Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 1979)
PAGE 4 JANUARY 19, 1979 Editorial E COOSH EEWA: (The way it is) Editor's Notes Letters to the ^rom The High Signing Letters - 1| We received a letter in response to our note in the last edition entitled “Please Sign Letters.” Unfortunately it was not signed or we would have printed it. The author disagreed with our policy, saying that if required to sign letters that are critical of local departments or programs, people would have to suffer unfair consequences from their superiors or potential employers. Our response is this. First, perhaps more credit should be given to supervisors and their ability to judge impersonally. Second, if someone wants to register a gripe about a particular department he should probably communicate directly with whoever is involved rather than indirectly through the newspaper. We would like the newspaper to be a forum for ideas and opinions, but problems are more apt to be solved outside the newspaper pages through direct confrontation. Our other suggestion is that if you would like to register an opinion anonymously, write to us anyway and we’ll keep your letter on file. If enough people write on the same subject we then have material for an article, editorial or investigation. Sounds fair, doesn’t it? Before Another Child Stumbles If you think of childhood as a slowly building crescendo, gathering momentum with the passing years, leading logically and lyrically to the quiet fulfillment of old age, it is heartbreaking when the finale comes too soon. It is even more perplexing when a child lets the rhythm of her young life falter; when she falls out of time with the natural beat of growing and becoming. It is a denial of all that went before and everything that is to come. A young girl spent fourteen years affirming her life. She rode her horse, dribbled her basketball and danced with moccasined feet toward maturity, loving her childishness, curious about adulthood. At some point she risked all that by inviting .danger to be her friend. But her new friend distracted her, made her miss a beat, then made the ultimate demand: in exchange for her life, it offered her death. She did not choose death. But she placed herself within its grasp and became deaf to the rhythm her life had established. It is not for us to name villains when a life is wasted. But it is left to us to make life look a little more attractive so that the dangers are not so fascinating. So other lives can reach their climaxes. Too many have fallen short of their proper finale. Do the young people of Warm Springs value life so little that they are willing to throw their futures over for the thrill of the moment? We may serve them everything on a silver platter, never letting them see the price tag. Or maybe we don’t give them enough of what they really need. Do we give them enough love and respect so that they will proudly guard their lives against death? Do we offer them so little knowledge that they innocently chart life-threatening courses? If we gave them more of our time and attention, would we be quicker to notice a stumble? Before another child forgets what his life is building to, let’s go with him. Schools, give him supervision. Drug program, inform him. Merchants, make the highs harder to get. Parents, help him care. To Our Office Telephone Callers: We have been experiencing difficulties with our phone ser vice lately. We would like to appologize for any inconvenience this may be causing but the problem is with the telephone company. Our phones are always an swered but sometimes we cannot hear what is being said on the Editor young Indian faces within the by Ron Pinkham TODAY IS THE LAST DAY Indian community when lacking TO THE’RESPECTABLE of the semester. Hopefully, all the knowledge of his culture. COMMUNITY OF the students’ grades will be the Cultural identity is needed for WARM SPRINGS! best that can be earned. It is the young for it gives spiritual Ever since I was about difficult for the students to rea strength and character. All elders are invited to thirteen years old, I never knew lize the impact that their grades ...lat type of human being I was. and attendance will have when share themselves with the Indian Could you imagine my over they seek employment. Every students and become involved whelming surprise to know that effort by all persons concerned with the cultural education of our Mom said I was an “Indian” !? should encourage and praise the youth. There will be a working agenda and a supper for those Being the innocent soul that I students for a job well done. was, I innocently asked Mom, THIS SEMESTER the high who attend. Please pome to the “Mom, what’s an Indian?” Mom school has initiated a first period meeting on January 30, from 5:30 just looked at me and said, “You class for students who need new to 9:00 p.m. THERE IS A CONCERN really wanna’ know?” I replied, alternatives. The intent of the (innocently) “Yeah!” class is to give the student a about students visiting me at my And to this day, I can foundation of hope, encourage office. Many of the students are honestly say, I understarid why ment, and skills which will be placing themselves in jeopardy Mom said, “An Indian is some designed to respond to their because the teacher feels a stu thing to be proud o f ...” Of course unique needs. This class will not dent is visiting the counselor just she said more, but to me, that’s conform to usual class structure to be out of class. Certainly, the history. but will use a team teaching concerns of students are very important, so in order for the It certainly was a test of my approach. strength, to learn how to be an THE INDIAN CLUB stu student and teacher to feel com Indian. What with all the elbow dents would like to meet with the fortable about visitation, a pro pains of learning how to “tip it elders of their tribes. It is felt our cedure must be initiated for ef up!” and the embarrassment of cultural heritage is being lost fective use of the counselor. BEST OF LUCK to those bouncing the wrong way while due to unique circumstances. learning the simple straight Many have voiced a strong con students who will be completing step! cern about the situation the the first semester and beginning anew. Even learning the close family ties that were knitted together was a task in itself! All the unjust prejudice that before I never even noticed! JANUARY God! it’s hard being an Indian, I -4-H Beadwork club for kids 9-18 4:00 p.m. each Wednes feel sorry for the Bustions! day afternoon. I enjoyed it! 20 - 4-H Skating Party in Bend (meet at Extension office It’s an experience I doubt 12:00 noon. Bring $2.00 for rink and skate rental - dinner I ’ll ever forget! will be provided.) (Even if I wanted to!!) 21 - Fund Raising Auction at Simnasho Longhouse, 4:00p.m. Sincerely, A Person, Proceeds going to Lincoln Birthday Powwow. Jackie Estimo 23 - W.S. Homemakers Club at JoAnn Smith’s home 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Evening session at Presbyterian Church beginning at 7 p.m. Programs will be on main dish soups and using a crock pot. I would like to thank the 30 - Marcelle Straatman, OSU Extension Human Develop many thoughtful people who ment Specialist will give a workshop on positive gave their gifts to us after our parenting 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Community Center. This house burned in November. The event is approved by the Warm Springs Parenting Com money came in very handy when mittee. I went to Portland to stay with FEBRUARY my grandsons. 1 - Joint Education Meeting 7:30 p.m. at Longhouse My words can’t express the sponsored by 509-J School district. deep appreciation I feel towards 2, 3, & 4 Jr. High Student Weekend here with kids from Yamhill all of you. County. Sign up at the Extension office by January 26. HazelSuppah You need not be a 4-H member to attend. 5 - Beginning tonight and continuing until March 12, the Sixth Level Club will be meeting 6:30 to 8:30 each Mon day evening. It’s for 6th grade boys and girls who attend W.S. grade school. Topics to be discussed will be nutri tion, health, exercise, dress, etc. This is a good way for you to look and feel better.as well as have fun, too! 9, 10, & 11 - Lincoln’s Birthday Powwow at Simnasho Longhouse. See page 3 for further information. Community Calendar Thank You Council Agenda other end. We report the problem to telephone repair each time this happens, but it still con tinues to happen. Perhaps the bad weather has something to do with it. , Thanks for being patient. Maxine Clements Switchboard Supervisor interested persons should contact John Trujillo, Federal Programs Coordinator, Jeferson County School District 509-J, 1355 Buff Street, Madras, Ore., 97741, or telephone (503) 475-6192. Closing date is February 19, 1979. Indian Club Inviting Elders Being an Indian School Vacancy Title I Reading Teacher at Madras Senior High School. Starting date will be March 1, 1979. Applicant must hold a valid Oregon Teaching Credential with an endorsement in Reading pre ferred. Salary range is $10,700 - $18,725- School Counselor Hazel Suppah counting donated money. Jan. 19 - Kah-Nee-Ta Board of Directors Meeting Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge Jan. 22 - WSFPI Board Meeting - ,, Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge Jan. 23 - Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. 10:00 a.m. - 509-J Report 2. 2:00 p.m. - General Manager-Branch Managers Merit Increases Jan. 24 - Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. Budget Items held in Abeyance Jan. 26 - Tribal Energy Task Force Meeting Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge Jan. 29- Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. 10:00 a.m. - Irrigation Project, Rereg Powerhouse Jerry Dibble 2. 2:00 p.m. - Management Reports Jan. 30 - Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. Unfinished Business 2. 2:00 p.m. - Cigarette Agreement-State of Oregon
