Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1978)
DECEMBER 1. 1978 PAGE 3 Indians in Media, A Series---------------------------—=-------- For Umtuch "Ad Alley" May Lead Home Again By Cynthia Stowell While the newsroom is turn ing out rewrites for the threestar and sunrise editions of The Oregonian, people like George Umtuch are producing ads for next week’s papers. The deadline is different and foremen pace instead of editors, but the twilight world of “ad alley” is no less frantic or pressured. Ad builders fashion the skeleton on which the flesh of the news will be hung—while the clocks tick away the minutes. But glory rarely seeps into the backroom where X-acto knives deftly assemble lines and images into blocks of advertis ing, which in most newspapers occupy 60 percent of the space. Ad builders like George find other rewards. “I take pride in giving the customer what he wants,” says Umtuch, a Warm Springs tribal member-who has been on The Oregonian’s “ad alley” for four teen years. Umtuch has not only superintendents and foremen to GEORGE UMTUCH, PRE-FRAME AD BUILDER FOR THE OREGONIAN Spllyay Tymoo Photo by CDS please but also a host of custo From there it was a natural hot type, George was in unfamil has been a battle to fight against mers ranging from mammoth Fred Meyer to a suburban stereotypes. As one of only two step to the Chemawa American iar territory when the paper Indians at The Oregonian, Um at the Indian high school in went offset and he gladly Christmas tree farm. Although produced behind tuch feels he had to prove Salem. For four years he was “moved back home.” At The Oregonian, Umtuch the scenes and out of the public himself. “At first I was labeled typesetter, printer, bindery man, eye, Umtuch’s work is probably as Indian (i.e. unreliable, drunk mailer, paper cutter, and “kill- feels he has reached the “height handled and viewed by more en) and was treated as such. It out man” for the school organ. of a career” in ad building, a One year of general studies career that he says he fell into people than the news. Unlike the took some years to overcome at Willamette University proved rather than chose. High perfor direct route the news stories take that.” Now he is “just one of the to be “the most grueling exper mance standards have been in to the pages of The Oregonian, the ads travel a long, circuitous regular guys,” although his In- ience” George has had in educa stilled in the 43-year old skilled worker, whose 7pm-3am work journey before publication. dianness is a source of good- tional spheres, and he happily environment is characterized by transferred to Oregon Tech, natured ribbing and banter — From the ad salesman an ad where he took up graphic arts. the pressures of schedules, dead moves on to the dispatcher, to ad most of which Umtuch brings on Seven months later, the lines, and competition (to the alley, to the compositor, to the himself, notes one of his super young artist and cameraman point of “craziness,” he savs). computer, to the proofreader, visors. was working for an advertising Umtuch has also been Umtuch does not aspire to and eventually back to the customer — within about two labeled as a strike-breaker ever agency in San Francisco and his his supervisors’ jobs. With over career was launched. Umtuch time, he says he earns more than days. It is then ready for the since he came to The Oregonian speaks wistfully of his three the foremen or superintendents public eye, which scrutinizes in 1964, the last year of a drawn- years spent assembling display who receive fixed salaries. meat prices at least as thorough out strike by the camera and ads for such clients as Safeway, “Maybe I’m spoiled,” says Um press rooms. But Umtuch is ly as the lead news story. Harrah’s and Fuller Paints. He tuch, who averages nearly George admits that there are proud of the qualifications he refers proudly to three of his ads $20,000 in annual income. And times he’d like to be out in the brought to the job and the fact that were selected by the Print maybe his supervisors get a bit newsroom. “Everybody wants to that he has met the newspaper’s ers Auxiliary for display at their more of the glory but they are get his fingers black on the high standards in staffing. convention gallery. Compared to also the “fall guys,” a role not at typewriter ribbon, but you mel The trip down Ad Alley the creative energies he expres all attractive to Umtuch. Ad Alley has been a long, low out with time,” he remarked. sed in San Francisco, Umtuch As an Indian in a metropolitan continuous road for Umtuch who sometimes feels he is just “going The Road May Lead Home area, Umtuch is acutely aware of first stepped into the newspaper Proud of his many years of through the motions” at The world while attending the B.I.A. the public’s view of Indians. experience and cognizant of the Oregonian. “People are oriented through boarding school in Warm When the shop unionized, comforts provided by The Ore textbooks and old west maga Springs. In 1947, the young George left and took an advertis gonian, Umtuch communicates a zines. When newspapers do write George was mimeographing The ing job on a weekly paper in Los touch of restlessness and a about Indians it’s from hear Tymoo, a school paper that bears Banos, California where he longing for the reservation. the name but not the ancestry of say.” An example of the success stayed for four years. Trained in Even in the backroom there SpHyay Tymoo. Hunters Take Heed Alex Smith says he’s lucky to be alive. His close call with an angry buck while hunting in *he White Horse rapids area has provided him with a message for hunters. Be aware of the dangers of hunting alone, he says. Alex was just approaching the White Horse Rapids area when he pegged out three does and a buck dropping over a knoll. He managed to bring a doe down with his 30-.06 rifle and was proceeding to gut it out. He was almost completing the task when he heard a thumping noise, fhe area he was in was clear for about 100 yards each direction, according to Alex, so when he looked up and saw a four-point buck charging it surprised and scared him. The big buck came up so suddenly that Alex only had time to grab his rifle, fall back, and squeeze off a shot just as the animal went over him. “I sure thought it was the end of the world for me,” said Smith. “I made the mistake of ful off-reservation Indian, Um tuch still talks of returning to Warm Springs. “I look forward to fishing and hunting and catch ing up with the old people,” he says with obvious respect for the traditions in which he grew up. “I had a chance and I took it,” says Umtuch about his decision to leave the reservation. He and his wife Patty and their seven children are impressed with the conveniences and oppor tunities of city- life, but George regrets “depriving (his) children of their inheritance right” by raising them off the reservation. But as he feels everyone should, Umtuch followed his own “will and spirit.” Amidst “an abundance of opportunities” a person must understand what he himself wants to do and arrange his life accordingly, Umtuch believes. “I would like to see kids introduced to careers, as I was, and given a chance to pursue those careers.” Growing up shel tered does not prepare a young person to adapt to the world outside the reservation, he main tains. Umtuch’s pursuit of a career has meant straying far from home but never forgetting home. One day he may return with the gift of information and exper ience gathered from his trip down Ad Alley. Reality Therapy Workshop A down-to-earth approach to the art of adult-youth communi cation will be presented by Ed Ford December 7 and 8. Ford, a certified reality therapist and father of eight children, has designed the workshop for adults and teenagers. On December 7 tne workshop will be for adults and will be held in the Jr. High Library from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. That evening at 5:30, a potluck will be held in the Warm Springs Elementary cafe teria, followed by another ther apy session beginning at 7 p.m. On Friday, the workshop will conclude with two sessions for adults and youth. The workshop is free to those attending and will be sponsored by the Tribal Education depart ment and Johnson O’Malley program. Learning Center Plans Busy Winter As the fall term term comes comes to tn an an As the fall end and more than 90 students finish up their C.O.C.C. commu turning my back.” nity ed classes, the Adult Learn After the buck n .1 over him, - ing Center is planning an equally Alex admitted sitting there for a eventful winter term. few minutes crying because the Classes will start the week of pain was so intense and because January 8, with pre-registration he was scared. Just when he beginning Saturday, December thought it was going to attack 30 and continuing January 2-5. again, he looked up and saw it me Community Center lying there about ten feet away, should be just as lively through dead of a broken neck. Alex the winter as it was all fall, with didn’t realize right away that his nine non-credit and two credit bullet went through the neck classes meeting daily. until he had a closer look. Fall term’s four-credit math “I saved my own life when I class was so successful that it is fell back,” said the lucky hunter. being repeated. In addition, a A week after the fortunate three-credit English Composi mishap, Alex still suffered tion class will be made available “charley horses,” continuous for the first time. cramps, and had a big bruise on Non-credit classes range his chest where the big animal either stepped on him or hooked him with his horns. The public is invited to The moral of the story is (according to Alex) - Don’t ever attend the dedication of the hunt alone and if you must, at Umatilla Tribe’s new longhouse, least let somebody know where an event that will coincide with you’re going and when you their annual Christmas celebra expect to return just in case an tion. The dedication is set for 10:00 a.m. December 21. A accident should occur. from crafts to animal science to native languages. Craft enthu siasts have two classes to look forward to. Navajo and thermal afghans will be taught by Mrs. Fernandez of Madras and Caro line Tohet will teach beadwork. Mike Clements will offerfhis “Warm Springs Then and Now” course, a historical look at the reservation similar to classes he has taught for the school district. Last year’s successful beef cattle management class spon sored by the Extension Service will be offered again, with an added course in the care and diseases of horses. The Indian Language offer ings will be expanded with the addition of a reading and writing class in Sahaptin for those who already speak the language. Oral Sahaptin and Wasco will be offered again. Most classes will be held on weekday evenings with the ex ception of two shorthand classes which are slated for afternoons and a class in creative stitchery which will meet three Saturday mornings in February. Check the next Spilyay Tymoo for a complete class schedule or call the Adult Learning Center at 553-1428. The Learning Center, housed in the Community Cen ter, is open Monday through Friday 9-4 and Monday evening 7-10. The Learning Center will be closed from December 18 until January 2, but will open Decem ber 30 for pre-registration. Umatillas Invite Public to Longhouse Dedication w followed by prize dancing in the dinner will follow. That evening the Christmas celebration will begin. Prize dancing and memorials are the featured events Thursday and Friday evening. On Saturday a dinner will be held for veterans, evening. Washat services will be held on Sunday and dinner will be provided on Christmas Day. The new longhouse is situa ted near the community center in Mission.
