CHEMAWA ® AMERICAN
Printed, at Chemawa, Oregon, and Devoted to the Interests of Indian Education
VOL. XXXVI
WEDNESDAY. JANVARttô^«^; j ~
NO. 8
T
DEVELOPING SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
In the progress of Chemawa students one of the
most necessary steps is to assist and urge them to
help themselves—to take the initiative in affairs con
nected with their school life. If they can be induced
to become active for the betterment of conditions at
school it follows naturally that they will be interested
in community, state and national affairs after they
leave their alma mater. This will figure largely in
their welfare and all-around independence later in
life. It will teach them self-reliance, which must
always be developed before there can be hope for any
real success. Many of our students show ability along
these lines and it is a reassuring sign.
Chemawa fosters many organizations of various kinds
which are organized largely by the students themselves
and conducted by them practically unassisted. This
should be, and is, an ambition with them and it affords
an opportunity to develop leadership, thought and
action. The very fact that results depend upon the
students themselves forces upon them the importance
of success and renders them anxious to excell. It re
quires thought and energy to back up an ambition
and here is found a field for them to test ability and
see just where they stand—just how much or how lit
tle ability they possess. Here is a chance for analysis.
Not alone do our student organizations afford op
portunities for testing leadership, for there is also to
be considered the necessity of co-operation in putting
things over, and in this, too, the chance for a test is
afforded. It is necessary in nearly all important af
fairs to have a leader, but it is also necessary that the
majority learn to co-operate, to “follow the leader.”
The “get-together” spirit is the co-operative spirit
and along this line we find much to commend on the
part of the students at Chemawa. The qualities of
constructive leadership and co-operation have the ef
fect of eliminating the desire to “just drift along” and
awakens and accelerates an ambition to acquire the
ability to get on in the world.
A drifting-along-from day-to-day pace, a too-self
satisfied policy, is a poor way to go through school
and can bring no results worth while. It is only by
being wide-awake to the opportunities afforded for
advancement that the way will be opened for better
and higher things. This is true and it holds good as
long as life continues. Industry backed by intelli-
.-de^l^ps a natural quality of both leadership
and co-operation, brings independence of both thought
and action in the better sense, and clears away the
obstacles on the road to success. Once started—and
the earlier in life the better—it is necessary to keep
up the pace.
The Indian students who really make good, the
winners everywhere, in any line of endeavor, are the
ones who never abandon their task, no matter how
difficult, until it has been satisfactorily completed.
The ones who tire too easily or are “chicken hearted”
never get far before they lose out, for some progres
sive and forceful aspirant for success will push them
aside and take their places from them. They have no
stamina, no heart, no fight. The prizes worth while
are invariably secured by those who go after them cour
ageously; this applies to student life as aptly as to any
other phase of being. In this, as in other things, the
quitter cannot hope to win.
We are forced to admire the fellow whose whole
being radiates good.
He is certain to wield power
of the right sort among his associates.
He inspires
confidence and is in the best sense a leader, whether
he realizes it or not.
His influence is certain to be
felt. Such people can be found everywhere, but this
would be a better world if they were plentiful. There
are such leaders in every school and we are happy to
state that Chemawa has many of them. Choose your
leader wisely—do not follow one of a corrupt influence
for in the latter case you will receive and merit the
contempt of all good people.
Consider all things on their merit and you may be
come a leader. Say “no” when things are wrong.
Do not fear ridicule—scorn it, when you are certain
you are right.
Be brave enough to stand the mo
mentary taunts of your companions—it never pays to
compromise on things you know to be right. Do your
own thinking whether you are a leader or being led.
Too much emphasis cannot be placed upon the ne
cessity of taking every advantage of all opportunities
to form correct habits, for without good habits you
cannot hope to achieve any desirable end. Real suc
cess is not won in a moment—it comes usually as the
result of long and unrelenting pursuit of some praise
worthy objective.—Reprint from a 1930 American.
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