Viewing page 57 of 88

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

to help our people who want to go into business. who want to go to college, or who want to buy better tools and equipment with which to make a better living from their farms.

All these things are beginning for us. We have hopes that at the end of ten years, many of our present problems will be solved, and we will see our way clearly toward an early solution of the rest. Your continued interest and your active help have played a big part in bringing these things about. My people are grateful, and I want to say on their behalf, thank you! Thank you very much!

JOE JOHNSON (Shiprock, N.M.):  I am very glad to come here to meet the third time with you people.  I was getting ready to come over here and the last minute the Chairman said you and Sam will go to the meeting.  I don't need any paper.  I'll tell you what we need on the Navajo Reservation.  I hope the $8,000,000 the government turned over to the Navajos will be turned over to education for the children.  The government promised the Navajo about 50 or 60 years ago and haven't done nothing yet.  I hope this money will be spent right for something.  I wish all the Navajo children could be educated.  I went to Fort Lewis a long time ago.  I have very little education.  What I have I try to help my children.  I tell you right now, not only Navajo, but all the rest of the nation is Indian, white people, like to cheat, want to push Indian all the time.  They like to kick this Indian education down, not to graduate cause then they be smart and don't want these Indians educated. I would like to see the Indian Service help the Navajo children in schools.  We sent the children to Sherman in California.  We were there about three or four months ago and heard school was going to turn down.  It belongs to somebody else.  I went to Washington three or four times asking for schools, roads and resources of some kind.  Congress says they will and then we tell our people that the promise was made.  When we get on the reservation that change.  The government lied then we lied to our people.  I hope some day when the Navajo understands and are all educated they will be able to know what the National Congress of American Indians means.  If the government had educated these children a long time ago, there would be no need for national congress today.  The Commissioner said "I don't know."  That is way I am.  I don't know.  Who knows?  When the commissioner come over to Window Rock he tried to start back same day.  We said no we need you here.  What we need on Navajo is schools.  We want a school.  We don't want day school.  We tried that.  We want boarding school so children can stay there.  So the government hasn't started boarding school on Navajo yet.  I am glad I am here.  Thanks.

                                  *** ***



                                    -55-