Wyatt recalls interesting career as musician, baker, advisor
i J' fill C : MH
I 4 ! 7' p s
'i A)
4 and Leona Wyatt have been married since 1978.
Many "Springers" may remember Al Wyatt for the
meals he prepared for students at the Warm Springs
Boarding School, while others may remember him better
for his work with the local Scouting program. Whatever
the reason, it's sure to bring a smile.
Though nearing 80, Al's sense of humor remains quick
and his recollection of years gone by is fairly sharp.
Names may not be as clear but the dates and places of
events remain as though it were yesterday.
Wyatt, sixth from left In back row, was assistant Scout leader during the '60s. Recognize any of these Scouts?
f , '
I W
Proficient at playing many Instruments, Wyatt was a member
of Dan Macy's dance band.
Support Group Meetings-Warm Springs
MONDAY
7:00-8:30 pm NA Meeting
Community Counseling Center
TUESDAY
5:00-6:30 pm Open AA Meeting
GroupLecture Room
7:00-8:00 pm Women's AA Support Group
Community Counseling Center
WEDNESDAY
12:00-1:00 pm Open AA Meeting
GroupLecture Room
6:00-7:30 pm Women's Support Group
Community Counseling Center
7:00-8:30 pm Wednesday Night Candlelight
AA Meeting
Community Counseling Center
THURSDAY
7:00-8:00 pm AA Meeting
Community Counseling Center
FRIDAY
6:30-8:00 pm AA Meeting
Old Pro-Shop at Kah-Nee-Ta
(near the tennis courts)
4:30-6:00 pm Youth AA
Community Counseling Center
SATURDAY
7:00-8:30 pm AA Meeting
Community Counseling Center
Support Group Meetings-Madras
SUNDAY
7:00-8:30 pm AA Group
Jefferson County Recovery Center,
639 D Street
TUESDAY
7:00-8:30 pm Tuesday Night AA Group
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
5th & F Street
MARTES
8:00-9:30 pm AA Meetings in Spanish Juntas deAlcoho-
licos Anonimos en Espanol.
Jefferson County Recovery Center,
639 D Street
THURSDAY
8:00 pm
Thursday Night AA Group
(non-smoking)
Lutheran Church, 1225 C Street
Half Comanche Indian, Al was born August 30,1911 in
Anadarko, Oklahoma, the middle of three children. For
about two years, he attended high school in Anadarko
and then went to Haskell Indian School as a high school
sophomore where he was enrolled in baking and music
classes. After three years at Haskell, he graduated in
1931.
While at Haskell, Al was involved in sports and
especially enjoyed football, baseball and boxing. In fact,
he had a chance to become a professional boxer having
won the 1934 Idaho State Championship Golden Gloves
award in the lightweight division while employed at Ft.
Hall near Pocatello, Idaho.
As a college freshman, Al's boxing and music careers
at Haskell had a run-in following an out-of-town
tournament his freshman year. The boxing team had
traveled to Kansas City, Kansas for a tourney and, even
though Al won his match, he sustained a fat lip in the
process. His injury prevented him from playing his
trombone. Unknown to Al at the time, the bandmaster did
not allow band members to participate in athletics. Al
was out of the orchestra for the rest of the year. A new
music master was hired the next year and Al was able to
participate in both and even learned band directing from
his second band instructor.
In what would have been his junior year at Haskell, Al
was recruited by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to work in
Pocatello as a baker and music instructor. He then
transferred to the Consolidated Ute School in Ignatio,
Colorado, where he again taught baking and music for
six years. Less than three months after World War II
broke out, Al joined the Army.
Al first went to Camp Roberts, but due to an ankle
injury, he became a "lost soldier" and was separated from
his outfit that eventually ended up in Germany. After a
two-week stay in the hospital, Al joined the 732nd
Engineers and received further training in Atlanta,
Georgia. "I ended up on Luzon in the Phillipines. "
Another injury sent Al packing for home shortly after the
war ended.
Stateside once again, Al went back to work at the
Consolidated Ute School for a year. His transfer to Warm
Springs in 1948 brought a new "home ec" teacher to the
boarding school.
While here, Al made many friends, joined a baseball
team that won the Central Oregon league championship
title, was an official for local athletic teams and joined
Dan Macy's dance band. Al even appeared in "Indian
Fighter, " a Kirk Douglas movie, as an Indian chief. In
1965, Al broke ethnic barriers and became a member of
the Prineville Elks Lodge.
Somewhere along the line, Al took up golf and at one
time sported a 9 handicap. Bad health in recent years has
slowed Al a bit and he now plays nine holes once a week
with friends at Nine Peaks in Madras. "Now my handicap
Sohappy new supervisor
of Parole and Probation
to fellow employees. She is respon
sible for the department's annual
budget. Her department is directly
supervised by Tribal Chief Judge
Don Costello.
There are currently 119 proba
tion clients being served by the two
probation officers, Sohappy and
Martie Markgraf. There are also 75
community service clients and 12
juveniles that come under the
supervision of the department.
Sohappy also supervises all sex
offender clients, making sure that
court orders and judges' decisions
are enforced.
Sohappy worked at the Warm
Springs Police Department for over
two years as a dispatcher and was
certified as a communications
officer in the mid-1980s. She was
certified again in 1989 as a parole
and probation officer through the
Oregon State Police Academy in
Monmouth.
Sohappy explained that she was
"hesitant" about submitting her
application for the position that
had been vacant since Papo Cruz
left nearly a year and a half ago. "I
wasn't sure I wanted to be supervi
sor. I felt confident that I could do
the job because I had been practic
ing doing it for over a year."
Future plans may include in
tense training sessions that w ill be
conducted by probation officers
from other enforcement agencies.
"I hope to modernize our office,
get new ideas and direction.. .and
implement the different ideas to
help our clients."
M I .1 iHJ. !. I -)H I'HI.I'.JWMW-HII .Ml .IN! U.I.H.... 11.11 .,.1
ft
ki J
Corinna Sohappy is new Parole
and Probation supervisor.
Fillino the vacant narole and
o i .
probation supervisor position is
3 1 -year-old tribal member Corinna
Sohappy.
Snhannv has worked in the Darole
" r f .
and probation department for
nearly four years as a probation
officer and community service w ork
coordinator.
As derjartment head. Sohappy
r
supervises employees, takes action
on urt reports and assigns cases
is up in the 20s. I can't hardly play 18 holes anymore."
In his early years here, Al fished, golfed and played
cards with his cronies Vern Jackson, Erving Shephard
and Cliff Meachem. "Vern was always playing tricks on
me," says Al. "Shep got his fishing line hung up in a tree
and Vern told me to get it. I climbed up and got stuck and
I couldn't go up or down. The guys went off and left me
in the tree, " he recalls.
Al retired form the Bureau in 1968. He had the option
to go to Chemawa but decided against it. He worked as a
greenskeeper at Kah-Nee-Ta for five years after his
retirement.
Al now lives in Madras with his second wife Leona,
who, at one time, was married to Al's brother Jake. Al's
first wife, Rose, died in 1977 and Jake had died two years
previously. "I spent a winter in Arizona and went to
California to play in a golf tournament. I stopped by to
visit with Leona and the kids. That's when I made my
mistake." The two were married in 1978.
The years have taken their toll on Al and he doesn't get
around too well these days. He suffered a slight stroke
about three years ago and he has diabetes and poor
eyesight. He doesn't drive anymore but his weekly
rounds of golf and Thursday night card games get him
out and about among his current cronies.
Al continues to be amazed that he has remained in the
Central Oregon ,area for so many years. "I've never been
in orie' place this' long before,"' he says. "Forty-three years
is a long time. " If acquaintances make time go by more
quickly, just think how long those 43 years would have
seemed without Al.
The Old Days
Warm Springs Agency, Oregon.
Report of Horace Q. Wilson, Supervisor
March 24, 1913.
Section 5.
Employment for Indians:
These Indian work for ranchers near the reservation during
the Spring, Summer and Fall months. Some of them worked for
the railroad company when the railroad was building up the
Deschutes River. I believe that an effort should be made to obtain
employment for some of the Indians with the railroad company as
section hands.
A few of the Indians are employed occasionally as
laborers at the school and agency. There are four Indians
employed at the school.
Very respectfully,
HGWP.
Section 6.
Sale of Liquor:
The Superintendent states that there has not been very
much liquor sold to the Indians of this reservation the last few
months. I saw no indications of any sales when I was at the
agency.
HGWP.
Forestry:
Section 7.
Very respectfully,
Surmrvisnr.
The west half of the Warm Springs reservation is mainly
covered with timber. 7 forest guards have been authorizea tor
four months. There was too much snow for me to make a mp
through the timber but the Superintendent Informs me that some
roads and trails have been built and that cabins have oeen
furnished for the guards. There have been no timber sales at this
agency.
There is one saw mill located about 20 miles northwest of
the agency. This saw mill is in very poor condition and should be
removed to a point about one mile west of the Warm Springs
agency on Shitike Creek. The lumberman, Mr. Salzman, now on
special detail there, informs me that this would be a good location
for the saw mill and states that logs can be driven down Shitike
Creek to the mill. I also recommend that two portable saw mills
be purchased, one for the northern part and one tor the southern
part of tfra reservation. The Indians do not have very good homes
or bams and if this arrangement of saw mills could be made tf
Indians could be better supplied with lumber. These Indians do
not have any tribal funds to their credit ft would, therefore,
probably be necessary to ask for a reimbursable appropriation.
The Government could be reimbursed from the sale of timber.
HGWJP.
Very respectfully,
Supervisor.