Jennings, Evelyn

Established in 1824 under the U.S. War Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs was transferred to the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1849. The BIA held jurisdiction over Native American trade, removal to the West, protection from exploitation, concentration on reservations, and education. Unsuccessful in preventing wars and eliminating corrupt practices, the focus of the BIA was changed by the Dawes Act of 1887, the Burke Act of 1906, and through the Meriam Report of 1928. Prepared by W. Carson Ryan, Jr. the report suggested that education should be the primary function of the BIA. He also advised that Indian education be geared for all age levels and that it be closely tied to the community. Moreover, the report encouraged the establishment of day schools to serve as community centers and proposed reform on boarding schools, including the introduction of Indian culture into the curriculum. The progressive educational program was led by John Collier, who served as commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1933-1945.

From the guide to the Indian Schools Collection, S 477. 1., 1929-1945, (Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University)