THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
LOCAL
The practice cottage is almost completed.
The blacksmith boys are very busy ironing wagons.
The choir is now practicing for the Christmas
pageant.
“Jake” is now signing his name “Jacob Francis
Atkins.”
James Spencer is the latest new arrival. James is a
sophomore.
Geraldine Raymond was called to her home recently
on account of illness in the family.
The seniors are now rehearsing their class play
which will be given during the holidays.
A complete schedule of Sunday morning inspection
details will be published in the next issue.
Nora Lande departed for her home at Billings, Mon
tana on Tuesday morning. Nora was in the sopho
more class and will be missed by her many friends.
Leander Wilson, Peter McClusky, Aaron Isaacs
and Michael Hanson are members of a new quartet.
The boys sang for the first time on a recent Sunday
evening and certainly did well.
Edward Ridley and wife visited Raymond Haldane
and the Booth brothers on Wednesday evening. They
are from Alaska and the boys were certainly glad to
see them. Mr. Ridley had a brother, Wilbur Ridley,
here in the class of ’24.
The Y. M. C. A. held their regular meeting in the
“Y” room Nov. 20. The topic for discussion was
“Reasons for maintaining a high personal health stand
ard.”
Different members gave many reasons. The
meeting was interesting as well as helpful to those
present.
Mrs. DePoe gave the Wednesday school assemblies
a most interesting talk about Neah Bay, where she
was a teacher for six years. Her account of hunting
of seals and fishing was intensely interesting. In
the morning a group of girls sang a very original
song entitled “Gravy,” while in the afternoon a
group of boys sang equally well the song, * ‘ Lazy John. ’ ’
The Sophomore Boys held a declamation contest all
their own on Wednesday morning. The class selected
Joseph Matt, Myron Anderson, Eldred George,
Joseph Alexander, Robert Perkins, Julian Smith, Gif
ford Monroe and Thurman DeMarris as contestants.
They recited “The Quality of Mercy” from the
“Merchant of Venice.” The class voted Thurman
DeMarris the winner.
The Home Economics Club did themselves proud
in their social Saturday evening. A three-course
dinner was served. The following numbers were
given during the dinner: Welcome, Vera Korter;
Response, Mr. Carroll; Our Faculty, Margaret Maupin;
Response, Mrs. Davis; Chemawa Boys, Emma Sexton;
H. E. C. Girls, Moses George. An orchestra fur
nished music during the latter part of the evening
and helped the girls in providing a really delightful
evening for their guests.
THE UN CHRISTIAN LIKE CHRISTMAS
On account of the good common sense of the article
we are running the following excerpts from the Hough
ton Line:
PAGE 3
Well! Here we are again!
December, as usual, will be devoted mostly to cele
brating the birth of Christ by doing practically every
thing that is not Christlike.
We are not very familiar with the details as to how
they celebrate Christmas in other countries, but in the
United States Christmas is the one annual national
farce.
The waste of the American people at Christmas time
is stupendous, and Christ did not teach waste.
John Henry Bookkeeper buys his wife a fur coat, in
spite of the fact that he has a substantial mortgage on
his home, just because he wants to make Samuel Sales
man’s wife jealous and thus make Sam uncomfortable.
Joseph Shopkeeper buys a new car for his wife, just
because his neighbor bought one, although he has re
cently renewed the notes which he owes for merchan
dise.
Mrs. Motorman buys the largest tree possible and
trims it with the greatest quantity of ornaments, be
cause she wants her kiddies to have the best tree in
the neighborhood and thus make all of the neighbors
(kiddies and adults alike) envious.
Jones gives to Brown, not because Jones wants to
give, or can afford to give, but because he is afraid
that Brown is going to give to him, and he would feel
ashamed of himself if he did not reciprocate.
The women work long hours into the night, neglect
their children and household duties and impair their
health, making fancy work for presents because they
cannot afford to pay cash for them.
The chap who needs the least usually obtains the
most and most of that which he receives is useless
trash to him.
We know of a millionaire who received four bath
robes, three cigar cutters, one cigar lighter, eight
boxes of cigars and two pipes last Christmas—and he
does not smoke.
We know a young man who spent the better part of
a day selecting an expensive rug of suitable design
for a young married couple and they ascertained
where it was purchased and traded it in for a radio
set.
In our establishment the employes are not per
mitted to give presents to their superiors, nor are the
superiors permitted to receive them. Imagine, if you
please, a young woman clerk, taxing her wits to ob
tain money and credit enough to buy presents for her
immediate family and friends, feeling compelled to
give her hard-earned money to buy the head of her
department a present. Of course there was competi
tion among the employes to give the best present, this
competition being too often prompted not so much by
love and respect for the head of the department as by
a desire to curry favor.
If you ask us what one single event more than any
other is the beginning of divorce, family unhappiness,
financial embarrassment and human discouragement,
we would unhesitatingly say, “This un-Christlike
thing we call Christmas.”