FLETCH'ER, ALICE CUNNINGHAM ( 1845— ) . An American ethnologist and worker for the bet terment of the American Indians. She was born in Boston, Mass. In 1892 she was awarded the Thaw Fellowship, in the Peabody Museum of Harvard University, and as vice-president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1896), vice-president of the Anthro pological Society (1899), and an officer in the American Folk-Lo•e Society (1888) and the Arelaeologieal Institute of America (1879), she became widely known in American scientific cir cles. As a worker for the American Indians she originated the plan whereby. through small loans, they are encouraged to buy land and build houses. In 1883 she was appointed United States special agent to allot the Omaha tribes their lands in severalty, and in 1887 she acted in the same capacity for the Winnebago and Nez tribes. Tact, sympathy, and a just appreciation of the Indians enabled her to discharge all these missions successfully, and incidentally endeared her to the tribes for whom she worked. In 189:3 :Hiss Fletcher was one of the judges in the An thropological Department of the World's Colunr bian Exposition, and she was also appointed a member of the advisory hoard in the department of anthropology in the ruiNe•sity of California.
publications include monographs upon American ethnological subjects, such as Indian Ceremonies (188-I), and .1 Study of Omaha In dian Music ( 189:3), published by the l'eabody Museum; The Import of the Totem (1897), pub fished by the Smithsonian Institution ; other monographs published by the United States Bu reau of Ethnology; various articles in The .1 n thropo/ogist, the Folk-Lo•e Journal, and Science; a Report on Indian Civilization and Education, published by the •idled States Senate; and In dian Song and Story for North t meriea (1900), a unique collection of native music gathered from the Omaha, Pawnee, and other Western tribes, and accompanied by translations and explanatory texts, which has already borne fruit by suggest ing American compositions.