Also you have to remember in 1928 you were educated not to go back to the reservation. You will remember that phrase "Back to the blanket." Anybody that went back to his own community after his education was considered a failure, because he was "going back to the blanket." So there is this psychology also.

Two ladies I know that came out of the normal training program, one is Agnes Allen, who taught at Pine Ridge for years, she was selected about 5 years ago as the outstanding teacher in the State of South Dakota; as well as Mrs. Esther Horn who taught at Wahpeton was selected as the outstanding teacher of North Dakota, plus being selected to make an international trip with educators, because of her high quality of teaching. And these came out of the Haskell normal training program. So the ability and the potential is there.

I would now like to go to page 5 since much of the material in the rest of the statement will be covered as we go into the questions. (The partial statement follows:)

A recent amendment to a Federal law makes it possible for the first time for the Bureau to award scholarships to students attending sectarian schools. An increase is requested to help meet the growing number of scholarship applications from Indian college students, including graduate students and urban-based students, to meet the increasing needs for professionals.

Last year we requested funds to initiate a kindergarten program, and we are very enthused over our accomplishments. As the early years of childhood are the most critical ones, we are proposing an expansion of the kindergarten program in our Bureau schools and initiation of the program in public schools educating Indian children. Our current early childhood programs are conducted in close cooperation with Indian parents and have their interest and support.

This request also includes funds for upgrading and strengthening the instruction, guidance and counseling services for children enrolled in Bureau schools. Major emphasis is being placed on remedial curriculum and prevocational activities designed to help Indian children overcome the educational disadvantages of limited experiences, language disabilities and social maladjustments. This request would provide for additional specialized staff to work directly with the children, training of personnel especially to meet problems of Indian schoolchildren, and development of curriculum materials prepared specially for use with these children. Individualized assistance, both academic and psychological, must be provided to help them cope with their personal problems.

With an almost negligible budget for construction considering our needs, we plan to construct additional kindergarten classrooms, a school addition in South Dakota to meet expanding enrollment, and a new shop for post high vocational training at Haskell Institute.

Programs to improve the production of natural resources, together with commercial and industrial development, will add 2,400 Indian employment opportunities on or near reservations in fiscal year 1970. Increases are requested in the forestry and the commercial and industrial development programs. These two programs are among the most effective in producing Indian jobs and income. A considerable percentage of the requested Bureau increase this year is to be channeled through those activities which most immediately affect the people themselves in their efforts to improve their opportunities and achieve a greater measure of self-determination.

A modest beginning was made last year with the new community development program, then associated with adult education. The early phases of this program have featured staff reorientation and a select few demonstration projects in local communities. The response of Bureau field staff and of local participants has convinced us that the time is ripe for modest expansions of this activity. Because we are dealing here with attitudes of people, we must not make any attempt beyond Indian acceptance, but, on the other hand, when initiative is shown locally by Indians our staff should be fully trained to maximize it and our resources should be such as to avoid unfortunate delay. An additional approximate $600,000 is needed in fiscal year 1970 to move this program forward.

A closely related activity, adult education, accounts for over $300,000 of the proposed increase, enabling us to keep some measure of pace with the increasing demand for literacy and high school equivalency training. We believe the vastly

expanding interest in these services is among the most hopeful aspects of Indian communities now.

This budget envisions an increase of a little over $3 million for welfare and the social services, but about two-thirds of that total is for the increased costs of general assistance to needy and qualified families.

Child welfare costs will increase nearly $1 million as State standards and costs of foster care go up. But the remainder of this item, about $350,000, will allow us to expand the tribal work experience program as an option for people otherwise on welfare. Already 14 tribes have voluntarily contracted to administer their welfare programs on this basis, thus allowing individuals who so choose the dignity of meaningful labor instead of welfare, while denying no qualified person who does not so choose his welfare entitlement.

The increase of $2,275,000 for housing includes $300,000 for the Bureau's support of federally financed housing made available principally from funds of other agencies. But, nearly $2 million of this increase would go to expand the Bureau's housing improvement program. In only its second fiscal year, no program of this division has afforded Indian communities and individuals more real partnership with the Federal Government in setting their own priorities and administering their own affairs. This program allows a community the latitude to repair inadequate housing, buy materials for use of volunteer laborers and in numerous ways exert their own initiative in working for solutions to one of the more dire needs of Indian country.

Additionally, about $1 million is requested for small increases of a built-in nature for law and order, tribal operations, and agricultural extension if the level of services now available is to be sustained next year.

We have a strong responsibility to Indian individuals as well, should they opt to leave their own traditional communities and improve their conditions of life in urban centers. This is the primary mission of the adult vocational training and relocation programs. Recently, the Congress increased the authorized ceiling of the adult vocational training program in recognition of the backlog of individuals awaiting training and in the light of newer approaches to training being developed to offer something to the "hard core" group left out by conventional programs. Accordingly, we have requested slightly over $9 million to reach that authorized capacity. This includes funds for on-the-job training to help attract new industry to Indian country. An additional sum slightly over $10 million will go into relocation services. These services include direct job placement for qualified clients.

There are nearly 20,000 miles of roads on 177 Indian reservations for which the Bureau is responsible. Many States and counties are unable to provide adequate transportation services for our people living on or near reservations. Currently, we have approximately 3,000 miles of all-weather roads-this leaves large areas inhabited by Indians that are inaccessible part of each year. This situation is similar to the conditions in lesser developed areas of Latin America, Africa, and Asia. These conditions cause absenteeism in the existing day schools and increasing requirement for boarding school operations and facilities.

Inducing commercial and industrial firms to locate on reservations to increase Indians' income and employment required improved transportation facilities. Improved roads will assist in the economic, social, and educational development of Indian communities.

NAVAJO IRRIGATION PROJECT

Mr. BENNETT. I have great concern over the status of the Navajo irrigation project. This is a project benefiting not only the Indians but producing benefits and improvements to a vast area of our country and its population. As you well know, water is a precious commodity to certain sections of the United States and the Navajo Reservation is one of these locations. Of course, our interest lies in that of the Indian people.

The full development of the Navajo Indian irrigation project will generate some 8,800 jobs of which it is estimated 6,600 will be Navajos. The total annual payroll associated with the full development of the project is estimated at approximately $42 million, of which about $33 million can accrue to Navajo people. The 6,600 jobs that would

be filled by Navajos will provide improved living conditions for some 30.000 Navajo people. The project will irrigate a vast acreage on the Navajo Reservation. It is proposed to build a vast farming system to provide vegetables and fruits to a major portion of the country.

The Navajo irrigation project was authorized in 1962 and scheduled for completion in 1979 with the first unit of land receiving water by 1970. Due to lack of funds the project is only 15 percent completed. At this rate the completion date will be an additional 15 years more or about the year 1995.

I might add that on the other side of the project where the water goes to the San Juan-Chama project, construction is on schedule, over 40 percent complete and going to be completed when scheduled to be completed.

I will now read what the Navajo Tribe feels about the pattern that has been established.

Mrs. HANSEN. Mr. Reifel and I know how they feel. We were there and we completely agree with them.

Mr. BENNETT. The Navajo Tribe has been disappointed and disillusioned to see their project fall so far behind schedule. They view the situation in two general ways, (1) from the economic standpointby not realizing the full potentials of the project on schedule thereby causing many tribal members to continue unnecessarily in the same old poverty pattern; and (2) another broken promise of the Federal Government which has no intention to ever complete the Navajo irrigation project, having obtained a release of the tribe's water right in the San Juan River, as a condition to authorizing the project.

SERVICE TO HUMAN BEINGS

We take great pride in being a Bureau serving the direct needs of human lives in their efforts of long enduring struggles up the ladder of equality to obtain equal opportunities as American citizens. We are dedicated to a progressive, logical, and farsighted program for the American Indian developed in partnership with him. We appreciate your generosity and understanding and seek your continuous guidance and support as we strive to accomplish our all-important mission of serving a great and wonderful people.

Thank you.

Mrs. HANSEN. Thank you very much, Commissioner Bennett.

HIGHLIGHT STATEMENT

We will insert justification pages 1 to 6 in the record.

(The pages follow:)