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The CHEMAWA AMERICAN
4 Chemawa ö
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Americans
A tri-weekly paper devoted to Indian education. Published and printed on every third
Friday during the school year by the students of the Chemawa Vocational School,
Chemawa, Oregon
REPORTERS
W ilm a A dam s, Josephine Ju n e a u , M atilda Socula, A gnes S kahan, V erna R iggs, M ary Black,
A nn P lasteu r, M arie Pulsifer, Hazel DaClair, Rose Seym ore, Barbara W hitelaw , D orothy H ay
w ard, F lorence Booth, M ajorie W ynn.
P aul T, J ackson
R osalind E. C ruise
Superintendent
Journalism Class
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R obert T homas
J ohn D ecker
Manager and Printer
Student Foreman
----- E D I TORIAL-----
Fifty-eight years ago the sun shone on the first buildings of Chemawa, the plain
board structures that were th e school’s first buildings in Forest Grove. T hrough
years of proper m anagem ent, this was the “ aco rn ” from which grew the m ighty
oak of today, the Chemawa of 1938. T hough much labor, careful planning, and
patience, the school had a start to bring success and benefits to the Indian children
of many generations.
. Before this, year after year, th e offspring of the Indian race grew up and learned
to h u n t, fish and to combat the obstacles of nature, but it was impossible to go
.beyond th at, and they were ignorant of the m any interesting and helpful things
th a t th e “ w hites” practiced. To them it was far beyond their reach to acquire this
so called “ ed ucation.”
T hen, in 1880, the message came to them th a t far away across the hills, plains,
valleys^ and rivers was a “ H appy H o m e,” a place where Indians could learn and
after years of train in g could go out and find their rightful place in the world or
return to their reservations and better their living conditions.
Like the oak, Chemawa also grew w ith the passing years. Its enrollm ent grew
from the original 18 to 1100 students at one time. Its buddings and vocational
and academic facilities under w ent a great transform ation into the modern Che
mawa of today.
Incidentally the word Chemawa means “ happv hom e.” It has been just that
to many young people who have spent happy years upon its premises. Every
student leaves Chemawa w ith a regret, a regret that like everything else, days in
Chemawa also have to come to an end.
— M arjory W ynne
On February 25, 1938, Chemawa celebrates her fifty-eighth anniversary. Mem
ories of former birthdays, may be recalled by th e m any graduates and students who
have attended this great in stitution in years.
Down through the years, from February 25, 1880, up to the present time, Che
mawa has progressed forward. By keeping step each year to the ever changing
conditions, m any im provem ents have been made. T he dorm itories which were at
first rude dw ellings have been replaced by modern brick buildings. Both voc
ational and academic courses are available here. H undreds of Indian boys and
girls from many different states have attended Chemawa. They have found
th at she is all th at her name implies, a “ H appy H o m e.”
Let us put forth our best efforts to raise the standards of the old Alma M ater
still higher. By doing this we will show our appreciativeness to our school for the
opportunities received.
—V e r n a R iggs
Chemawa has been visited by four presidents of the U nited States. By President
G arfield.in 1880; by President H arrison .in 1891; by President Roosevelt in 1904;
and by President T aft in 1909.
DANCE ORCHESTRA FAVORS SCHOOL
WITH COMPLETE CHAPEL PROGRAM
In the auditorium on Sunday evening,
February 6th, the Rhythm Chiefs dis
played some heretofor hidden talent by
furnishing the entire program. T hey
started the evening off by presenting a
short skit, the object of which was ad
vertising for musicians and having their
auditions before they were hired. A
num ber of shabbily clothed individuals,
supposedly m usicians answered the ad
vertisem ents.
A fter arguing among
themselves as to who should play which
instrum ent they finally reached an agree
m ent. They became a success as an or
chestra after m any m onths of practice.
W hile the stage was being cleared for
the next presentation statistics of the
campus were given by Joe Shippentow er.
Follow ing the skit, the orchestra play
ed a num ber of various selections. D u r
ing the brief intervals, a tap dance was
presented by W illiam Saluskin and a
song, “ Once In A w hile,” by Clifford
Day. T he orchestra also gave an im it
ation of Cab Calloways orchestra. T hen
to the delight of the students, H enry
A rnoux presented his “ special” dance.
T he-R hythm Chiefs are to be comp
limented for their fine performance.
PROTESTANT GROUP PRESENTS
CHURCH PROGRAM IN OREGON CITY
Mrs. K itzm iller and a few of her Pro
testant choir members presented a very
interesting program at the First M etho
dist Church in Oregon C i t y , Sunday
night, Feb. 6.
T he topic presented was “ Christian
A dventures.” Rosemary Y oung, t h e
Chairm an, led the program w ith an I n
dian song sung in her Indian tongue.
She also sang “ in the G ard en .” Dor
othy Southern sang “ Jesus calls u s .”
T he girls quintet which is originally
part of the regular Sextet, presented two
songs, “ W ium ” and “ H ear T hy L over’s
C ry .” Five topics were spoken on by
five of the students on Christian A dven
tures. T he students were Lovey Jack-
son, Zena Hogsed, W ilson Spencer, Dor
othy Jones and Florence Booth. T he
program was concluded by the benedict
ion.