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WARM SPRINGS, OREGON MAY 13, 1977 PAGE 3
Icommission Works Toward
Improved Indian Services
Created for the purpose of
improving services to Indians
in Oregon, the Commission on
Indian Services has just been
assured of continued funding
for the next fiscal year. Ore
gon is unique in that it is the
only state to create and fund
such a commission.
Since its conception in 1975,
the commission has been act
ing as a clearinghouse for
information about the concerns
and needs of Indian Communi
ties in Oregon and as a cata
lyst for bringing those con
cerns and needs to the direct
attention of state government.
“To really serve the legis
lature the commission has to
be a good ear to Indian com
munities and be able to effect-
ively communicate—not intimi
date,” says Commission Chair-
man Warren “Rudy” Clem?
ents. “We’re trying not tó use
an uptight approach so we
don’t have staff who would
manifest that kind of attitude,”
he stated.
The Commission on Indian
Services is made up of ten
members which includes one
member from the Oregon Sen
ate, one from the Oregon
House of Representatives, and
eight Indians from throughout
the state. All are appointed
jointly by the President of the
Oregon Senate and the Speaker
of the House of Representa
tives.
The eight Indian members
include representatives from
Doris “Teeney Miller
New Job
Challenging, Fun
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“I didn’t know what I was
getting myself into,” said Dor
is “Teeney” Miller, referring
to the position she accepted
last October with the Commis
sion on Indian Services.
Doris was hired last Octo
ber by the commission to fill
the position of Administrative
Assistant and secretary to the
Executive Director, Bruce Bis-
hop. This meant a move to
Salem and taking a chance on
something unknown and unfa-
miliar.
But now, seven months lat
er, Doris says she’s glad she
overcame her fears about tak
ing the job. “There’s always
something new to learn and
it’s interesting to work with
the senators and representa
tives here at the capitol.”
She said that at first it was
scarey and that she had a lot
to learn. “I’m still learning,
and it’s still a little scarey—
but it’s interesting and really
not all that complicated,” not
ed Doris.
Prior to applying for her
present position with the com
mission, Doris graduated from
the Cleveland Academy of
Professional Secretaries then
gained some experience in
Washington, D.C. working on
the national level, with Public
Health Service.
While working in criminal
investigation for the BIA here
at Warm Springs last summer
she was encouraged to apply
for the Salem position. “I
never thought I’d even be
considered for the job,” she
contends.
Rudy Clements said that
though there were a lot of
people who applied he wasn’t
very surprised that Doris got
the job. “She has a pleasing
personality, she’s able to dis
pense information, and people
aren’t afraid to come back.
She’s the first person people
see or talk to when they go to
that office and since first im
pressions are made by the
initial contact, she helps us a
lot.”
Living in an apartment in
Salem is a lot, different from
living on the reservation, Doris
says wistfully. “It gets lonely
sometimes.” But she claims
enthusiastically that her job is
a challenge she’s glad she
accepted.
each of the following tribal
councils or non-reservation
areas:
1. Confedereated Tribes of
the Warin Springs Reservation.
2. Confederated Tribes of
the Umatilla Reservation.
3. Burns-Paiute Tribe.
4. Klamath Falls-Chiloquin.
5. Portland urban area.
6. North coastal area.
7. South coastal area.
8. Williamette Valley area.
Present commission mem
bers and staff include Warren
“Rudy” Clements (Chairman)
from Warm Springs; Arthur
Bensell (Vice-Chairman) from
Siletz; Senator Victor Atiyeh;
Robert ’hojorcas of Eugene;
Patrick Borunda of Portland;
William Brainard of Coos Bay;
John Green from Klamath
Falls; Rep. Sam Johnson;
James St. Martin of Burns;
and a newly appointed member
representing the Umatilla Res
ervation, William Johnson.
Members of the Commission
staff based in Salem are Bruce
A. Bishop (Executive Director)
and Doris “Teeney” Miller,
Administrative-executive sec
retary.
Both Bishop and Clements
feel that the commission has
had some impact on housing
this past year. Bishop ex-
plained, for example, that the
Veterans Housing program
hasn’t been traditionally avail
able to those on reservations,
but that due to commission
efforts there is veterans hous
ing currently under construc
tion on the Burns Reservation.
The commission is also
supporting a senate bill which
authorizes the state to plow
liquor tax monies back into the
community for treatment of
drinking problems. A lot of
work has also been done by
the commission in the field of
education, especially in the
area of the Indian Education
Act.
Essentially, the Commis
sion on Indian Services is an
advisory body which can re
commend methods for the
State of Oregon to improve
state services to Indians in
Oregon. In order to effectively
accomplish this task, the com
mission meets with Indian
communities or groups to learn
what problems they are facing
and how those problems can be
solved. Clements feels that the
group has more political clout
as a legislative commission
than it would have otherwise.
The commission takes an
active role in serving Oregon’s
Indian citizenry. It chooses not
to just sit back and wait for
people to come to it but goes
out to actively seek input.
Often, the commission invites
representatives of state and
federal agencies to meet with
the commission to discuss their
programs affecting Indians.
The commission monitors
legislation affecting Indians,
both while it is being consid
ered by the legislature and
after it has become law. It
notifies individuals within the
legislature who are involved in
activities of interest to Indians,
and assists in presenting infor-
niation to the Legislature on
issues of importance to Indians
in Oregon.
Among the specific statu
tory responsibilities of the
Commission are the following:
1. To compile information on
services available to Indians in
education, employment, hous
ing, mental health, and wel
fare; 2. To inform Indians of
these services; 3. To recom
mend improvements or new
programs; and 4. To report
annually to the Legislature and
the Governbr.
“Indian people feel they
can talk to this commission,”
said Clements. “They are en
couraged to. People can be
sure we will be responsive to
their concerns.”
Warm Springs Students
Spelling Up a S-T-O-R-M
A lot of spelling has been for their turn to spell orally.
going on in the schools lately.
The contest is done entirely on
During April, the sixth, paper, which perhaps removes
eighth and eleventh grades some of the element of fear,
,held contests in the buildings but also a bit of the drama.
throughout the county to select
Materials and instruction
representatives for the state for the spelling contests come
competition in September.
from the State Department of
Roger Stwyer, son of Har Education and are admini
old and Neda Greene, won the stered through the County In
county “bee” on April 29, termediate Education Districts
beating another junior from (IED). Participation of schools
Culver High School. Roger has and individual students is vol
the opportunity to spell some untary.
more at the State Fair in
The Warm Springs Grade
Salem September 6.
School sent sixth grader Jos
Spelling bees apparently eph Winishut to the county
aren’t quite what they used to competition. He went in the
be. Kids no longer stand self place of building winner Jereen
consciously in a line waiting Thomas who became ill and
couldn’t go.
In other spelling news, the
grade school in Warm Springs
had its own schoolwide contest
for all ages. The winners, who
are listed here, will receive
certificates at the awards as
sembly on the last day of
school, June 8.
Super spellers in Warm
Springs are:
First grade: Laurie Dan-
zuka.
Second grade: June Smith
and Minnie Kennedy.
Third grade: Robin Chinn.
Fourth grade: Becky Dan-
zuka.
Fifth grade: Anita Bryant.
Sixth grade: Jereen Thom
as.
Stick Games and
Crafts At Kalispel
An arts and crafts fair and
stick game . tournament has
been planned by the Kalispel
Activities Committee for May
21-22, 1977. The festivities will
be held in Usk, Washington on
the Kalispel Indian Reserva
tion.
Top stick game teams and
Players will ; be competing for
Jack pot: cash prizes. Only
genuine Indian-made items will
be offered , for sale in the arts
and crafts fair.
There will be a $100 entry
fee for each stick game team,
which must consist of a mini
mum of four and a maximum
of ten people.
Arts and crafts exhibitors
will be charged $30 for the use
of a. table for two days.
For régistration informa-
mation contact Francis Culloo-
yah between 8:00 and 4:00
weekdays at (509) 445-1147.
Jereen Thomas and 'Joseph Winishut try to beat the hourglass while making words with lettered
cubes. Jereen won the state-sponsored spelling contest at the grade school but Joseph represented
Warm Springs at the county contest when she got sick.
CDS Photo