Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1903-07-24
HAPPY PARTY

Friday was a quiet day at Chautau-
qua, but it was a day that will never
be forgotten by the boys and girls
clubs. capt. Herman never took a
happier Or more enthusiastic exxcur-
sion on the lake and as the years go
by the children will realize and ap-
preciate more and more the kindness
of the captain to them.
A few minutes after 8 they steamed
away from the wharf and although
the wind blew quite hard we arrived
at Fort Totten without anyone desir-
ing to pay their respects to Neptune.
On landing we were met by Super
intendent Davis and a delegation
from the government school, Mrs.
Getchell, Mrs. Palmer and all the
ladies of the fort whose husbands are
connected with the agency. Some
rode and many walked to the fort
where we were all made welcome
by the teachers and officers of the
school. Superintendent Davis aid on
the day his school visited Chautauqua
that he would see that the boys and
girls had as a good a time when they
visited them as they had had that
day. SO royalty were we entertained
it is hard to believe the scholars at
the agency enjoyed their day as much
as we enjoyed ours.
At present there are only about 100
students at the school. While there
are three hundred and fifty odd
scholars enrolled, most of them have
folded their tents and gone to the
mountains for the summer vacation.
A number of the visitors went out to
the Sisters school, about a mile dis
tant, where they were cordially well
coined and shown over the buildings.
This is also n Of the government
schools and is under the care of Sup
erintendent Davis. There are about
one hundred pupils who are taught to
do manual as we'll as mental WORK.
The buildings are extremely neat and
inviting. The Gray Nuns of Mon
treal have charge of this school, six
teen sisters being employed by the
government. They are a sisterhood
composed exclusively of educated peo-
pie. One of the sisters is a successful
taxidermist and we were delighted to
see everywhere her handiwork. Father
Jerome, who has spent twenty-five
years at Fort Totten, preaching and
ministering to the Indians, kindly
came to the Fort to greet the excur-
sionists. Two hundred and forty-four
children on the lawn and about fifty
grown up children in the dining room
were served with a feast of good
things-in truth a banquet.
After we had seen then old fort we
adjourned to the assembly room of the
school where the Ch%autauqua talent
who had accompanied the clubs, kind
~ entertained us. The Indian band
played two selections which were en-
joyed as the band always is. Then
Miss Hall sang very sweetly and was
obliged to respond to an encore. We
refused to allow Miss Morris off with
less then two selections. Mr.. Packard
who is a host in himself sang and gave
two sketches, the last being the sole
owner and proprietor Of the Indian
schools-Uncle Sam. Mr.. Helnpcl
gave a drill of the girls club. S. J..
Rognlie Of Hillsboro delighted the
party with a violin solo finely exc
cuted. 1t is doubtful if the talent
ever appeared before a more enthusiasts.
tic audience than greeted them at
Fort Totten.
At the bugle call all gathered at
the boat and were soon homeward
bound. We reached the Chautauqua
grounds about five O'Clock to find a
crowd awaiting us. We were a tired
but happy set, all claiming this to
have been the greatest day of Chau-
tauqua. To the untiring efforts Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Davis, Mr.. and Mrs.
Swift, the teachers of the government
school, Capt. Herman, the Chautau-
qua management and all others who
so kindly worked to make this a red
letter day, we would say, your labor
was not in vain, and appreciated by
all the children, young and old, who
attended the children's club excursion
of 1908