The Chemawa American, January 18, 1928, Image 1

AN 2 5 1928
.
- 3 MAI a
j
The Chemawa American
Printed at Chemawa, Oregon, and Devoted to the Interests of Indian Education
Vol. XXIX
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 1928
EXTRACTS FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT
Of the Secretary of the Interior, Relating to Indian Schools
No. 15
high teachers. The specified requirements, which
were deemed barely sufficient to insure that the in­
High School instruction all over the United States cumbent could give the instruction required, were
costs more than elementary instruction, and yet Indian submitted to the Civil Service Commisson, but no
Schools offering high-school courses often do not have examinations were held, as the commission believed it
as much money as lower-grade schools. Appropria­ futile to expect eligibles to qualify at the salaries
tions for the maintenance and operation of Indian offered. The situation was much the same as to shop
schools have permitted an annual expenditure of not subjects, but the proposed requirements were reduced
more than $225 per student, which includes lodging, in grade so that an examination might be held.
The service has looked forward to morning and
clothing, subsistence, and academic and vocational
instruction, and such overhead charges as administra­ afternoon classroom sessions for all pupils of the first,
tion, power, fuel, and various other expenses. If the second and third grades, and eventually of all ele­
amount of this allotment per pupil does not speak for mentary grades, in lieu of the long continued practice
itself, comparison might be made with the cost of of one-half day only of instruction proper and
maintenance of other schools of similar character one-half day work detail. In many schools, however,
which afford industrial training, keeping in mind that there have not been enough teachers to conduct all-day
the Indian boarding schools undertake to provide classes, even for the first three grades.
It has been recognized in the past that too much
clothing for their pupils. It has not been possible on
this budget to secure a sufficient number ot necessary institutional routine labor, detrimental to educational
employees or obtain for the salaries offered those who advancement, has been required of pupils. The three-
possess the essential qualifications to operate efficiently. fourth-one-fourth day plan announced in the report of
This is especially true in the case of vocational in­ the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the fiscal year
struction. Teachers of trade subjects, agriculture and 1926 was intended to alleviate this condition to some
home economics as a rule have been such in name only, extent. In May of this year further steps were taken
possessing neither education nor attainments fitting to provide additional free time for the pupils, without
them to impart knowledge to classes of Indian students. employment other than their own pursuits, or perhaps
Much of this personnel has been of the character of supervised but non-directed pastimes.
manual or mechanical labor to handle the mass of in­
HOW TO ENJOY COLD WEATHER
stitutional work to be done each day. but which is
The Oregon State Board of Health gives such good
actually performed under their supervision and in­
struction by details of Indian children to an extent advice in a recent article released to the public that
we are pleased to “pass it along” to our readers that
detrimental to the pursuit of their studies.
It has been desired to introduce the platoon system they may profit by it. The article follows:
Many, if not most of us, until very recently have
of school organization, the three-quarters day of class
instruction, one-quarter day of institutional detail taken advantage of the numerous opportunities for
(work) representing time divisions of the scholastic getting out of doors. Some of us have been fishing
day, and keep the children of the three lower primary or hunting; taken trips to the country; and many at
least have filled their lungs with good fresh air while
grades in the classroom all day. To carry into effect attending football games. Most of us have had fresh
these measures for securing a more rapid progress of air and sunlight and usually have taken some exercise
•
the pupils and to reach a higher standard of instruc­ along with it.
Sunlight
and
outdoor
exercise tend to build up re­
tion necessitates employment of ‘ ‘auditorium teachers’ ’
sistance to disease. Winter is the season during which
and instructors of shop subjects.
resistance is most needed because of the greater preval­
For the auditorium teachers, who must be well ence of disease. What can we do during these cold
versed in a variety of subjects, it was proposed to pay
(Continued on page 4)
salaries of $1440 for junior high, and $1560 for senior