lack of effective identification with Indian heritage o He concluded that many Indians have not been taught a clear history of their people, have not developed racial pride, and have not been taught what Indian values are and how they historically arise.

"Since the Indian youth indicates that he is socially alienated, even from his own group, he shows that he has no effective awareness of his historical racial identity," Dr. Bryde says"

"Since awareness of historical origins is necessary for orientation to any kind of future action, the first part of this acculturation course provides for teaching him a solid, clear history of his race, designed to give him pride in his racial origins"

"Since the Indian youth does not get a sense of historical racial pride from the study of the routine American history courses taught in all Indian schools now, he should be taught thoroughly and vividly the history of his Indian race as the first source and basis for personal identity.

"The next part of the course will teach the Indian youth what values are and how they historically arise -- great Indian values and how to use them in the modern world, and non-Indian values, and how to adjust to the clashes and conflicts between them"

"He will be shown clearly that acculturational psychology is not a matter of ceasing to be Indian. This is psychologically absurd. He will likewise be shown that acculturation is not a matter of completely becoming white. This is also psychologically impossible"

"He will be shown how to take the best from the two cultures, blend and integrate these values within himself, with the result that he creates within himself a unique modern Indian personality, which is his enriching contribution to society."

Two pupils in the Holy Rosary Mission School -- Patrick Kills Crow and Mary Crazy Thunder -- described the course as "something really different and exciting" in a news article o They wrote that they never had thought they would look forward to a class period "but we sure do now."