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REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 
OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, 
lVashington, D. C., September 30, 1921. 
SIR: I have the honor to submit this, the Ninetieth Annual 
Report of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, for the fiscal year ended 
June 30, 1921. 
It will be noted that much of the statistical matter of the character 
shown in former reports is eliminated from this one, only such tabu- 
lated data appearing as will be required to furnish information to 
Congress and as seems likely to be useful to the reader having more 
than ordinary interest in Indian affairs. It is doubtful if statistical 
information to the extent contained in previous reports is of special 
annual value, and my present intention is to publish it not oftener 
than once in four years. At this time particularly, when the reduc- 
tion Qf public expenditures is of prime importance, and no sum is 
too small to be saved in the effort to restore normal conditions, it is 
believed there is special reason for this omission, as well as the 
briefest narration consistent with a fair account of the bureau's work 
during the year. 
SCHOOLS. 
From various causes arising within and immediately following the 
war period there was some lowering of the standards of efficiency 
in the usually commendable work of the Indian schools, and these 
causes were largely unavoidable.' During the early part of the fiscal 
year 1921, When contracts were made for school supplies, prices were 
still very high; therefore support funds which were needed for other 
purposes had to.be used frequently, in, paying for subsistence, cloth- 
ing, and other necesSities, thus leaving the fund for the employment 
of instructors so short that it was impossible to offer salaries that 
would hold many capable employees or attract well-qualified people. 
This condition 'o affairs has existed through several years, requiring 
the temporary employment of many persons whose qualifications 
were often below a satisfactory standard, in order to keel) the schools 
open, even if in some'instances not normally effective. 
For similar reasons the material equipment of the schools through- 
out the country could not always be desirably maintained. Condi- 
tions are, however, more promising. Teachers and school employees 
are now generally available through the regular channels, the cost of 
supplies and many materials is declining, and the prospects are hope- 
ful for strengthening, the -personnel, equipment, and consequent effi- 
ciency of the schools 'for training the Indian youth in the duties of 
full citizenship and developing in them the force of character that 
will insure their Safe transition through the dangerous period b- 
tween the close of school life and the time when they should fill 
worthy places in our social order. An earnest effort must be made to 
vitalize and to dignifyir :schools. 
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