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The Chemawa American
P r in t e d a t C h e m a w i , O re g o n , a n d D »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. XXV
Wednesday, June 6, 1923
CHEMAWA DEMONSTRATES
HER GREATNESS
Academic and Vocational Cultural
Exercises
WE CONTINUE TO PROGRESS
The Greatest Crowds in the History of Chemawa Attend all
Exercises—Programs of Real Merit Provided for
Our Many Guests and Visitors—All
Were Both Surprised and
Interested
Another class of graduates has been added to Che-
mawa’s large and ever-growing list to uphold the
traditions of our grand old school and to add to the
credit of their alma mater. God speed the class and
may they never falter in the work before them, either
individually or collectively. Following is the list of
graduates:
Anna La Rance, Oka Paulina, Robert Johnson, Roy
Courville, Addie Merrill, Carrie Anderson, Frank
Johnson, Carney French, Cecile Smith, Erma La Clair,
Alex Beauvais, Albert Orsen, George Phinney and
William Minthorne.
It seems in telling the story of our commencement
that one of the most outstanding features was Supt.
Hall’s talk to the class and it was of such a character
that we are proud to print it as given on Wednesday,
May 23:
“ To the S eniors —C lass of 1923: The day will
soon arrive when you must say farewell to fellow-
stndents, employes and friends. You have lived at
Chemawa for some time and no doubt here you have
passed the most pleasant days of your lives. Most of
you have given Chemaw’a your very best. Myself
and employe associates have endeavored to study the
individual needs of you seniors and to give that which
would help you the most. If we have failed to reach
your expectations in any particular it is because we
could not, and not that we did not try. We realize
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our obligations in the upbuilding of the students, for
on us depends to a large extent the intellectual aud
moral development of the future Indian men and wo
men of our land.
You have reached that period in your lives when
you have the pride of graduating, but you will also have
the pang of parting from old associates and probably
the most intimate friends you will ever have in your
lives.
“ If you permit me to give you a parting word of
advice, I will say to cultivate determination; aside
from morality it is the most important qualification for
those who wish to win success. Firmness and deter
mination mean substantially the same thing. They
mean stability, strength and fixedness. Without those
qualifications a man or woman will accomplish very
little, but with them, combined with other qualifica
tions, the field is almost boundless. The road of life,
on the average, is a difficult place to travel and
the man or woman who can make a successful
journey is one who will not turn back as soon as he
finds an obstruction in the way.
“ This is the most painful part of my message. You
have been under our immediate direction for a long
time and I feel that each is an intimate friend and co
worker. Really, we have all been students together,
the teachers, employes, you and I. You have learned
much from us; we have learned much from you. Each
day has been one of growth, as we have explored
the fields of thought and investigation together. Every
year has done its best to impress upon you what it now
becomes your duty and high privilege to express to
the world.
“ As you go forth from Chemawa, out of school life
here, step bravely and boldly into life’s school, re
solving to prove all things for yourself, to hold fast
that which is good. Make the world better, wiser and
happier because of your living in it. Thus only can
you fill up the measure of your opportunities and
meet the demands of your responsibilities.
“ We have all been such close friends that not only
I, but your teacher, Mrs. Risser, and others here, re
gret our parting. But we rejoice that you have been
found worthy of a higher place in life’s big school.
(Continued on page 2)
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