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

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principled of the Indian Reorganization Act— Indian self government, the conservation of I rid inn lands and resources, and socially directed credit, which means public improvements in the held of education, health, and in relief projects in road building and irrigation. The efforts made in the field of health have resulted in lowering the death rate twelve per cent. Considering the many obstacles that were to be overcome, opposition of those who hud invested money, the Indians’ suspicion of any plan made by the whites for him. and general disrespect for the Indian and his ways, the pro- gress already made has been gratifying. Achievements thus far seem to be leading to a liberal Indian program. While some who have made a careful study of the New Deal think that under it the Indian is happier and more progressive, others among both the Indians and his palefuce brothers object seriously to the plan. They feel that the Indians could be Americanized if a more earnest effort were mnde. and the greed of a certain few white men curbed by legislation. This reformation of the Indian situation is not only interesting but is worthy of every citizen’s whole hearted consideration and support. THE STORY OF OUR FLAG By LILLIAN OSKN OUR flag, as it is known today, is the result of many centuries of struggle and hardships of our forefathers in Europe and America. Its development in the New World symbolizes continued advancement of a powerful but friendly nation. At the beginning of civilization a dag was found necessary. Different tribes of people began using a dag as a symbol to distinguish one tribe or clan—as they sometimes called themselves—from another. The name Hag has an interesting origin. It comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “deogan. meaning to doat, or fly free in the wind. It has the same meaning in many different languages. A national flag, no matter where or what country it represents, is u symbol of patriotism and the good standards of the country. The usual form of a dag is that of an oblong piece of material, either of cotton or of silk bearing signs and figures of what it is representing. The end of the dag. which it fastened to a staff, is called the hoist, and the length, to the free end. is the fly. There are many different ways in which dags are used. On the prow of each ship we see a flag hoisted, showing to which country it belongs. Different positions of a dag are used to form a code by which ships can communicate when in sight of each other. In army camps, in each regiment, on all public school grounds, post offices and many other public buildings, a dag is hoisted some time after sun- rise and floats until before sunset. Flags of different color are often used for different purposes. Each color has a different meuning. A yellow dag on a ship or a hospital is a warning that a person with some contagious disease is under quarantine there; a red flag represents danger: a black flag signifies piracy. However, a black flag is rarely used today. In the early days when the English colonies were being established, u new dag was felt necessary to represent them as one individual organization in a confederation. So in the year of 1701 the British prescribed a merchant flag, with a blue field bearing the cross of St. George in broad red stripes, extending all the way across it. It also bore the diagonal cross of St. Andrew in a narrow white Stripe, in the center of which was a plain white shield. A few years later the New England colonies were allowed to use a blue dag with the red cross of St. George in a white canton, and a globe in the opposite upper corner next to the staff. The globe was changed to a tree on the official dag although it had been used by the colonies for more than thirty years and continued in use with several changes. The idea of a tree is thought to have come from the silver coins, which at that time were minted with the figure of a pine tree on one side. This flag had a background of white, symbolizing purity; with a pine tree in the center. Underneath the tree was printed the words. An Appeal to God.

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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

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A later flag had a coiled rattlesnake, the idea of Benjamin Franklin, with the legend. “Don't tread on me. In 1776 a flag with red and white horizontal stripes and the rattlesnake diagonally extended across it was introduced and was used by the navy for some time. Once more a new flag was adopted. This was the first standard flag of the United States, raised by Washington in the year of 1776 on Prospect Hill near Boston. This flag was the red ensign flag of Great Britain, with white stripes drawn across its red field making thirteen stripes that represented the thirteen colonics. The “Union-Jack containing the king's colors was on the blue canton in the corner. This flag was raised at Washington's headquarters. when the reading of the Declaration of Independence took place on July 4, 1776. Approximately a year and a half later, the well known Betsy Boss flag with its thirteen stripes was presented to Congress by General George Washington, in the year of 1777. Washington together with a committee had decided to employ Betsy Ross, an expert seamstress of that day. to make a national flag. She made it from a sketch that Washington drew. He explained to her the meaning of the three colors used. He said. “We lake the stars from Heaven, and the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her; and the white stripes shall go down to posterity, representing liberty. Mrs. Ross insisted on making the stars five-pointed instead of six. and placed them in a circle in the Held of blue, in imitation of King Arthur’s round table. Thus a new constellation was born and in 1818 was established as our definite Mug by Act of Congress. However, it was destined to change only as the nation grew, for the rising of each new star in the blue field of the canton indicated that a new state hud been admitted to the union, and that enlarged the constellation. Our flag, the Flag of the United States, as we know it today, symbolizes to mankind the birth of the first nation on earth, which was dedicated to personal and religious liberty, a haven where men. women, and children from all over the world, because of religious beliefs, might take refuge and enjoy “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. PERRY'S EXPEDITION TO JAPAN B MARY ANN l.AKKN THK newspapers these days publish a great deal about Jupan's aggressiveness, her ruthless invasion into China, and of her flooding our markets with wares to be sold at low prices. In reading of these atrocities the question arose in my mind, Why does Japan do this? In my search for an answer, I was led to the study of Perry’s expedition to Japan in 1854. that really was the seed from which has grown the modernization, yes. even the aggressiveness, of Japan. In order to better understand the present situation, let us go back to the days when Japan was a hermit nation and learn the reason for this seclusion. For hundreds of years previous to 1542, when Europeans first set foot on these islands off the eastern coast of Asia, the Japanese lived simple lives, perfectly happy in their rice fields, and their fishing industry. Then came some Portuguese sailors to pay them a visit. They were so taken with the beauty of the country’s snowcapped mountain peaks, its silvery waterfalls and its blue lakes, that when they returned home, their enthusiasm spread throughout Europe. As a result missionaries were sent from Portugal and Spain to Christianize thin nation, and traders flocked there from Spain. Portugal, England and the Netherlands. The foreigners soon began fighting among themselves over religion. This, with the spirit of trade for big profits, so thoroughly disgusted the people of Japan that an order was issued by the ruler that all foreigners leave the island or be sentenced to death. However, the Dutch were allowed to remain on a small island of about three acres. With them and the Chinese a limited amount of trade was carried on.