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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1944)
Zhe Chemawa American PUBLISHED DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR BY THE CHEMAWA INDIAN SCHOOL, CHEMAWA, OREGON / Volume XLIV JANUARY . 1944 Number 3 Students See Launching Religious Director Arrives A group of 24 Chemawa students were privileged to attend the launching of the S. S. Pendleton at Swan Island shipyards in Portland. January 21. The students went in the school bus. The launching was a gala affair and had a record attendance. American Indians in war industries were honored by the christening, with Princess Melissa Parr of Pendleton, Oregon breaking the champagne bottle across the bow. Many Indians were present but the principals were from Pendleton. Native dances to the tune of tom toms was a feature. Indian blankets, arrowcases, beaded embroidery and sea shell trimmings were displayed over the launching platform. Chemawa employees who attended the launching were Supt. M. W. Evans, Mrs. Evans, Miss Mary Semanski, Miss Elda Dodrill, Mr. Ernest Butler, and Dr. McClusky. Reverend and Mrs. Allen C. Wilcox and family arrived on the campus January 18. Phey have three children. Mary Ellen and Allen, Jr., who are in high school, and Lucia Carol. Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox left Illinois eighteen years ago to be missionaries to the Indians at Browning, Montana. At Chemawa they will take over the work done by Mrs. Kitzmiller anrl Miss Beuglar. Their home on the campus is in the old chapel building. Church services will be at the regular time, each Sunday morning. Rev. Wilcox expects to organize a choir. Some of the students who are from Browning, know the family, and so make them feel more at home. Dramatic Club Party The Dramatic Club sponsored a party in the gymnasium on Friday evening January 8. A short program of skits was presented by the Club mem bers to the delight of the audience. Horoscopes were sold and furnished a lot of fun. Refreshments were coffee, punch, and cookies. The Club realized a profit of $39.45 from the party. This money is used to buy Readers Digests for use in the high school. Sponsors of the Dramatic Club are Mrs. Weigle and Miss Wehunt. George E. LaVatta Passes Chemawa was grieved over the death of George E. LaVatta, son of Supt. George P. LaVatta of Taho lah Indian Agency. George was a graduate of the law school at Willamette University and had been admitted to the bar. He did not practice law how ever, but went to work in the shipyards in Portland. He became ill with sinus infection and was admitted to Cushman Hospital in Tacoma. Mr. Lavatta is survived by his parents, his wife and a child. Chinese Dinner A Chinese dinner was served to the Girl Reserves at Hawley hall on January 13. It was a dress-up affair and all of the gids turned out in their prettiest dresses. The first course consisted of raisins, peanuts, can dy, and some sort of puffed rice candy. After this course, Miss Beugler told the girls about some of the customs of the Chinese, one of them being that when a Chinese girl reaches the marriage able age her parents arrange with the father of a marriageable boy for a wedding date. She also said that during a Chinese dinner the guests have to wait for tw o or three hours before being served the main course, while the guests at this dinner party had to wait only one hour. The Chinese are very gracious. It is considered very polite for the hosts to urge the guests to eat slowly. Yet when the main dish is served everybody eats with much vigor according to the customs, to show appreciation. The main dish of our Chinese dinner was Chow Mein. Some of the girls attempted to eat with Chi nese chopsticks. Appreciation is expressed to Miss Beuglar, Cecelia Paul, and Harriet Skahan, who prepared the meal; also to the different committees who helped to serve
