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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1925)
The Chemawa American Printed at Chemawa, Oregon, and Devoted to the Int trests & IndltM Education | ------ Vol. XXVII CO PY • 1956 _ - Wednesday, November 4, 1925 CHIEF SUPERVISOR PEAIRS’ TALK Showing True Visualization of the Responsibilities Placed Upon Him It was the good fortune of Chemawa folk to listen to Chief Supervisor H. B. Peairs when he was present at our chapel exercises on Sunday evening, Oct. 25, last. We have been enabled to secure the following extracts from his splendid talk and take pleasure in publishing them, as follows: If there is any greater work in the world than teach ing, not alone in the classroom, but in the shops as well, and if there is any better way to do it than by example, I’ve not found it. During the last nine years since I visited Chemawa there have been great changes here. During those nine years I have visited every section of the United States except the Northwest. During the past four and a-half years I have given more of my time to the Southwest than to any other section. There were thousands of boys and girls who had no educational facilities in that section and it was my intention when I became Chief Supervisor in 1921 that those boys and girls be given educational opportunities and it was for tunate to have Commissioner Burke go on an inspection trip through the entire Southwest in the beginning of his administration. Early, plans were made to give those children educational opportunities and today we are looking forward to the time when all the boys and girls in the Southwest may be in school. During these four and a-half years the capacity of the schools have been so increased that now there is educational facili ties for most of these children. I want to congratulate you students, and Mr. Hall and his associates, on the great number of improve ments that have been made here since Mr. Hall came to this school. You know, if you think at all, that since 1914, eleven years ago, since the beginning of the World War, this country and all other countries of the world have been thrown into debt and it has been almost impossible to get the funds necessary to do the work required in our educational institutions. Nevertheless during that time you have been able to get funds to build a number of beautiful buildings. There is an atmostphere of progressiveness and thrift that was not here when I visited here the last time. That is no reflection on those who were here at that time, but it is a commendation on the energy, effort and determination of your Superintendent and his as sociates, who have made this institution what it is. I went over the buildings this morning with Mr. Hall and there was evidence of thoughtfulness and care on the part of him and his employees to see that the quarters may be kept clean and sanitary and made a good place in which to live. The best work cannot ~ -JI „«EH- «!« r1-"?*"* 1 No. 7 be done where the surroundings and environment are not what they should be. But I want to bring a mes sage to you: It is splendid that this institution, the buildings, grounds, the campus, have been brought up to their present condition, but do you know, boys and girls, that buildings do not make a school? I would not have very much interest in going through your rooms in these buildings if there were no boys or girls in the rooms. As I went through the rooms, I glanced around and saw’ that they were in good condition. I looked at the girls, I looked at the boys, I looked into your eyes, your consciences, to determine w’hat sort of house you are keeping. What is your house? This is my house right here, and your body is your house. I live in my house and you live in your house, and so I say to you that in forming habits here in school you are building your house. You children make the school very largely what it is, as you are a very large part of the school. The other biggest part of the school is simply here to help you to help yourselves. The buildings are not the school. The children are not the school. The build ings, the students and the teachers are the school. We could have buildings here w’ith a capacity of ten thou sand and equipment to care for that number of chil dren, but we wouldn't have a school unless there were children hereto make up the capacity of the school, and unless there wrere teachers here to teach children. Now’ then, to get back to the other point: Are you keeping your body clean, your mind clean as you do your rooms? Are you endeavoring to develop your minds from day to day? Are you taking as much care in the development of those houses of yours, your bodies, as you are of the bricks and stones in these buildings? You know you have to live with your selves a long time. We all want to. We all have to live with ourselves, and if we are not the right kind of fellow’s, we are uncomfortable. If I am not living as I should from day to day I am miser able; but if you are developing and becoming a more purposeful boy or girl, man or woman, from day to day, you are happy, and the greatest thing in life is to be happy. I think this is true. There is only one thing that makes a person really happy that I know of, and that is SERVICE. Any body who doesn’t render service to his companions, his neighbor, his community and his nation is not per manently happy. It does not do to think simply of yourself, your own home, but you must think of your own body, your house, and build it so that you will be prepared to render service. Your work, boys and girls, (Continued on pagt 4)
