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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1926)
THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN PAGE 4 ABT (Continued from page 1) When they do work that has character, that bears the stamp of a master hand, they have classed that work as an art, or arts, for it is not common. That which is uncommonly fine must be art—otherwise, what is art? The ability to take unlimited pains in the accomplish ment of a given thing, to do it better than ever before, to create it different, to put individuality, life, into it is to win the title of artist, we care not what the work may have been. Eove of beauty, of things perfect; the ability to create for the enthusiasm of it, are faculties the posses sion of which will make artists. Webster says of art: “The Employment of means to accomplish some de sired end; the adaptation of things in the natural world to the uses of life; the application of knowledge or power to practical purposes.” There you have it! An artist is one with ability both to apply knowledge and to create things, both good and beautiful. The would-be artist must never forget that “everything yields to unwearied pursuit.” SELF-CONTROL Life is made up largely of vexatious incidents. Nearly every day, or mayhap, hour, something will happen to try our patience. To give way to our im pulses and “fly to pieces” is to prove ourselves weak, indeed. To remain calm in the face of unexpected trials or calamities is to prove ourselves possessed of strength. To meet the trials and calamities with for titude and self-control is to pass the “acid test” of fitness. Refined men and women, boys and girls, never per mit unbridled anger or passion to sweep them off of their feet and render them coarse in word or deed. The quality of self-control is an immense factor when it comes to deciding whether or not a person is a lady or a gentleman. The person of bad manners, of loud and boisterous roughness and rudeness of speech, will find himself shunned by the better class of people. Often, no doubt, such a person will wonder why he or she is socially ostracized. They fail to realize their own glaring and repulsive shortcomings and lack of self-control as regards the niceties of life—to see them selves as others see them. Rough and coarse stories, profanity, and all of those evidences of lack of culture, are many times attribut able both to ignorance and lack of self-control. Who will deliberately elect himself to a low circle of society? It is not difficult for any person of intelligence to cultivate habits and manners which shall stamp him or her as one possessed of refinement. Put on the breaks against all low thoughts; cast out all that is not good and pure; resolve to live in a better atmosphere, and create that atmosphere yourself, or help to create it. Have a clean purpose. Start in now to control your every thought and action and you will find it easier ever\’ time you try. Control yourself—self-control stands for much that is desirable in the world. FIRE An Indian story written by Henry Kitka as a test in English: Once upon a time the people of Alaska thought there was no fire in the world, and that wood would not burn. The Raven came, at times in the form of a bird and at other times he was in the form of a man. He traveled from place to place helping mankind. One day Raven was going along the shore when he happened to see a flame of fire come up a long ways out in the ocean. It wyould appear and disappear. Just then Raven saw a crane that had a long beak standing on the shore. Raven had an idea. He went after some pitch and tied it on the end of the crane’s beak, and instructed the crane to fly to the fire and hold the beak still until it blazed and to fly back to him. Raven waited for the return of the crane. The crane finally returned with his beak nearly burned off, but he had the burning pitch. The crane did not know what to do about his beak, it was so badly burned. He told Raven about it and showed him his beak. Raven told him not to worry about it, that he would fix it. Raven saw the leg bone of a deer and stuck it on in place of the burned upper beak, and the crane flew away contented with his new beak. The fire he brought to the land was useful. Raven put the fire into all the different trees that were grow ing. He put it into the rocks also. So today the wood burns when fire is set to it, and rocks give sparks when struck against each other. FOAM Many of our workers, so-called, make a great splurge, but in reality they accomplish little. At bottom they are as so much foam and are of little sub stance. They are what the world in general considers “grand-standers.” Their whole aim in life seems to be to pose, to endeavor to impress people with their own importance, or their position, or something else. They are just so much foam or froth in human form. They might be likened to bubbles, as sooner or later they resolve to practical nothingness. They only fool themselves in their great game of pretension. Let our students ever bear in mind that the person of genuine ability does not have to pose, or pretend, and be a “grand-stander.” He has capacity and that is sufficient, provided it is backed up with energy and initiation. Be real, genuine, just what you are, but take care that you have true merit in some of its many forms. There is a power about Capacity that speaks for itself. It does not need advertising by Foam, Froth & Co. Keep level-headed and keep on plug ging in a quiet, purposeful way, and in due time Cir cumstances will elect to place you in a position for which you are particularly fitted.
