The CHEMAWA AMERICAN
NEXT YEAR
Another school year has gone by and we are now
expectantly looking forward to the future—to the be
ginning of another year—with all of its hopes and
expectations for progress and advancement. On the
whole, the past year has been a good one—one of the
best, in some respects, in the history of the school;
but we are looking forward to even better things for
next year. The Interior Department Appropriation
Act which was signed by President Hoover a few days
ago contains the following language applicable to the
Chemawa School:
“Chemawa, Salem, Oregon: For seven hundred and fifty
pupils, including native Indian pupils brought from Alaska,
including not to exceed $1,000 for printing and issuing school
paper and $5,000 to be available only for conducting extension
work and short courses for adult Indians $226,250; for pay of
superintendent, drayage and general repairs and improvements,
$20,000; for gymnasium, including equipment, to be immediately
available, $60,000; in all, $306,250: Provided, That except upon
the individual order of the Secretary of the Interior no part of
this appropriation shall be used for the support and education
at said school of any native pupils brought from Alaska after
January 1, 1925.”
The language in the above Act relating to native
pupils brought from Alaska practically prohibits the
further enrollment of Alaskans at Chemawa.
In
1925, when this law first became effective, there were
346 pupils enrolled here from Alaska, or nearly one-
half of the entire enrollment at that time. Now there
are less than 50 Alaskans at Chemawa, practically all
of whose terms of enrollment expired a year or more
ago. Most of these will be returned to Alaska during
the coming summer. This will practically end the ex
periment of bringing Alaskan Indians to the States to
be educated in our Indian schools.
The most interesting provision in the appropriation
item tor Chemawa for the coming year is the one
authorizing extention work and short courses for adult
Indians. This is an entirely new venture and the re
sults of the experiment will be awaited with interest.
The purpose of the $5,000 extension work and short
course item is found in a memorandum prepared by
the Indian Office for the House Committee on Appro
priations which reads as follows:
“The purpose and aim of establishing short courses for adults
and providing for extension work at the Salem School is to
connect up more definitely the facilities of this large training
school with the industrial and home improvement programs
on the reservations. The plan contemplates selecting for the
short courses men and women who have shown interest in im-
pioving their farms and homes and who desire, after the sea
son’s work is completed, to go to Chemawa and take a short
course in dairying, gardening, horticulture, farm mechanics,
etc., for men, and in cooking, sewing, home-making, house
hold sanitation, child welfare, etc , tor women. To these might
be added practical courses in English, letter writing, household
and farm accounts, citizenship, etc. These courses would be
different from the fotmal courses now being off erred to our
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students, and would be specially designed to meet the needs
of adults and to train them for leadership among their own
people.
‘‘The extension work would consist largely in sending out
small groups of advanced students and one or two instructors
to assist those on the reservations in organizing their programs,
club work, etc., by holding institutes, giving demonstrations
in home-making, etc.
‘‘For teachers and instructors we would utilize as far as pos
sible the directors of agriculture, home demonstration agents,
farmers, field matrons, and other available employees on the
reservations who would come to Chemaw’a with selected men
and women who would enroll for the short courses. We would
also seek the co-operation of the State Colleges, county agents,
and other agencies that would help out in supplying teachers
and demonstrators. For the first year it is not contemplated
that it will be necessary to expend much money for special
teachers and instructors. The idea is to begin in a small way
and develop the work gradually as we succeed in securing the
interest and co-operation of the Indians themselves. For the
first year it is believed the sum of $5,000 will be sufficient to
meet all additional expenses for books, supplies, support, and
for expenses of teachers and instructors brought in to assist
with the work.”
For some years past it has been the firm conviction
of the present superintendent of Chemawa, repeatedly
expressed and emphasized, that the activities of this
school should be more closely related to the needs of
the Indians on the reservations, and should tie up with
the industrial and home improvement and health pro
grams which are being conducted in the Indian com
munities from which our students come.
So Che
mawa hopes to broaden its scope and come into closer
relationship with the Indian home and thus prove a
more efficient factor in improving the economic, social
and health conditions of the people it is designed to
benefit and help.
It is now the policy to enroll at Chemawa no pupils
under 14 years of age and beginning next year no
grades below the fourth will be maintained.
Event
ually it is hoped to have no students below junior high
school grade. Severe criticism is continually being
heaped upon superintendents of non-reservation Indi
an schools for encouraging the separation of young
children from their parents and removing them hun
dreds of miles from their people and keeping them for
years away from their home communities and the peo
ple to whom they must, as a rule, eventually return.
It is believed that such a practice has never been adopt
ed for, or tolerated by, any other race of free people.
It is hoped that Chemawa may be able to discontinue
the practice and admit only students who are of prop
er age to be separated from their people and who are
large enough to take advantage of the vocational
courses offered.
The material plant at Chemawa is now one of the
most attractive and modern in the service. New equip
ment is continually being added and several new im
provements are scheduled to be made during the com
ing vacation months. There will probably be room
for all of the eligible, worthy and ambitious students
who may wish to enter Chemawa next fall, but they
should get their applications in early.