Zhe Chemawa American
PUBLISHED DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR BY THE CHEMAWA INDIAN SCHOOL, CHEMAWA, OREGON
Volume XLVI
JANUARY . 1946
Superintendents* Conference
On December 14, 1945, six supeiintendents
representing different agencies met at Chemawa for a
conference and a visit to classes and the campus.
Following a luncheon served at the home econo
mics building, they met with the students from their
jurisdictions and discussed problems with them.
A general conference meeting followed.
Those attending were George P. LaVatta, Ta
holah agency; F. A. Gross, Tulalip; William Wade
Head, Colville; Archie Phinney and wife, Northern
Idaho; Henry Roe Cloud and wife, Umatilla agency;
W. M. Nall, chief clerk, and Mary E. Joaquin,
social worker, Grand Ronde-Siletz; and Oscar H.
Lipps, retired, Salem.
Student Election
The student council election took place on Oct.
8 and 22 with the results as follows;
Mayor, Robert Eickmeyer; vice-mayor, Mary Ag
nes Simmons; finance commissioners, Leona Bell,
Gilbert Towner; school commissioners, Virginia La-
Fromboise, Harry Cooper; athletic commissioners,
Loyette Moppin, Joe Pinkham; home commissioners,
Jessie Miller, James Chocktoot; social commission
ers, Annabelle Summers, Earl Davis; civic commis
sioners, Bernice Foster, James Gray.
The council has held a few meetings and in the
near future hope to work out plans to help the stu
dents and school as well.
Mr. Kunkel Retires
Everyone at Chemawa, even those who didn’t
know him very well, did not want to see him leave
us. Mr. Kunkel has been our plumber for twenty-
two years.
He enjoyed working with us and bated to leave
the campus. He not only worked as our plumber,
but always helped us a great deal with the enter
tainment for the school. He was always ready to
make candy for the children.
He began working here July 23, 1922, and retired
Sept 30,1945. He resides in East Salem.
Number 1
The Storm
On December 4 the campus was a battle ground
on which the wind and trees had a "battle royal.”
The trees put up a good stand but to no avail. The
campus was littered with branches and two tall fir
trees were "laid to rest.” The loss of lights brought
slight hardship because of the welcome change.
We did regret, however, the prevention of the
basketball game with Dayton that night.
Enrollment
At the beginning of the school year at Chemawa
there were five hundred and thirteen students enroll
ed. Since than, some students have been coming in
and others have been leaving. But up to date there
are four hundred and seventy-eight students. The
enrollment is expected to continue to increase during
the remainder of the school year.
Mr. Turney Passes
Ruthyn Turney, 76, former teacher of music
and printing instructor here, died November 14,
1945, in a Salem hospital.
Mr. Turney was born in Missouri, September
11, 1867, and came to Oregon in 1896, as a concert
violinist. Shortly after, he headed the Oregon State
college music department. While living in Corvallis
he edited the Corvallis Gazette Times. Besides his
teaching music at Chemawa and Oregon State, he
also assisted in arranging compositions for the Port
land Symphony orchestra and in teaching at the
Western Academy of Music in Portland. He was
rated as one of the finest violinists and violin teach
ers in the Northwest.
He entered the Indian Service here at Chemawa
in December 1907, and retired in September 1932.
After his retirement from Indian work, he spent
much of his time assisting with the orchestra at
Chemawa. A host of friends and former students
will mourn his passing.
Surviving are his wife, Gertrude Turney; sister,
Elizabeth Tumey of Los Angeles; and a brother,
Frank Turney.