Stftsmif"siWm, Oft., TuRtffy WJJ. tb-VftSftsi ffi
Migrants took to
yUslS ' ,Kll .. -"II ' . - ... liv--,- A ,
' INDEPENDENCE While their parents are busy preparing the eve
ning meal these youngsters migrant bean pickers at the & B.
Walker ranch aear here settle down for a session of scissor-and-paste
work on a batch of Christmas cards. Directing the pro
gram, which is a regular and welcome occurrence for these kids,
lift - if : .5 .'"ii-": r
v- -8. , j .
x " ! f.
K . ' f T
INDEPENDENCE Busy and cluttered headquarter! for SAMM work in the Independence area is
basement room of .the Calvary Presbyterian Church. Migrant Ministry workers Margie Miller and
Dick Schneider pack broks and movie equipment for a trip U cne of he nine bean yards they
visit daily. Funds and most of the material for the Migrant Ministry program is supplied by the
Salem Council of Churches. (Statesman photo.)
;V
(C -
r
INDEPENDENCE One way U entertain roongsters is to let them
sing. . Above scene at the Walker bean Tard shows SAMM work
era Carolyn Miller (at left) and Dick Schneider in background.
't ....
Alt '
,? i I i u I ,w
is Barbara Williams (at left), a Migrant Ministry student working
at of Independence. Bean camp's 'front yard" is shown in back
ground. Materials are supplied by Salem Council of Churches.
(Statesman photo.) (Photo also on .page one.)
1
v.
in mi 1 1 r
leading a group of bean pickers' youngsters in song. Song tests
also help camp children to become acquainted with one another,
(Statesman photo.) - -.
SAMM for . Recreation, Advice
Hit
'v .m
ft
1
T -
" ' ' ', . NvSSv i INDEPENDENCE Margie Miller (left) and Barbara Williams, Migrant Ministry workers, help a
f I .-TtHT" w.-.-V group of children relax after a day in the bean fields at the S. B. Walker ranch near Independ-
' -." " vS--:-"yy ence. With bean rows for a backdrop the youngsters, all children of migrant pickers, swing into.
?!Ibw- rcle dance. . (Statesman photo.)
INDEPENDENCE Dick Schneider (in above photograph), student
from Michigan who is spending the summer in Oregon in the
Migrant Ministry program, examines a scratched finger of young
Deborah Simmons at the Walker bean yard while her mother,
, Mrs. Ralph Simmons oi Grand Ronde stands in bean eamp cabin
doorway and looks on. Part of Migrant Ministry duties is aiding
in health problems of migrant workers. (Statesman photo.)
f 1 1 v. , .v. n
... . t.
By CONRAD PRANGE i
SUff Writer, The SUtesmah
INDEPENDENCE Highlight of the day it bean-
picking camps in this area is when the SAMM truck
rolls around.
Because SAMM means games and songs for the
kids, sewing classes for the girls, advice and coun
eling for the adults. Movies, health lectures, dances
and other recreation also are on
the schedule.
SAMM stands for "Salem Area
Migrant Ministry."
It is a voluntary semi-religious
program which seeks to provide
recreation activities and both
spiritual and physical assistance
to the several thousand migrant
workers who each summer come
into this area for the bean and
other harvests.
SAMM virtually has the field to
itself. Because apparently few
other agencies, public or private,
appear to be interested in that
siae oi me migrant worker.
In the Independence area six
young persons, mostly college
students, work full-time in the
Migrant Ministry program. They
U a v i tout Liioii-it vAivuoi t jsi. r
grams in two bean yards and also
direct activities in seven other
camps in this area.
"We visit camps daily," says
Carolyn Miller oLWhittier, Calif.,
a small, earnest girl who is co-director
with Joan Nicholson of
ML Sterling. Ohio, of the Mi
grant Ministry program in this
area.
Seeks Acceptance
"The greatest desire of the mi
grant worker," she said on the
way out to a camp this week, "is
to be accepted by the community
in which he is working. We do
what we can to foster a feeling of
mutual understanding. .
"We set up vocational classes
for the kids. Some of the Spanish
speaking youngsters can't speak
English. Other children need
special school tutoring. The girls
go for sewing classes.
"The program is carried on
under general direction of the
Oregon Council of Churches. Lo
cal funds for the Independence
Stayton areas come from the Sa
lem Council of Churches, which
also sends over used clothing
for "thrift sales,"' at the camps.
It was just after the 5 p. m.
quitting time at the S. B Walker
bean yard southeast of Indepen
dence when cars containing Miss
Miller and four other young Mi
grant Ministry workers Rich
ard Schneider of Chelsea. Mich.,
Barbara Williams of Nelscott,
Evelyn Neal of Oakridge and
Margie Miller of Whittier, Calif.,
rolled "into camp.
Many. Youngsters
The long rows of cabins and
tents seemed to swarm with
younghters. They came running
over to the cars.
u mi sum & - ..'iM
INDEPENDENCE Young bean pickers at the Sunset bean ranch
north oi Independence offer helpful advice in an effort to get
the weekly evening movie underway. -Working with the projector
"Hello teacher," said one little
girl to Carolyn.
"Hi, Juneyi" said Carolyn, tak
ing the youngster by the hand.
The SAMM workers split up
and took groups of youngsters
to different parts of the camp.
Barbara Williams set up a phona
graph and soon had her group
of tots dancing to the tune of
"Looby-Loo."
When she had her brood all
together she 'led them to a spot
under a tree- and they sat down
for a "story hour. Dark and
whUe skins and some intermedi.
ate hues were represented
"Who does Jesus love?"
asks
Barbara.
"He loves us all," answers
u dark.skinned girL
Dogs Must Be Tied
The tree under which they are
sitting bore a sign, "All Dogs
Must Be Tied." And under this
some wag had scribbled, "This
Means You!"
Carolyn Miller and Dick Schn
eider plunked a large circle of
about 20 youngsters down on the
ground near the show rooms for
a song fest
Margie Miller took another
group for a hike. Evelyn Neal, an
Oregon College of Education
graduate, organized a volleyball
game.
"Just the fact that someone
comes in and talks to them, plays
with them and shows an interest
in their welfare gives these peo
ple a big boost," says Dick Schn
eider. A part of the Migrant Ministry
program is plain "visiting." The
workers go around to the cabins
and talk with the adults. But the
families come and go so fast it
is difficult to make lasting con
tacts. 'The Kids Love 'Em'
"These people (the SAMM
workers) are. doing a wonderful
job," said "Sarg" Rothe, camp
boss at the Walker ranch. "The
kids love'em. We've got about
180 people in these 44 cabins and
16 tents and any sort of recrea
tion or supervised activity is
mighty welcome."
About this time Carolyn Miller
was directing a sewing class for
a group of older girls. They were
i- -
r
-1
v
- - - -1-- .. i . i
I
... f . .. -
..
K V
-
.... .. .Ju:juHkuiliLiuA
INDEPENDENCE "Henry" was the only name this boy would giv
the photographer at the S. B. Walker bean yard. In addition
to being a sturdy bubble-gum blower he also is said to be the
best bean picker, for his size and weight, in camp. (Statesman
photo.)
making skirts and aprons with
all material furnished by the min
istry 'program at Salem.
Because facilities are meager
at the camps the classes are held
right in the middle of the noise
and bustle. The Migrant Minis
ters even rustle up tables and
other props for their activities.
Miss Williams' group finished
its story time and now engaged in
cutting pictures from old Christ
mas cards and pasting them up.
Free 'Health Kits'
Dick Schneider conducted a brief
discussion on health habits for
older youngsters and then passed
out free "health kits." Each kit
contained soap, tooth paste and
brush and comb. It is estimated
about 1.000 of these kits will have
been given away this summer in
migrant, camps in Oregon.
After two hours at the Walker
ranch the SAMM group packed up
and moved on to the Sunset bean
ranch for a Softball game and night
movies. Here the group was joined
by two girls from First Methodist
Church in Salem, to assist on a
part-time basis. They were Marcia
Humphrey, 180 S. 19th St., and
s? ii ':
my
are SAMM students (from left) Evelyn Neal, Dick Schneider and
Margie Miller. SAMM brings the only movies to bean camps is
this area, (Statesman photo.)
'"X
Bev Fulton, 1249 S. Commercial St.
They accompanied the other girls
on
a round of "visiting. They
chatted with Alfred Emmons, a
picker from Nespelemi Wash., who
told the girls he could find God in
the outdoors better than in a
church. Nobody argued with him.
Films Draw'Crowds
Meanwhile Dick Schneider had
dispatched several boys to round
up a table. He' set up a movie
screen in an open clearing in front
of a row of cabin apartments. The
movie fare for that night included
a cartoon, a short health film and
a film on the life of Jesus. It drew
a big crowd.
"We hit each camp on a separ
ate day of the week," said Schnei
der. "One night we sponsored a
teen-age dance and invited young
people from the camps and from
Independence. Another time we
took 50 camp youngsters to Mon
mouth to swim in the OCE pool
there."
"Many of these kids exhibit a
feeling of insecurity. We try to.
make them feel they "belong both
in a social and a spiritual sense.
We hope we succeed." t
X v. -
.1!