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Problem of Indian Administration

Where they become surrounded by whites without having achieved these higher standards, they are menaced themselves and also become a menace to the better things in the white civilization. Sexual relationships between low types of the two races tend to develop. From what evidence the survey staff could secure in this difficult field of investigation it appears that Indian girls rarely become commercial prostitutes. They may, however, be the victims of white men. The more apparent relationship is a marriage or other union lasting for some little time. Often a white man or woman marries an Indian for the sake of securing possession or use of the Indian’s property; or, an extremely low grade white, a misfit in the economic and social life of the white civilization, forms a union with a low grade Indian. These low grade whites turn Indian in a way that is quite shocking, and they may be found existing in shacks that are below rather than above those of the purely Indian dwellings in the neighborhood. Children of these unions have frequently the handicap of both bad heredity and bad environment. The white father, too, is apparently fairly prone to desert the Indian woman, leaving her with the burden of caring for the children.

On the other hand it must be said there are numerous examples of successful inter-racial unions where the Indians have risen to white standards and are sought by the whites because they possess qualities which make for the establishment of strong families.^[1]

The unassimilated, undeveloped Indian readily becomes the victim of the bootlegger, the dope peddler, and the gambler. From its earliest days the Indian Service has been struggling to keep liquor from the Indians. The task becomes increasingly difficult as the white civilization comes closer to the Indians. White communities just off the Indian country tend to become centers for the trade. More officers are needed to clean things up. In some of these towns one has only to walk into the pool room to see open gambling going

↑ At one Indian school the members of the survey staff were delightfully entertained by the Indian girls of the senior class in domestic science. Two members of the survey sat at each table with four Indian girls and were served a simple yet delicious meal prepared by the four girls. One girl at each table had to occupy the difficult position of hostess, a task performed with a quiet grace and dignity which the survey staff came to regard as characteristic of Indian women. One hostess said, “My daddy always teases my mother by telling her he married her for her biscuits,” and then by the way of explanation she added, “Daddy is a white man.” Judging that union by its fruit, one would conclude that the biscuits were symbolic of substantial domestic virtues. Any man might well be proud of a daughter like that girl.

[1] At one Indian school the members of the survey staff were delightfully entertained by the Indian girls of the senior class in domestic science. Two members of the survey sat at each table with four Indian girls and were served a simple yet delicious meal prepared by the four girls. One girl at each table had to occupy the difficult position of hostess, a task performed with a quiet grace and dignity which the survey staff came to regard as characteristic of Indian women. One hostess said, “My daddy always teases my mother by telling her he married her for her biscuits,” and then by the way of explanation she added, “Daddy is a white man.” Judging that union by its fruit, one would conclude that the biscuits were symbolic of substantial domestic virtues. Any man might well be proud of a daughter like that girl.

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