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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1927)
The Chemawa American Printed at Chemawa, Oregon, and Devoted to the interests of Indian Education Vol. XXIX Wednesday, Dec. 21, 1 3 MAY * :*o. 12 copy r iq^_ THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT Before our readers receive another issue of The American Christmas will have come and gone and will have added to the innumerable pleasant memories of 1927. Christmas is in a sense a personal matter; that is, it may mean much or little according to the attitude of the individual. It should not be looked upon as a day of lavish giving—or as a day for receiving things of material value. To hold to such an idea of Christ mas is to miss the real joy of the occasion. Christmas stands, and will stand as long as Chris tianity shall endure, as the birth of Jesus Christ, who is accepted throughout the land as the Great Redeemer. It should be a day of rejoicing—rejoicing in the knowl edge of a Savior, of the grace that has come to man kind through the birth in a manger 1927 years ago of the Son of God; it is a time for prayerful joy that one should be alive to the meaning of “Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men.” And, by the way, is it not true that if we hold to the tenet of “Good Will to Men” we shall have “Peace on Earth?” Let our Christmas be what it really stands for. The tendency is to make a sort of international ‘ ‘pot latch” of Christmas. Giving and receiving marks the day—it has become the custom, and a poor custom it is. Nearly all of us love to give, we are in the main generous, kind, and sympathetic, and there are few of us who are not aware that it is truly “more blessed to give than to receive. ’ ’ In this work-a-day world there are many poor people who are really tortured by the hideous nightmare that obesses them—that they must give presents to certain of their friends when they can not afford to do so; that they must give to uphold a certain false sense of respectability or social cast, when in truth they are hard put to provide the necessities of life for themselves and their families. It is easy for the affluent to give with prodigal hands, but does such giving bring any “joy to the world?” We doubt it, for the true spirit of the occasion is lacking. To give material necessities to the poor, the sick, the harrassed of mind, brings joy both to those who receive and those who give—the spirit is there. Such acts represent the giving or dispensing of joy and in them there is nothing contrary to Chris tianity at its best. Christ was not a wasteful giver, nor did He in a single act ever indicate that He would sanction such an observance of Christmas as has grown fast to many of us. We are not trying in the least degree to write a re buke to our friends, far from it, but we are hopeful that we may reach a few and cause them to give heed to the true “Spirit of Christmas.” What carries more joy than the spontaneous and hearty “Merry Christmas” when that joyful morn arrives? A good wish, spoken or sent or a card, a little holly or mistle toe, carries as great a joy to warm and appreciative hearts as jewels that sparkle and throw forth cold rays. Under all circumstances, may you be happy. The American wishes you “A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.” FROM THE FAR NORTH Young people seldom realize what the future has in store for them. In our dear old Chemawa we have students from all over the land, some from well up toward the Arctic ocean, and to some of these we are going to devote a little space. It is always a pleasure to us to find that our students are fulfilling our hopes and it should prove an inspiration to all enrolled at Chemawa. The Board of Education of Alaska (government sei vice) issues a monthly bulletin which is of more than ordinary interest and which really proves that something worth while is being done in behalf of the native population of Alaska. In the November Bul letin just at hand we are delighted to find mention of Chemawa students known to all of us and we are making the following reprint: Dolly Flynn was the name of the little Alaskan girl who, when five years ago, was brought out of the Iliamna lake region and placed in the Chemawa In dian School at Salem, Oregon. She remained there until two years ago when, at the age of eighteen, at the request of her father, she was returned to Alaska on the “Boxer.” It was her first experience in her home land after so long a time, and there was some question as to what reaction she might make on an environment wholly strange to her. Dolly was re cently married to William Regan, a U. S. Commis sioner, and is living at Goose Bay, about twenty-five miles from the head of Iliamna Lake. She has made her re-adjustments, apparently is happy in her new home and is intelligently and sweetly doing the greatest work her hands find to do—that of a home maker. The results so far are justification for all the Government has spent on her. Norton Sound has been well represented at Chemawa for a number of years. At the present time this section of Alaska is well represented at this fine school. Emily Ivanoff, John Dexter and Chas. Fager ström returned there this fall on the last boat out from Nome, after a summer vacation with their folks at home. It was Miss Ivanoff’s first visit after many (Continued on page 4)
