The Chemawa American, October 29, 1924, Image 1

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MAY
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The Chemawa American
Printed at Chernaia,
Oregon, and Devoted to the Interests of Indian Education
Wednesday, October 29, 1924
Vol. XXVI
THOROUGHNESS
When our students use the education and practice
given them in the various departments at Chemawa,
and stick to their jobs when they go out, they demon­
strate their worth. Oftimes we observe students with
good educations fail when they work elsewhere, on ac­
count of not sticking, hanging on—lack of determina­
tion.
These students succeed who overcome obstacles in
securing an education, and they are the ones who suc­
ceed after they secure an education. It is those who
accomplish but little who have a faculty for seeing
difficulties, who begin to make excuses and finally give
up. It is different with the strong boy or girl, the posi­
tive, decisive one, who makes his way regardless of
seeming difficulties.
Another school year is now well under way. Will
each one of our large body of students show the pep,
backbone and grit necessary to master his work and
lesson in spite of what may seem difficult at times dur­
ing the year? Will you, one and all, give your very
first attention to the business of securing more learn­
ing, character and refinement, to a noble endeavor to
excel during the remaining months of school? We
urge each of you to show grit (known as backbone,
persistency, sticking to a purpose, hanging on); grit
to master your lesson, grit to conquer every piece of
work in your school course, and above all grit to stand
for the highest ideals of which you aie capable. The
tendency for sticking, hanging on, will assure for you
splendid grades and enable you to pass all examinations
with credit. In a word, be honest with yourselves
and allow nothing, absolutely nothing, to divert your
efforts from finishing every lesson, or task in a thorough
manner.
Do you realize that it takes honest work to make an
honest, straight-forward character? How many of you
observe carelessness, slipshodness, lack of thoroughness
in other students? The habit of doing poor, slovenly,
work will, after awhile, make a student dishonest in
other things. A student who habitually slights his work
(and by work we mean mental as well as physical)
slights his character. Botched work makes a botched
life, for the quality of our work is part of us. So every
poor piece of work yon do, feeding the horses, cooking
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a meal, ironing a dress, cleaning the yard, or whatever
it may be, is an enemy which pulls you down, keeps
you from progressing. Nothing kills ambition and
lowers the standard quicker than familiarity with a
low grade of work—that which is cheap and a fraud,
We grow habitually into that with which we come in
contact. It becomes a part of us, and the habit of
doing things in a slovenly way always leaves its mark
on the character of a person.
What wTe do, what you do, what all of us do, should
be done with a view to thoroughness—put quality in
your work. The majority of young people do not
realize the education, the comfort, the satisfaction,
the genet al impiovement, yes, the bracing up of the
entire individual, that conies from doing one thing
absolutely right, which outweighs a thousand times
the value of many botched or shipshod jobs. The
entire person is influenced by one’s usual manner of
doing things. The habit of thoroughness and accuracy
builds up the mind and improves the whole character.
On the contrary, doing things in a loose, half-hearted,
careless manner injures the mentality, demoralizes
the thinking process and pulls the student dowm to
lower levels. Every half-done lesson, every half-
done or botched piece of work that you do leaves
its bad effects behind and takes away some of your
self-respect. You injure yourself for doing your best
just in proportion to the number of times you allow
yourself to do poor work of any kind, until finally
self-respect vanishes, confidence goes with it, and
when that happens you are no longer of much use to
yourself or any one else. You are only in the way
thereafter.
Better begin right now to put forth your best efforts,
not your second best. You will like yourself better,
and will be liked by others, and in the end will be of
some consequence during your schooldays and a suc­
cess after you leave. The adoption of the following
formula on the part of students is very much desired:
“During the ensuing school year I will determine as
nearly as possible to do those tasks which I shall have
to perform from start to finish inorder to succeed, and
nothing under the sun shall divert my effort from
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