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THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE
GRAND RONDE COMMUNITY OF OREGON November 1989
tribal government" TRIBAL CHAIRMAN GETS MARRIED!
HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU
Part two of this series will focus on the significant
happenings to the people of Grand Ronde prior to
termination and immediately following the Termination
Act of 1954.
Following the termination of many Indian Tribes, in
cluding the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, in
1954 Native Americans across the nation were simply
expected to assimilate themselves into white society. By
withdrawing all federal support and refusing to recog
nize Tribal governments, the U.S. government opened a
new and embarrassing chapter in this country's history.
Termination and earlier federal policies cost the Con
federated Tribes of Grand Ronde, which is made up of
23 different Tribes, their 69,000 acres of reservation
lands that were deeded to them when they were forcibly
resettled in the area by the U.S. Calvary in 1856. The
land was originally reduced in 1887 by Congress when
they approved the Dawes Act. This Act reduced Tribal
reservation lands to just 33,148 acres because of a policy
of allotting small amounts of land to Tribal Members.
The remaining 36,000 acres was declared surplus land
and opened up to non-Indian settlers.
After the Allotment Act, Tribal land was placed under
the control of a Sheridan lawyer named Harold Fuller.
Fuller was given control of the land as a private trustee
by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Fuller, report
edly under federal orders, sold all Tribal land (except
for the 712 acre cemetery and a few other plots) for as
little as $5.00 an acre over a period of time. Along with
all the Tribal land, Fuller also sold the Tribes' "Govern
ment Building," which housed meeting rooms, shops, a
school and the Tribes' cannery facility. Tribal member
Marvin Kimsey reported that the building and its
surrounding property was sold for a total of $850.00. At
termination in 1954, 597 acres of reservation land
remained.
Termination not only stripped the Tribe of its land but
its also began a "disastrous" chain of events that
contributed to the demise of the people that made up
the Tribes of Grand Ronde. Unemployment, alcohol
ism, health problems and school drop-outs began to in
crease at a dramatic rate. Essentially, Tribal identity, a
very important part of Native American lifestyle, was
decimated. In 1958, the United States Secretary of the
Interior Fred Seaton stated in a speech what his opinion
of the Termination Act was. "No Indian Tribe or group
should end its relationship with the Federal Government
unless such Tribe or group has clearly demonstrated -first,
that it understands the plan under which such a
program would go forward, and second, that the Tribe
or group affected concurs in a supports the plan pro
posed." Seaton also stated that "to me it would be
incredible, even criminal, to send any Indian Tribe out
into the stream of American life until and unless the
educational level of that Tribe was one which was equal
to the responsibilities which it was shouldering."
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The new Rennee' Mercier gives her husband a taste of his own medicine with this little bite of wedding cake.
Tribal Chairman Mark Mercier married his bride at the Free Methodist Church in Willamina on October 21st.
WINTER TERM DEADLTNE GENERAL COUNCIL
Students who are planning on attending school at the
start of WINTER TERM 1990, please remember the
application DEADLINE, you must have your completed
application into this office before or by NOVEMBER
30th, 1989. Applications received after the November
30th deadline will be placed on a "waiting list" for
Spring Term (March) 1990 consideration.
Students who are seeking enrollment into private
training institutions (for example: Trend Business
College, Phagan's Beauty College, West Coast Training,
etc.) Must have their completed AVT application into
this office 30 days prior to the day they will start classes.
If your application is received less than the 30 day policy,
we will place your application on a "waiting list" for the
following month, or for the next open enrollment period
offered by the institution.
If you are thinking about attending a private training
institution, please bear in mind that you must check with
this office prior to registering to attend the school; to
see if the school is on a Bureau of Indian Affairs
"approved" list. If this is not the case, we cannot
provide assistance for you to attend that institution.
Remember: deadline for Winter Term '90. November
30th. 1989 & the "30 dav prior" policy for private
institutions.
MEETING:
The November General Council meeting will be held
November 5, 1989, at the Grand Ronde Elementary
School. A potluck dinner will begin at 12:00 noon and the
meeting will follow at 1:00 p.m.. Agenda items for the
meeting include: Presentations by BIA representatives;
and the Drug and Alcohol EducationPrevention program.
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the Tribe. dUtional activfty planning is In progress.