Prairie Du Chien High School - Blackhawk Yearbook (Prairie Du Chien, WI)

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HWIIIIIIIHIIIlIhlM liniliMHIlM THIIIIIII1UIIUIIIHIIIIM THE PASSING OF THE INDIAN” There's all the wildness of nature Concealed in this beautiful place, Where the waters run so freely With all their lovely grace. Do the waters not miss the Indian Who was on them day and night? Did not the White Man come And take the Indian’s right? The Indian taught the White Man To eat the bread of corn; But the White Man thanked the Indian By using the powder horn. The stillness of nature is broken Parts of Fort Crawford still stand. But the Indian has gone forever, To his Happy Hunting Land. —VIVIEN GLENN ’20 I 111 'll !' - !'l. '! 'IT' ll!|ll!ll!!llllllll !lllllllllll Page Thirty-two

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“A BIT OF SATIRE” Why has our High School taken a slump in debating? In the early part of the school year a debating society was formed with the intention of competing with neighboring schools in a Debating League. The subject for discussion was “Resolved, That the Open Shop be Maintained in Industry.” Valuable aid was secured from the State through bulletins containing material for and against Open Shops. Debaters were selected for both the negative and affirmative sides and the work began. Preliminary talks on Trade Unions were given by those who had planned to enter the debate and at one time considerable enthusiasm was manifest. During our preparation, however, a letter was received from a contesting school offering only a poor excuse for failing to co-operate with us in our plan. This somehow dampened our enthusiasm. Without co-operation we could never have made a success. A lack of interest followed, and the question was dropped. Throughout the school year excellent results have been achieved in athletics and literary work. We have been strongly represented through our basket-ball team, and literary work has been carried out through Lyceum organizations ar.d declamatory contests. Such achievements resulted only from a hearty co-operation on the part of both students and teachers in addition to financial aid of the loyal citizens of our city. No doubt, had opportunity permitted, our school would have taken a lead in debating as it has in previous years. We hope that next year there will be the opportunity for good work in debating. There is no reason why we should overlook that kind of work from which we may derive so much profit. —CLYDE LAWLER ’21 P € cT L s SCHOOL RED CROSS ACTIVITY In activities of a patriotic nature the High School has not been backward. For two years our school has been one hundred percent in Red Cross Membership, not alone in the High School, but also in the grades. A French orphan was maintained one year by voluntary contributions of the students in High School, and $34.12 was given for the relief of suffering Armenia. The grades collectively gave a sum of $44.00 for like purposes. Many hospital garments were made by the students in the Domestic Art Classes. Aside from the work done in school, a large number of students worked in the Surgical Dressings Department of the Crawford County Chapter of the American Red Cross. Some helped also in the Christmas drive for membership, in the sale of Christmas seals and War Savings Stamps. The boys as Boy Scouts did an important work distributing Red Cross reading matter, in tabulating statistics, by running errands and in selling Liberty Bonds. —CAROL BUDWORTH ’21 I Page Thirty-one IIIIH

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 lllllliillffllM iiPiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir i(iiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii|:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iifiiBiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiirfiiiinifiiiii’Hiiini iNiiiii'jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'iiiiniiiuiuiiiiii'’ LIFE AT PRAIRIE DU CHIEN IN THE EARLY DAYS iThis Theme, written by Vivien Glenn ’20, received Honorable Mention from the Daughters of the American Revolution) “The Customs and Manners of the Indian” In order that we may have a clear conception of the life at Prairie du Chien in the early days, we must have in mind not only the White Man, but the Indians who possessed this land long before the Whites arrived. Was there ever a more nature-loving race than the Indian? The Red Man had nature for his symbol and the elements ui nature were his Gods. When speaking of the Indians it is best to mention the women iirsc, for 11 not the most important, tney were the most useful, as customs will show. When the Indian lodge was moved, it was the women who carried on their backs all the movable articles, while the men would walk behind, carrying only bows, ar.d arrows. li there was a pony, the man would ride it, leaving his wife and children to walk. The women had a certain amount of work to do, such as making mats and taking care of the children, carrying game and cutting up trees. The Indian would never fell a tree, hut use its branches. Wnen the wigwams were maae, they were fitted up with a platform encircling them, upon which they would sit by day and sleep by night. The Indians were fond of story telling. A good story teller was an important personage and was followed from wigwam to wigwam. When an Indian died, he was said to have gone to his Happy Hunting Land. When the different tribes disposed of their dead, they would place treasured articles at their sides. If the deceased were a man, his gun, pipe, war club, trap, flint, wampum, ornaments, some food and a kettle; if a woman, a little food, a kettle and a few ornaments; if a child, food alone was placed by it. A fire was kindled near the grave and was kept up for four days. On the fourth day, the deceased was to have reached his Spirit Land. The mourners blackened their faces. Besides blackening their faces, the women would go in tatters, keeping up a constant wailing and sobbing. A youth was not considered a man until he had undergone a certain ordeal, as in the medieval days. When a young man became twenty years of age, he would have to go upon the highest rock or mountain and fast for ten days, that is, until he had his dream. It was an ill fate to dream of snakes, and if he did so, he would have his tongue scraped several times with a chip. This was to cleanse it before he swallowed his food. He would go again to his fasting place and dream. If the next time he had a pleasant dream, he would go home where he was carefully nursed and only small portions of food at a time given him for fear he might die of over-eating. When a youth fell in love with a maiden, he would show it by placing himself a little way from the wigwam. The lover would wear a blue leggin and a red one. Not only would he do this, but he would also play upon his flute, “pib-pi-gwan.” The air was always played in a minor strain and never lively. If he continued to play his flute and there were no objections, he could address his lady. The young man was received at the wigwam by the father only. He would place himself by the door next to the daughter, as the eldest son and daughter always sat near the door, one on each side of it. The father and mother would sit in the back of the wigwam and the fire was placed in the center. The young Indian would then produce some pine sticks, light one in the fire and hand it to the maiden. If she took it, he was accepted; if she did not, she would let it burn until it had gone out. Different tribes of Indians had different matrimonial ceremonies. When a young man married his parents would bring valuable presents, such as furs and other things prized by the Indians. The parents of the bride would bring all kinds of ornamental work, made by themselves. These presents were then distributed among the friends. Page Thirty-three llllltHlIllinillllllllUillililllBillilllUllllliiifllfllllllllllllllllUililfinRfflllllll