meekly ghemawa American
VOL. IX. MARCH 8, 1907
he Indian as a Society Reporter
As I have always been a champion of the idea that
Indians, like Caucasians, ought to have the whole field
of employment open to tnem, instead of being cofined
to two three callings for a livelihood, I am interested
in every new development of the principle, and have re
joiced as I have seen evidence of greater and greater di
versity of interests and talents among our Indian
youth;
The Superintendent in charge of the Makah Indian
Agency at Neah Bay, Washington attended the other
evening a dance organized and conducted Indians ex
clusively, mid suggested to a full-blood Makah named
Randolph Parker that he should write up the affair in
newspaper style. I thought your young people might
be interested in seeing the result. Mr. Parker obtained
his knowledge of English and cultivated his talent for
composition at the local Indian school at Neah Bay.
T ought to add, for the bene.it of those who are not
famuiar with the Neah Bay Indians, that they have
their village organized with as much completeness as
any municipal corporation of the same size in this
country. They contributed from their' own resourses
for the expense of having a surveyor come and lay
out thair streets, and they have movedtheir houses in
to conformity with the topography of the village, and
their sanitary and public street departments are as
well managed as those ordinary small comunity It is
not remarkable that their social accomplishments
should follow the same progressive lines.
Here is the r'poi without a word of editing or other
changes :
The birthday dancing party of Miss Nellie Claplan
hoo, a girl of a high standing among the Makah tribe
of Indians, which took place Thursday the 14th
day of February, 1907, at the l.fe boat station hall,
was considered tiie most complete, successful and en
joyable on ' the young people ever had this year. The
hall was unusually and eommendably decorated to
th' astonishment of those who attended. On the walls
nt "H'-h end of the room was a heart of hi07, attractive
ly printed with ferns. And in the center stood a large
table on which was spread the most appetizing and de
1icious danities ever witnessed lately on such occasions
No 49
The lunckWAS delightfully served before the dance
proceeded ; the attendance large and fine iu every re
spect, enough to make up thirty couples of dancers, in
cluding the Superintendent and his wife, Mrs. Dr. C. L.
Woods, Mr. Hart, the telegraph operator, Mr. W. W.
Washburn, the post trader and two other white women
and a girl Quadrilles. Virginia reel, singing circle,
the tucker dance, waltzes, two step waltzes, two step
and seven step schottisches was, each, easily and
gracefully danced to the music, which consisted of
two violins, a mandolin and a piano played skillfully
by young Indian men of the tribe. In fact, the whole
affair was able and carefully managed and conducted
solely by Indians.
The good order preserved, refinement, pleasing and
agreeable manners of the young people had shown ex
plicitly not only headway they are making towards
the light of civilization but the wonderful, achieve
ment of th- United States Government
Would not this society paragraph do credit to a
good many reporters of more pretensions than Mr.
Parker?
GO TO
cm ago tore:
FOR
BARGAIN i IN DRY GOODS.
PATT9NBRQS.