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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 10, 1933)
CHEMAWA AMERICAN Printed at Chemawa, Oregon, and Devoted to the Interests of Indian Education VOL. XXXIV WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1933 CHEMAWA AS A VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL NO. 18 to be desired. He is ready to enter industry and agri By J ames T. R yan , Superintendent culture beside his white brother, and is being accepted Fifty years ago it was thought that but a few years in these capacities. We at Chemawa believe that the of education would fit the Indian to take his place facilities here should be extended a little in order to beside the white man in agriculture and industry. care only for vocational high school students with one Time has passed and but a comparative few have prof- guidance year, which would mean dropping the sev ited educationally as far as those two fields are con enth grade. Not only have our students made rapid cerned. At Chemawa we find two groups of students advancement in vocational skill but also in academic who have been successful; one group has entered the attainment. In the Brown Scholastic Test given this Indian Service, the other has been permitted to secure year the lowest grade was equal to the average grade sufficient definite trade training for skilled employment. of a year ago. The spirit at Chemawa is such as to A third successful group is now developing comprising produce satisfactory personality, character, and tem graduates who are completing perament. The children are college. Unskilled jobs decrease happy» busy and making their Illlllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll as the efficiency of the machine plans for the future. increases: Much of what consti By making this school into a tuted unskilled laborers’ work a IVE me a boy who wants to full vocational high school with few years ago is now done almost make a model airplane. In one guidance year, a better ser entirely by machine, such as ditch helping him to work out that vice could be provided the Indian digging, excavating, concrete job, I will teach him more mathemat youth of this section. Those mixing, etc. There is but little ics, more drawing, and more English completing public high school value in giving the Indian an than he could get in the average high might enter Chemawa to secure education which will lead only to school course. C.C.The elementary intensive vocational training. By unskilled work. If the capable schools are teaching children to read, no other means could funds be Indians of the Northwest who write, and figure, which everybody better conserved than by train have just reached the stage edu needs. Why not begin to teach older ing these children to become self- cationally imbued with the desire students what they need? supporting. to enter industry and agriculture —Charles Ricketson Allen COG-WHEEL INITIATES as skilled workers were to be de nied the vocational education IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIII On the evening of May 5 cer which has for the past two years tain outstanding vocational stu been provided them at Chemawa, it would prolong the dents were presented to the Cog-Wheel as worthy “Indian Problem,” for them seemingly, until this op candidates, and were fully taken into the mysteries and portunity could be again opened. secrets of this club, pledged to its ideals and purposes. The Northwest Indian as a whole lacks the facilities The boys with their chosen vocations are listed below: An and the interest necessary to satisfactory reservation drew Desautel, carpentry; Elmer George, cooking; Alex Ray life. His art is practically gone, and if he could be mond, tailoring; Milton Peters, shoe and leather; Leo trained in it only a meager and uncertain living could Cottonior, auto mechanics; William Majhor, blacksmithing; be earned by that means. The best of his land is gone Harold Berjs, engineering; Lawrence Horn, painting; Howard baking; Collins Anderson, printing; Phillip Bran- to the white man through forclosed mortgages, default Abbott, cheau, machinist; Earl Brown, barbering. ed taxes, and direct sales. Moral conditions on the The Cog-Wheel is an honorary boys’ society to which reservations are not what they should be, for where there is lack of incentive to work there must result vocational students of the school may be admitted for loss of pride. Interest must always be a prime factor unusual vocational attainment, or while at work out of in man’s motives: He will do well that in which be is school for unusual service or attainment. Membership interested. The Northwest Indian has lived on the each year is limited to one boy from each craft, but verge of civilization and has acquired the desire to no boy shall be admitted except on proof of unusual work at the white man’s trades, aconsumation greatly attainment. G
