THE AMERICAN INDIAN SUBCULTURE, AS REPRESENTED IN THIS STUDY BY THE SIOUX OF THE PINE RIDGE RESERVATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA, EXPERIENCES PROBLEMS WITH ITS YOUTHS' BECOMING HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS. MANY OF THE REASONS FOR THIS PROBLEM PARALLEL THE PROBLEMS OF OTHER AMERICAN MINORITIES, NAMELY, (1) DISSIMILARITY BETWEEN THE VALUES OF THE MINORITY SUBCULTURE AND THAT OF THE MIDDLE-CLASS WHITE-CITIZEN ORIENTED SCHOOLS, AND (2) A SEEMING INABILITY OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BE CAPABLE OF THE FLEXIBILITY AND INSIGHT TO ADAPT THE INSTRUCTION AND THE FACILITIES TO THE NEEDS OF THE PUPILS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SIOUX CULTURE INCULCATES IN ITS YOUTH THE VALUES OF INDEPENDENCE, VITALITY, PHYSICAL COURAGE, AND INTENSE LOYALTY TO PEERS, AMONG OTHERS. WHEN THE SIOUX YOUTH GOES OFF TO HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS GENERALLY A BOARDING SCHOOL, CONFLICTS DEVELOP. THE HIGH SCHOOL EXPECTS FROM STUDENTS OBEDIENCE, NARROW AND ABSOLUTE RESPECT FOR PROPERTY, AND ROUTINE AND DISCIPLINED CONDUCT. IN THE CLASH OF VALUES THAT FOLLOWS, THE SIOUX YOUTH BECOMES DISCONCERTED. HIS ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS ARE ADDED TO BY RACIAL OR CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND BY LONELINESS. THE END RESULT FOR TOO MANY OF THE YOUTH IS THAT THEY DROP-OUT OF SCHOOL. THE QUESTION IS TO WHAT EXTENT WAS THE DECISION VOLUNTARY AND SELF-DETERMINED, AND TO WHAT EXTENT WAS IT FORCED UPON HIM BY AN INSENSITIVE SYSTEM. THIS ARTICLE IS A REPRINT FROM TRANS-ACTION, VOLUME 4, NUMBER 6, MAY, 1967. (WD)