THE CHEM AWA AMERICAN
PAGE 2
The CHEMAWA AMERICAN
Published Weekly at the Salem Indian Training School
Chemawa. Oregon. Please address ail communications to
Ruthyn Turney, Manager.
OSCAR H. LIPPS
SUBSCRIPTION
....
Superintendent
50 Cts PER ANNUM
ATHLETIC NOTES
After the first week of basketball practice a few
things have revealed themselves: One, that only two
of last year’s varsity are reporting to practice; that we
are woefully weak on* basketshooting and teamwork
and that a most desperate struggle to survive is being
made by those on the squad. In recent years the
most of those who made up our basketball teams stood
head and shoulders above the rest of the candidates,
so that made it a comparatively easy task to select
the varsity. This year we do not have those basket
ball marvels, such as were mentioned in our last issue,
and as a result everybody figures that he has a real
chance to make the team. And everybody is right
in figuring just that way, for such is exactly the case.
Our squad is not dotted here and there with an ex
ceptional basketshooter, or an all-around guard, or a
high-jumping center, but it is, however, blessed with
the hardest and most willing workers to be found on any
squad. The team may be sadly handicapped in some
ways, but in this one respect they are starting the
season with this one biggest asset in their favor—the
spirit of a fighting heart. At that they may not win
many of their games, but all can rest assured every one
will be hotly contested and on top of that there is this
to be remembered: It is a terribly difficult job to de
feat a team that w’on’t be defeated.
Within the next week or so the boys will be hitting
the basket, thgy will not fumble so much and natur
ally their teamwork will improve, so it will be an
easier job to get a line on “Who’s Who.”
Bill Markishtum, our leading artist, has just fin
ished painting Indian heads on the backs of our bas-
ketbalf warm-ups. The job is neat and exceedingly
well done.
The big chief with the headdress looks
almost alive. You will have a chance to see them
when we play our first game.
The high school classes have organized their basket
ball teams and practice for the holiday basketball
tournament is under way. These games are interesting
and exciting and always uncover one or two “finds.”
Who will it be this year?
If numbers count for anything the girls should have
a good basketball team. Last week Mrs. Downie, girls’
coach, called for candidates and fifty-seven responded,
probably the largest number that has ever turned out
for sport here. There are veterans enough from last
year’s team to fill every position, but the new girls
that look promising are many and the veterans are
likely to experience a little difficulty in holding their
positions.
For the past three weeks a volley ball tournament
has been in session at the gym. The boys who take
part in this sport meet every Monday and Thursday
evening at eight o’clock. At first the game was very
poorly played, probably because the boys were “young
and inexperienced,” but they are rapidly taking on
form and getting results. With six on a team and
three teams playing it is necessary that nearly every
male employee on the campus report for play and they
have been doing it. This aggregation expects to chal
lenge the officers of the boys’ batallion soon.
INDUSTRIAL ITEMS
It is reported that we have an adequate supply of
unusually fine potatoes on hand—plenty for school
needs this season, and they are exceptionally large.
This is certainly good news.
The painting detail, under Mr. Sanders, have just
recently completed the painting of a large ward in our
hospital. They are now at work in Hawley Hall,
where they have quite a contract.
Repairs have been the order of the day at the pow
er plant of late. Looking after pipes of all sizes and
dimensions has taken some time. The recent little
cold snap made some extra work necessary and they
were obliged to use a special boiler to heat the oil in
order to pump it to the power house. Real business
was reported.
Mr. Friske and his detail of electricians have had
quite a lot of work on their hands of late, as they were
engaged at the job of rewiring the academic building
for a proper arrangement of the various class bells,
etc. This was more of a task than one would fancy.
All is completed now and there is no longer any mix-
up in the signals.
Mr. Grant Decorah, our capable shoe and harness
maker, has had quite a contract for harness handed
him this year in addition to the work of shoe repair
ing. Shoe work at Chemawa is no easy snap; how
ever, in spite of everything Mr. Decorah and his
detail have completed some fifty-odd sets of harness
this season. We are frank to say that we believe this
is pretty good.
Subscribe for The American—50 cents a year.