Page:LewisMeriam-TheProblemOfIndianAdministration.djvu/104
departments of education, health, and welfare, although at times county agricultural agents were found who had given considerable attention to the Indians. In California, Minnesota, Washington, and Wisconsin the state officers were actively interested and supplied much valuable information. At Independence, California, the district attorney who grew up in the vicinity, and also the county sheriff gave valuable material on general conditions in that vicinity.
Relations with Friends of the Indians. At several places it proved feasible for individual members of the staff to call on white persons who can perhaps be best described as “friends of the Indian.’ Some of them were simply private individuals who have taken a deep personal interest in the Indians in their vicinity. Others are members of associations interested in Indian welfare. Special mention should be made of the courtesies extended to the survey staff by the Indian Defense Association. At San Francisco the files of this association were opened to the staff and Miss Alida C. Bowler, at that time its secretary in California, rendered invaluable assistance in gathering together for each specialist the particular papers which she thought he or she ought especially to see. She also arranged for conferences between members of the staff and members of the association particularly interested in special subjects, and the staff of the survey attended a general luncheon of the membership held specially for it, at which there was general discussion. Mr. John Collier, executive secretary of the association, after a meeting with Mr. Meriam in Washington, kindly furnished from time to time names of persons whom he believed the survey would find helpful. Unfortunately, he was not present when the staff was in San Francisco, but later it proved possible for almost the entire group to meet him in Albuquerque. One very helpful meeting was arranged at Santa Fé by Mr. Francis Wilson, former attorney for the Pueblo Indians, which enabled the members of the staff then present to meet a considerable number of friends of the Indian. Here again there was general discussion.
Technical Aid and Advice. When the survey was first considered, some thought was given to the possibility of organizing more or less formally a board of advisers composed mainly of persons distinguished in their respective fields who could help the active staff members by their expert knowledge of special subjects.