CHEMAWA AMERICAN.
7
The Pacific Coast Institute.
The Institute of Indian instructors at
thePuyallup school, Washington was ex
ceptional in the practicality of the subjects
discussed and the manner in which they
were handled. The daily attendance was
not large, averaging about forty or fifty
I ehould think, but a great deal of enthu
siasm and interest in the work was shown
throughout. Much of this was probably
due to the presence and hearty, helpfulness
of our National Superintendent, Miss Reel,
whose interest and practical common sense
have done so much to make our schools
what they are. .
Supt. Potter of Chemawa acted as pres
ident of the meetings, as Hon. T. Jay Bu
ford of Siletz, who was elected to that po
sition last year,' was not in attendance.
Some very fine, helpful papers were pre
sented and ably discussed, and while sev
eral who were on the program were absent,
and their subjects not taken up, yet every
session was well occupied and full of
interest.
The opening address on Monday even
ing by Gov. Rogers of Olympia, Wash.,
showed that he had thought deeply on the
subject of the future of the American In
dian and gave those in attendance much
food for individual thought. Keeping the
Indian on the reservation and training
him to use it to the best advantage, was
the central idea of bis discourse.
The Puyallup orchestra opened each ses
sion with a well rendered musical se
lection. Besides the subjects as shown by the
program, several outside visitors gave us
impromptu talks. Among these,. Miss Bush,
a teacher in Tacoma, demonstrated the
Pollard Synthetic system of teaching read
ing; Mr. CarrutheYs, a missionary of Okla
homa, spoke of the necessity of giving the
Indian an all round education so as to
make him more self helpful. His idea be
ing that this end was more apt to be ac
complished by the reservation school.
Mrs, Small, County Superintendent of
schools at Everett, Wash., gave a strong
plea for more practical methods, and more1
study of the child, and his inclinations,
beginning her remarks by complimenting
the institute on its evident desire to do the
mini jjiiboiuip guuu tuns xuuiiiu uuaigcBi
On Wednesday evening the school gave
an entertiuament followed by a sociable
which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Friday morning an extra Jong session
was held and the work done that would
otherwise have occupied Saturday morn
ing, thus enabling some to get away
earlier. A committee was appointed as
usual to draw up resolutions in regard to
the workings of the institute and thanking
our entertainers for their kindness.
New officers were elected for next year.
Supt. Buchanan ofTulalip was elected
president for the Institute of 1902.' Miss
Gaither, of Umatilla vice president, and
Mr. McQueston of Puyallup, secretary. '
The committee on arrangements, ap
pointed by the chair, consisted of the new
ly appointed Supervisor of this district as
chairman, Ass't Supt. Phillips of Tacoma,
and Ass't Supt. Campbell of Chemawa.
The general desire of those in attendance
this year was that the meeting of 1902
should be held at Newport, Ore, but the
matter was left to the committee on ar
rangements. I am sure the instructois in attendance
at the 1901 Institute cm vouch for the Pu
yallup people as entertainers, and at least
the Chemawa cmtingent most heartily
thank them for their hospitality.
Tbe haK day sessions enabled us to see
the sights of Tacoma, to visit the battle
ship Oregon and the transports etc., lying
at the docks, to ran over to Seattle and take
in many of the attract ions of that pretty
city, to take a trip to Spanaway and Point
Defiance, tosay nothingof the Carnival and
Midway: so I am sure each and all voted
the Institute a success in the way of enter
tainment as well as instruction, M. S.
Backbone.
A good chance alone is nothing. Edu-
cation is nothing without strong and vig
orous resolution and, stamina to make one
accomplish something in the world. An
encourageing start is nothing without back
bone. A man who cannot stand erect, who
wabbles first one way and then the other,
who has no opinion of his own or courage
to think his own thought, is of very little
use in this world. It is grit, it is persevere
ance, it is moral stamina and courage that
govern the world. Success.