The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-01-26

~s Z n VI
ceeded Father Chebul. theretwas built
near this little church, in 1882 log
structure which, in the plan OF Dl-
vine Providence, was destined to ex-,
ert a powerful influence over the Chip
lpewas of the Bad River Reservation.
This was the nucleus of st. Mary $
Industrial School, now personally
known to many of our readers. Ear
nestly and cheerfully the Indians. even
the pagans, labored, cutting down the
trees and hauling them to the site
chosen. When these grew weary and
relaxed their efforts, the forsaken car
penter found himself surrounded by In
ldian women who gladly lent their as
sistance to the noble work. This log
Them school room, another chapel,
and into this humble abode the, Lord
of Hosts entered
| Here st. Mary's School was opened,
April /, 1883, by two Franciscan Sis.
| tiers of the Perpetual Alteration of La
Crosse. Not one child could speak Eng
1lish and the Sisters did not understand
| Chippewa, yet this was not the most
lpuzzling experience encountered by
the teacher in that little log school.
On dismissing her pupils for recess,
Imagine her CONSERVATION on seeing
them bound like deer to the forest.
She may have called after her fleeing
charge, but like Hiawatha of old
"They needed not nor heard her,
For their thoughts were with the red
deer"
Now the teachers are shocked when
little Chippewa prefers an afternoon
in the woods, setting snares for rab-
bits, to one spent in the school-room
and the reader may indulge the sup.
position that these first pupils, having
, no knowledge of time, left their teach
er to enjoy a very undesirable holiday
| not Intentionally, but because they die
not understand ,Oh, no! Fettered an6
!, ill at ease. as the newly caught bird in
| a cage, their rowing natures rebellet
! against confinement and, did theil
81 teacher but turn her back for a mo
t ment, every prisoner was on his fee
! while one who Ventured to act thu
leader was already at the door. A
). look or sign from the teacher, this
p moving caravan retreated only to re
! peat this manuever at the first oppor
! tunity
! Who will blame these veritable Hia
: wathas? What did they or their par
h ents know of the habits of civilized
s.tman? No wonder that, a few month
i l1ater, a Sister wedding in the littl
school garden was as great an attrae
! ton for the Chippewas as is circu
l. for the average boy. The busy weede
v found herself the center of large Gil
: Gle, the circumference of which cor
. sisted of wondering beings all lynn
Q Indian fashion, face towards the eartI
6 chins resting on handsAtfeir blac
g eyes looking the questions their lip
Il could not frame.
l. Quite contrast to this is the agr
t cultural fair that the Chippewas &
e Odanah now hold every fall, some 81
d l-hibits of which are selected fog thei
7. merits and sent to the State Fai
r where. they carry, off first prizes. TIL
l. majority of the students now under
1 Estand the necessity of regular attene
# ance at school. Twenty years ago tn
1t teachers hope was occasionally rea
r. lied when some Of her pupils reache
cl the eighth grade. Now each year
d number of Chippewa boys and girl
IT finish the eighth grade course an
d many of them take up ninth grad
A. work or attend higher institutions {
x learning while the majority make goo
ID in some pursuit. The Office of assis
ant postmaster is at present filled b
one of our girls who made the mint
= grade last year and 0danah' s~postma
ter is former student of ST.. Mary
School.
-Franciscan Sister. in Indian Sentinel