2
Letter From Eugene Visitor
Comments On Exchange
Note: Molly McMillan is an Anglo
girl from South Eugene High School
who visited Chemawa for a week as
part of a cultural exchange program.
This letter, in which she records her
impressions of a week at an Indian
school, is reprinted with her permis
sion.
I want to say right now that I’m
really confused about everything. I
have so many mixed up feelings. I
talked to so many people at Chemawa,
and my head got so full, and I got
really confused.
When I first came, prejudice had
always been something which I knew
existed, but I never really quite be
lieved it. And here are these really
great people saying something quietly
about “ feeling like dirt” in the pub
lic schools; they go on to say that the
students at South (Eugene) seem to
act superior.
I think the problem was that we
(from South) came in ignorant of what
the Chemawa students had faced in
the public schools; we were ignorant
of the whole Indian situation, knowing
only “ book words” about it. It was
something I had never come face to
face with before.
Even after I had found out what the
Indians had faced at public schools,
I was a little resentful when one girl
said that she “ didn’t want no white
prejudiced person” for a temporary
roommate. Maybe I shouldn’t be re
sentful, but she was prejudiced a-
gainst me before she even saw me.
I don’t know if I looked like I was
acting superior. If I did I was unaware
of it because I didn’t feel superior.
It bothers me, though, that kids might
not want to continue in the exchange
program because of these mistakes and
misinterpretations. I can’t begin to
express the impact Chemawa made on
me. It meant so much to me as a
learning experience in life. Aside
from that, I really came to love some
of the people, and they all seemed a
lot friendlier than the kids at South.
I really hope that our mistakes at Che
mawa will be understood.
One of the big differences was the
importance of studying. I was used
to study, study, study all the time, at
school and at home. I did meet a
couple of people who did like to study.
But, as a generality, school just
didn’t seem to be that important. It
seems like they have to go to school
just to be able to fit into our white
society; yet they don’t quite fit in,
but it's too late to go back to their
own culture. So they’re kind of in the
middle, and aren’t really anywhere.
And I think it’s an insult to them stuck
halfway between our culture and
theirs. What can be done about this?
I’d sure be confused if my culture was
being squashed, and I had to try to
fit into another one. I think you peo
ple at Chemawa are doing the best
things possible.
One thing I really missed was pri
vacy. I don’t know how the kids at
Chemawa do it. One of the Chemawa
girls, after going AWOL one night,
said that, “ When something goes
wrong , you just have to get out, be
cause everything around here reminds
you of it.” I just wish things could
be opened up, and kids could go in
and out and around and not be AWOL.
I know, there are reasons why this
can’t be--but maybe there are better
reasons why it could be.
I think what one girl suggested—
opening up the cafeteria after school
for kids and teachers to get together
and talk—is a good idea. I remember
there was something about the cooks
objecting to it, but maybe a partition
(like a curtain) could be set up, divid
ing the cooks’ working area from
where the kids would be. We have
one of these at South, and during lunch
the partition is just opened up.
I’ve just begun to be aware of the
Indian situation, and I’m more con
fused than anything else. There don’t
seem to be any satisfactory answers.
The answers that are used just make
things okay and regular on the sur
face. They’re not really solving any
thing deeper.
Ever since I got back, everyone has
wanted to know about Chemawa, and
I’m all drained. I kept putting this
letter off because I really don’t know
what’s what right now.
Boy Of The M onth
Picked A t M cN ary
McNary Hall began a program of
selecting a student-of-the-month early
last fall. Both the students and the
staff wanted to develop some program
to reward outstanding students. The
award is based on performance in
class and work an attitude in the
dorm as well.
The wintjer each month receives ten
dollars for a date downtown and has
his picture taken and posted in the
dorm lounge.
The students chosen for this honor
so far this year are John Evan (Sep
tember), Denny Akeya(October), Louie
Phillips (November) and Ed LaClair
(December).
Riding On The Bus
To Cheer The B raves
by Patty Phair
How is it to ride on a bus going to
a basketball game? There’s usually
pep club girls, cheerleaders and, na
turally, spectators. Everyone is quiet
before we leave, but after we’re on the
road, the cheerleaders start to sing
cheers and the rest of us join in. If
they’re not singing, they’re talking,
joking around and laughing a lot. It is
fun to ride on the bus to a game.
On the way home from a game, it’s
a lot more quiet. Everyone is tired
and has a sore throat, from cheering
the Braves on! Some girls sing cheers
but not very loud. Some kids talk,
but most of us just sit quietly. It’s a
lot more fun going to a game than it is
leaving a game - victory or no victory!
THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
Published by the joint efforts of the
Business Education Department and
the Journalism class.
Reporters:
Daryle Marchand, Patty
Phair, Sharon Clark, Linda Kirsteat-
ter, D. J. Taylor, Harriet Samato,
Mabel Kudraluk, Fekla Kozeroff, Jim
Aleck, Joe Nomee.
Art:
Oliver Kirk
Staff Advisors:
Mr. Dashney
Mrs. Sturgeon
Principal:
William J. Tucker
Superintendent Gordon W. Gunderson