Image provided by: State Library of Oregon; Salem, OR
About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 28, 1928)
8 THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN M a rik 28, 1928 asset to the community in which they worked. help, she has Sunday afternoon off. Wages ranged from $16to $50 a month and to Through the years our young people have married, many have settled in our community, taled $27,180.35 for the year. Because we outfit the school vacation work are rearing their children and sending them to public school—two are finishing high school this ers with necessary clothing, in the interest of year. These homes have helped greatly to provide th rift we do not permit them to have more than for happy, (healthy social life. The Phoenix a dollar a week of their Wages; the rest of their school, while three miles away, has street car ser earnings is placed to each girl’s credit in the vice so band concerts and entertaining and in school office at the end of the working perio<j, to structive programs attract our attendance: Also be drawn on during the year or to take with her the Ccfok Bible School in the same vicinity makes a when she leaves the school. The girls who are permanently out of school center of social activity. Two afternoons a month are planned for in cooperation with the outing are urged to start bank accounts and advised matron. Chorus singing is conducted once a week about careful spending, but they handle their -own by the head of one of our Indian families in town, funds and almost without exception help their a partner in a good printing business and a people. Homes have been built, repaired and en trained musician. In May we have a picnic in larged; horses, wagons and fences furnished by these, good daughters, besides clothes and pro one of our parks to which all are invited. While our girls marry and go forth to make visions. Now they are helping to buy autos, and their own homes and many are kept as employees as against home needs a bank account seems a in the schools where they are trained, the number rather useless asset. However, girls, have acquired of girls employed in Phoenix has steadily grown. bank accounts in various sums up to several hun Last year 280 were on the outing list, 118 of them school girls that worked through the summer va dred dollars, the highest between thirteen and cation, most of them a real credit to the education fourteen hundred was augmented by w ar insur al system under which they were trained, and an ance.—Amanda, M. Chingren, Outing Matron. Snga’ ©uitttg at ilburnix Srljonl jTIURING the school year the Phoenix Indian Jt* School sends out an average of 100 boys on the Outing every Saturday. Their work varies from house work, yard work and ranch work to some of the skilled trades such as painting, carpentry arid m asonry.: For ordinary work our boys re ceive from twenty-five Cents to thirty-five cents an hour and for skilled work they receive forty cents to fifty cents an hour depending on the boy’s ability. During the summer we have a greater demand for boys than we are able to supply for some of the trades as well as yard, ranch and dairy work. Long ago the public learned that Phoenix school is a satisfactory place to secure help. They find that our boys who have been trained and disci plined are more dependable and trustworthy. We have many calls all year for boys and men for various kinds of work and a number are given steady employment. Our experience is that the Outing is splendid training for our boys, they meet the better class of White people as they are sent to the best homes in' the city. We believe the Outing furnishes a form of education that the school is unable to give. The boys who work regularly as a rule talk better English and make a better appearance than the boys who do not care to go but .prefer to stay at the school. As a result of the Outing our boys are better dressed, for with their earnings they are buying hats, shirts, Shoes and clothing. When they come to us as ri rule they are hot very presentable but when they return to their homes they are a credit to the school for they are well dressed and there is great improvement in their general appearance. The money invested by the students is a great sav ing to the school. Phoenix school only gives part time , to the Outing which is handled by the Superintendent of Industries. Much is being left undone for lack of time, we have a large field and a great oppor tunity to help place and supervise our ex-students which would require the full time of an Outing officer. The one in charge of this work should be energetic, polite and at the same time firm with both Outing boys arid patrons, always having the interests of the students and school at heart.— Harlan W. Grattan, Superintendent of Industries.