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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1930)
Printed at Chemawa, Oregon, and Devoted to the Interests of Indian Education hi iiii.iiHiiiiiiii till iiit:iiii,iiii;tiiitiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiii:riii!iiiniiiriiii:tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii3iiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiJiii:iiirtiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiii:iiiiiiniiiiiiiiniiiiiii^ Vol. XXXI Wednesday, Mar. 5, 1930 HISTORIC HIGH LIGHTS iiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiihiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiir No. 25 having spent a few years in the east came back to the coast and for many years was cashier in a bank in the State of Washington. Heis now in the Indian Service and is located in Arizona. Dr. Minthorn followed Lieut. Wilkinson as super intendent and he is the man who conceived the idea of employing Indians, so he employed Mr. David E. Brewer as carpenter and Mrs. Brewer as laundress and in every way they proved so eminently satisfactory that there was no longer any doubt as to their efficien cy, and this led to many w’orthy young Indian people getting their chance. It is said that Chemawa, in the eaily days at Forest Grove was the first school to em ploy Indians. The source of our name may interest many of our readers, as various meanings have been given and its origin is more or less obscure. It is said that the word “Chemawa” is from the Calipooia language, meaning “a place where no one lives.” And again it is claimed that the name is from the Chemeketa tribe of Indians and means “Happy Home.” There has also been advanced the theory that the name is taken from the Chinook language and that originally the name was “Chewawa,” the “Che” meaning “new,” and “wawa” talk or language—in other words “new education.” In the course of time it is suggested that somebody blundered and the first “w” in “Chewawa” got changed to an “m,” thus making the name “ChemawTa,” as at present known to all. From an humble beginning of a few temporary build ings and shacks, erected by the students, themselves, Chemawa has grown until today we have twelve fine, large brick buildings and twenty-five wooden struc tures, and numerous other buildings of various sizes and descriptions. Surely the growth oftheschool has been remarkable in many ways. Mr. Chas. E. Larsen, historian of the Chemawa Alumni and ex-Students’ Association, and a valued employee, gave a most interesting paper during the song, yell and poem contest staged last week by our students in honor of Chemawa’s 50th anniversary—our “Golden Jubilee.” We feel more than justified in publishing numerous facts connected with our school as given by Mr. Larsen, as follows: On November 11, 1879, E. A. Hayt, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, telegraphed Lieutenant M. C. Wil kinson, Forest Grove, Oregon, as follows: “Office grants you $5,000 for first year, but twenty-five chil dren must be educated instead of twelve.” On February 25, 1880, a little more than four months later, Lieut. Wilkinson telegraphed the Secretary of Interior as follows: “School under way. Eighteen girls and boys. More ready to come. Need balance of appropriation this fiscal year.” School was opened with fourteen boys and four girls. The first session of school was held on February 26, 188o. The school was continued at Forest Grove for five years, when it outgrew its quarters there and it was moved to its present location. On the morning of the school’s birthday, February 25, 1885, Mr. David E. Brewer, with a party of 14 boys left for Chemawa. They came by the way of Portland, thence to Chema- wa, getting here on the night of February 25th. On the morning of the 26th of February the boys commenced to clear the land to put up temporary buildings, so the anniversary of the Chemawa school (at its present location) is the same as that of the founding of the school at Forest Grove, February 25th—but five years later. On March 17, 1885, Mr. and Mrs. McConville brought one grade of boys and girls here (overland) from Forest Grove, and Mr. Brewer was left in charge ESCORTS of this grade and Mrs. Brewer was matron, cook and Sun., Mar. 9—McBride.................................... Mr. Kirk laundress combined. Mrs. Kirk When Mr. Coffin, the superintendent, came in May, Winona............................. - Miss Peters 1885, he took the fifth grade boys and girls to Port Miss Roddy land and then to Salem and they gave concerts in both Hawley ... - Mr. H. Kunkel cities. The fifth grade graduated in 1885 and the exer Miss Mount joy cises were held in Chemawa under the fir trees just Mr. F. W. Boyd, Agricultural Extension Agent of south of the present location of the superintendent’s cottage. Samuel McCawr of this class, from Puyallup, the Indian Service, arrived at Chemawa on Monday Washington, was sent to an eastern college and after evening. He is looking over his territory.
