Carlisle Indian School Supervisor in Charge Oscar H. Lipps writes to Commissioner of Indian Affairs Cato Sells regarding creating a survey for Indians that have attended boarding schools. By creating a survey, Lipps hopes to discover whether former students are more successful if they return home to their reservations or if they settle in predominately white areas in the East. Lipps' goal is to tailor the education around whichever post-graduation path appears to be more successful based on the survey. He believes that around 95% of students return home and that they generally are better off than the students who live in the East in majority-white towns and cities.
Sells responds to Lipps, saying that he believes such a survey would be useful. He also seems to generally agree with Lipps' belief that Indian reservations are beneficial and that most students should return home. He believes that reservations are the best place for Indians to assimilate to white culture, as they will sell some of their allotments to white people. Then, Indians and whites will interact and go to school together.
