The Chemawa American
Printed at Chemawa, Oregon, and Devoted to the Int trests & IndltM Education |
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Vol. XXVII
CO PY • 1956
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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
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-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)