A 3 MAY
• J
The Chemawa Americ an
Ü
P r in t e d a t C h e m a w a , O re g o n , a n d D e v o te d to th e In te r e s ts o f In d ia n E d u c a tio n
Vol. X X II
W ednesday, February 18, 1920
No. 19
have placed you at the top because it took too much
effort. Follow this line of surrender for a year or so
On the evening of February 8th Supt, Hall in an
and where are you?
address to the students assembled in chapel drew at
Just examine your backbone, test your mind, your
tention to the necessity of cultivating strength in the
formation of proper habits. It was a splendid, prac moral strength, your conscience also. See how your
whole capacity for achievement has been weakened
tical talk, and was as follows:
until you are incapable, probably forever, like the great
Every one of you students who have reached the
mass of lunk heads that you see around you.
age where you can think rightly have a well-defined
It appears to me that a boy or girl with any sense
idea that you would like to attain success, honor, in
fluence. In fact, all young people have this idea. at all will first try the other way, which is to tackle
But practically 90 out of every 100 fail liecause they the difficulties as they come and be their master in
lack the backbone to overcome difficulties, the hard stead of their servant. Master the problems or knotty
things which present themselves on the way. And questions in your school work and realize the joy of
why is it a fact that so many dodge the difficult things victory—see how strong you will be for the next day ’s
work. Master those hard things faithfully until it
as they come up? Because it is the easy way.
becomes a habit. Then see how strong your mind
Judging by my own experience when I was a school
has become, how you jump ahead in your work, how
boy, the first thing that occurred to me in the morn
you grow to be a master instead of a nonentity. Try
ing was a intricate problem in mathematics, science or
this habit of honest effort; commence right now this
translation, which I found difficult to handle, or
obstacle-conquering habit, and if it fails you then go
tome knotty question concerning my work. In order back to the weak method of surrendering to difficulties
to solve the problem or master the lesson it would and take your place with the great mass of people who
take a couple of hours or more, while it would take
accepted defeat for being helpless, as this helpless hab
but a few minutes to get my parents or a teacher to
it begins early and it grows. It commences by dodg
help me out. To yield to the latter method was
ing responsibility, with a desire to unload your work
mighty easy; to resist and do the work myself was
onto someone else: by never doing a thing that is
hard. It follows that the surrender to obstacles and
not required of you. Never broaden your mind by
hard wrork is the general rule and successful resistance
study or proper reading, but just drift along. In time
the exception. However, here and there you find
you will wonder why other boys or girls are getting
bo\ s and girls who do overcome obstacles, and who
to the front while you are in the rear.
keep it up in nearly everything that presents itself to
Your mind may have become so stunted through
them and who triumph over difficulties. In these
students we recognize masters, those who acquire the laziness, and lack of ambition, and inability to think
conquering habit, and we find this class of students right, that you lay all the blame for your failures on
rejoicing in their strength, which comes from repeat your teacher, your department, your school, for you
will not have enough discernment to know that it is
ed victories.
absolutely all in yourself and you alone.
Habitually mastering difficulties places a student on
So, students, cultivate strength, determination
a sure road to overcome all obstacles in whatever vo
cation he engages, and the large majority of fellows rather than weakness, and in time take your places in
who weakly yield when difficulties arise are the very the company of the strong men and women—the
material on which the conquering man builds. There world’s helpers of today.
are two ways to deal with hard things: One is to
“ How much are potatoes worth now?”
give up, yield to that lazy feeling; give up mathema
“ They’re worth no more than they ever were, but
tics on account of the study being hard; pass your
lessons up generally, and give up a fight which would they’re costing about six times as much.”
OVERCOME OBSTACLES