ent and unnecessary personnel. BIA employee William Endersbee reported that, aside from a few southwestern reservations, land conservation was sporadic due to improper funding. Although the Indian New Deal provided immediate relief to Native Americans, it failed to impart any lasting changes. According to Charles Young, supervisor of Indian Rehabilitation, the Resettlement Administration provided housing to over 900 families; however, 73 percent still needed new or improved housing. Other New Deal programs such as the WPA, CWA and NYA were able to provide short-term relief but they failed in stopping the cycle of poverty in tribal communities. Collier hoped to effect positive changes in the Native American education system. However, most of his reforms were often unsuccessful and unpopular. Collier pursued a policy started in the Hoover Administration of replacing boarding schools with day schools. This proved unpopular with Navahos who preferred boarding schools since they provided better nutrition for their children. In 1934, Collier put his support behind the Johnson-O’Malley Act, which he hoped, would improve educational services. However, the law depended on building a harmonious relationship between Federal and State administrators, which never materialized. Finally, the BIA budget declined from $11,224,000 in 1932 to $10,523,475 in 1940. These restraints prevented the bureau from providing education to thousands of Native American children. Although the Indian New Deal provided some improvements in health services for Indians, it fell far short of what was desperately needed. Despite Collier’s attempts to expand medical programs, he was never able to obtain the necessary appropriations from Congress to complete the task. He admitted as much in a 1935 congressional hearing when he declared that Indian health services remained “tragically inadequate” due to budget restrictions. In January 1934, Collier iss...
