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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 1927)
.9 1 < J' ¿Z) \ OREGON SIAM Q» The Chemawa American OftEGOW COtLECTKJW < .....— ...................— -— ,. —■- . .. » •,'■'= P r i n t e d a t C h e m a w a , O reg o n , a n d D e v o te d to th e In t e r e s t s o f In d ia n E d u c a tio n Vol. XXIX Wednesday, Nov. 9, 1927 NEVER GIVE U P History recites many examples of success on the part of men and women who labored under great handicaps. Often what has proved an affliction too great for one person to bear has proved capital for an other. The one gave up and went under, while the other persisted and blazed a trail to the heights. It takes courage to succeed in anything—success is rarely the child of chance. Success does not “ just happen” along. In nine times out of ten investiga tion will prove that success is merited, that it is the result of study and industry expended lavishly for years, that it is founded on either the rocks of “ Do or Die,” or ‘‘Never Give Up. ” If we turn back the pages of history we will dis cover that many people barely missed their goal by “ giving up” too soon. They had what they sought almost within their grasp—"and they quit! Not quite enough stamina; alack of perseverance; self-confidence insufficient—too bad! Let our readers, particularly our young readers, remember that nothing worth while is possible for the quitter—the fellow who “ gives up.” He cannot hope to gain anything when he quits. It is an impossibility. There are always a few about him who are not quitters, who are industri ously “ at it” all the time, who refuse to fail, and to them goes success. Success is somewhat like a. coy maiden—must be courted. Many things aside from dollars and cents constitute success, and truly it is well that it is so. Money alone is of small value, but as a medium of exchange its power is great. However, money makes it possible to secure that which is often the thing sought, because with money one is enabled to study, to investigate and experiment:—is enabled to develop self to the utmost, and is in a position to engage in those ventures which are of interest and benefit to all of mankind. There fore, we often seem to give to money itself undue importance and value. Be reminded that there ate innumerable things of greater value in the world than any piece of metal that ever was coined—a good char acter, embracing honesty, morality, charity, gratitude, recognition of the “ Golden Rule” and all that it means. Sometimes one is spurred on to greater efforts by a No. 6 knowledge of the struggles of others. For such an one we would point to George Kastman of “ Kodak” fame. He was born at Waterville, N. Y., and he is now in his 74th year. He was the only son of a widowed mother who was broken in health and who ran a boarding house to keep the wolf from getting both herself and her boy, George. At the age of 14 George gave up school and went to work for an in surance company at $3 per week in order that he could be of assistance to his mother. About this time he became haunted by “ the terrors of poverty” and he became wild to do something. He went into amateur photography and worked on his experiments at night time. He left the insurance company in time for a job with a bank at $1,000 a year, but he continued to carry on his nightly experiments. No “ give up” there—young Kastman was made of worrh-whilestuff. Often during the nights of the week he labored so hard that when Sunday came he stayed in bed all day because of physical exhaustion. Several times he launched his Kodak upon the market and either the Kodak failed or else its inven tor did—they generally both failed together. Mr. Kastman was ruined financially several times before Success ‘smiled upon him. Did he ‘ ‘give up?’ ’ Did he ‘ ‘quit?’ ’ No! He never gave the matter of quitting a thought—failure always urged him to expend greater energy. Just how many millions of dollars he now has nobody knows, but it is a matter of common knowledge that he regards the employes of his firm as his family (he is not married) and has shared profits with them to the extent of nearly $20,000,000. Does not the story of Mr. Kastman inspire you, reader, to get busy, and stay busy? Right here we are tempted to publish a story which recently appeared in print. It was told by John Golden, the great play wright and producer. The human interest in it is great and the lesson taught in perseverance is certainly most unusual and marked. Says Mr. Golden in his story: Among the many actors who hung around my out side office was a little tired-looking fellow. Kvery time a new play was under consideration there he was trying to get a part. But there were never any (Continued on page 4)
