Wisconsin School for the Deaf - Tattler Yearbook (Delavan, WI)

Page 15 text:

BACCALAUREATE SERVICE Sunday afternoon. June I. 1939 ut 2:30 o'clock SCRIPTURE READING PRAYER SONG—“O Come to My Heart Lord Jesus fiunir by Marlene Lerwick Interpreted by l.a Verne Hannon l.orelta Sziililcutki HrrnudiiK' Huu-er B ACC A LA CREATE A DURESS —Rev. Robert H. Eads SONG— .Master. I-et Me Walk with Thee Sun by Mr. Edwin Evanx Interpreted by Loi« SJoiiuut Dorothy Mae Edith Erickson BENEDICTION COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES Wednesday evening. June 7. 1939 at right o'clock SONG— The Miller- Sung by Robert Lowe Interpreted by Carols Davia INVOCATION WELCOME Olady Bavrrfrldt, Cla » President ADDRESS—Miss Susan Davis Dear of Prrohmon Women, University of Wisconsin PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS —Supt. T. E. Bray AWARD OF AMERICAN LEGION MEDALS SONG— The Prayer Perfect” Duet by Mrs. IC. Berwick and Mr . Frits Johannexon Interpreted by Ruth Schmidt and Henry Schmidt BENEDICTION ADDRESS OF WELCOME Commencement Emtcuc . June 7, IK39 ISIndy Baverfeldt. Clm«x Prexident Members of the Board of Education. Superintendent. Faculty Members and Friends: In behalf of the class of 1939. 1 wish to extend to you a hearty welcome to these sixty-ninth annual commencement exercises at the Wisconsin School for the Deaf. We are glad to see you here tonight, and we want you to know that we greatly appreciate your presence which indicates your interest in us and in our school. We can hardly believe that this is our last day of school and that tomorrow we must face the wide world with all of its problems and troubles, too. We regret the fact that it is necessary for us to leave this dear school where we have spent so many years of our lives. We must make way for other boys and girls eager for the opportunity to receive the excellent training for life which this school gives every pupil here who is willing to accept it. We shall always treasure the memories of happy school days here and of our friends with whom we have played and worked. We feel very grateful to our Superintendent, the principals, and the teachers and wish to express our deep appreciation to them for helping us reach this goal. Again we thank you for your presence.

Page 14 text:

The Class of 1940 Standing, loft to right—Ruth Cataract, Roy Rasmus, Ray Kcs enich, Florerce Mojnck, Seated, left to right—Helen Hockert, Kuth Schmidt. Hubert Seidel, Glndy « Davis. Marccnc Schmit. The Junior class shown above had I ho honor and the responsibility of getting out the 1939 Tattler. The class hopes you will like the work they have done. Because of illness, Mr. Neesam (the class sponsor) was unable to be present when the group was photogruphed. Only one member of this class started In our primary department. The rest came in from time to time as the years went by. Class officers are: Ray Rasmus, president: Ruth Cataract, vice-president and secretary: Helen Hockert. treasurer. Editorial Staff Dedication - - - - Foreword........... Organizations - -Athletics - - - - -Backward Glances Bits of Information ClnM. Will .... Calendar........... Class Roll - - - -Art Kditor - - - - Hubert Sr I del - - - Gladys Davla Raymond Ra»mu« Raymond Kesseoieh - - Ruth Cataract • - - Marccnc Schmit • - Helen Hockert • Florence Mujack Ruth Schmidt Raymond Rammi

Page 16 text:

Essays............ AN ENDEAVOR TO SOLVE THE INDIAN PROBLEM By DUANE SEYMOUR TO solve any problem it is well for one to acquaint himself with the causes of the difficulty. In order to do this, in deuling with the Indian problem of our country, it is necessary to turn back the pages of history to the day when the Red Skins met the occupants of the Mayflower at Plyrat uth Rock. Right then the Indian problem started, and it still continues. Today as we criticize foreign countries for cruelty and greed, are they not justified in pointing a finger at us and saying. How about your treatment of the Indians? America, you had better sweep before your own door ? Most truly our treatment of the Indians is a chapter in the history of our development of which we are not very proud. Nevertheless, we can be grateful that in recent years the government has awakened to the great need of reform, and has made a great effort to give these original Americans their just dues. In 1620 approximately 850,000 Indians roamed the forests and plains in a Happy Hunting llround. that had belonged to their ancestors for—nobody knows how long. What was the result of the white man's arrival? He simply moved in ami drove the Indian relentlessly toward the setting sun. As more white men came, the Red Men wen-pushed farther a n d farther westward. Although they fought desperately to hold their land, they were aguin and again overpowered by the vast throng of whites in battle, by tire water.” drugs, the white man’s diseases and vice. Finally nothing was left to them but worthless desert lands. All this time their number had greatly decreased. It was plain to be seen that the Indian race was becoming extinct. As far back as 1862. President Lincoln made this remark: If we get through this war. and I live, this Indian system shall be reformed. And not a great many years later. Uncle Sam woke up. When he realized that something must be done, the Allotment Act went into effect. This was a little over half a century ago. By this plan a certain amount of land was given to each Indian, man. woman, and child, with the agreement that it would be his after he had lived on it for twenty-five years. The purpose of this law was to Americanize the Indian. Schools were established whereby the Indian children could learn American customs and the Knglish language. This resulted in a loss of their ability to weave, to make pottery, and to accomplish other crafts for which the Indian had always been known and admired. However, it seemed quite impossible to make worthy citizens of these people, who were not accustomed to American ways of living. The experiment was put fully to the test. By 1934 practically ninety percent of the 260.000 Indians remaining were homeless, starving, and poverty stricken. They had been b ought down to this low estate simply because crafty, greedy white men had taken advantage of them and gained possession of their land for almost nothing. It was generally agreed that something must be done to overcome this tragic situation. In 1934 a new Bill of Rights for the Indian, the Wheeler-Howard Bill, was introduced in Congress and overwhelmingly passed. By this the old Allotment Law of 1887, which had proved harmful rather than helpful. was repealed and further loss of the remaining Indian lands was stopped. It promoted a new policy to protect tribal life on the reservations, to decrease control by the federal government and increase self government by the Indians themselves. Mr. John Collier, commissioner of Indian affairs, decided that it was better to make an Indian a good Indian than a poor white man. A fund was appropriated to help each tribe acquire a tract of land. Here, the Red Men were to have their own rights and customs restored. To further this Mr. Collier, who, though white of skin, is Indian at heart, obtained money from the government to establish schools and improve the reservations in many ways. On every reservation today one tinds a sincere and growing concern for the three basic