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About Weekly Chemawa American. (Chemawa, Or.) 189?-198? | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 1901)
CHEMAWA AMERICAN. 7 The Pacific Coast Institute. The Institute of Indian instructors at thePuyallup school, Washington was ex ceptional in the practicality of the subjects discussed and the manner in which they were handled. The daily attendance was not large, averaging about forty or fifty I ehould think, but a great deal of enthu siasm and interest in the work was shown throughout. Much of this was probably due to the presence and hearty, helpfulness of our National Superintendent, Miss Reel, whose interest and practical common sense have done so much to make our schools what they are. . Supt. Potter of Chemawa acted as pres ident of the meetings, as Hon. T. Jay Bu ford of Siletz, who was elected to that po sition last year,' was not in attendance. Some very fine, helpful papers were pre sented and ably discussed, and while sev eral who were on the program were absent, and their subjects not taken up, yet every session was well occupied and full of interest. The opening address on Monday even ing by Gov. Rogers of Olympia, Wash., showed that he had thought deeply on the subject of the future of the American In dian and gave those in attendance much food for individual thought. Keeping the Indian on the reservation and training him to use it to the best advantage, was the central idea of bis discourse. The Puyallup orchestra opened each ses sion with a well rendered musical se lection. Besides the subjects as shown by the program, several outside visitors gave us impromptu talks. Among these,. Miss Bush, a teacher in Tacoma, demonstrated the Pollard Synthetic system of teaching read ing; Mr. CarrutheYs, a missionary of Okla homa, spoke of the necessity of giving the Indian an all round education so as to make him more self helpful. His idea be ing that this end was more apt to be ac complished by the reservation school. Mrs, Small, County Superintendent of schools at Everett, Wash., gave a strong plea for more practical methods, and more1 study of the child, and his inclinations, beginning her remarks by complimenting the institute on its evident desire to do the mini jjiiboiuip guuu tuns xuuiiiu uuaigcBi On Wednesday evening the school gave an entertiuament followed by a sociable which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Friday morning an extra Jong session was held and the work done that would otherwise have occupied Saturday morn ing, thus enabling some to get away earlier. A committee was appointed as usual to draw up resolutions in regard to the workings of the institute and thanking our entertainers for their kindness. New officers were elected for next year. Supt. Buchanan ofTulalip was elected president for the Institute of 1902.' Miss Gaither, of Umatilla vice president, and Mr. McQueston of Puyallup, secretary. ' The committee on arrangements, ap pointed by the chair, consisted of the new ly appointed Supervisor of this district as chairman, Ass't Supt. Phillips of Tacoma, and Ass't Supt. Campbell of Chemawa. The general desire of those in attendance this year was that the meeting of 1902 should be held at Newport, Ore, but the matter was left to the committee on ar rangements. I am sure the instructois in attendance at the 1901 Institute cm vouch for the Pu yallup people as entertainers, and at least the Chemawa cmtingent most heartily thank them for their hospitality. Tbe haK day sessions enabled us to see the sights of Tacoma, to visit the battle ship Oregon and the transports etc., lying at the docks, to ran over to Seattle and take in many of the attract ions of that pretty city, to take a trip to Spanaway and Point Defiance, tosay nothingof the Carnival and Midway: so I am sure each and all voted the Institute a success in the way of enter tainment as well as instruction, M. S. Backbone. A good chance alone is nothing. Edu- cation is nothing without strong and vig orous resolution and, stamina to make one accomplish something in the world. An encourageing start is nothing without back bone. A man who cannot stand erect, who wabbles first one way and then the other, who has no opinion of his own or courage to think his own thought, is of very little use in this world. It is grit, it is persevere ance, it is moral stamina and courage that govern the world. Success.