The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-02
Writes Interesting Paper For Wood
 lawn High School Committee

Mrs. A. J. Grefenkamp of Wood lawn has prepared a timely paper on the history of the Chickasaw Indians in connection with the campaign nav being conducted for the purchase of a painting of the Indian chief for the high school. The committee is great ly pleased with the review prepared by Mrs. Grefenkamp, which follows:
 While talking to one of the very active members of the Womens club of Woodlawn, one immediately be- comes enthusiastic over movement on foot to purchase for the Wood lawn High school one of MT. Brew CTS splendid works of art, Fading Glories.'
 While looking at this canvas of the Indian chief of the Chickasaw tribe. it calls up visions which can not be banished, for so enthralled was the artist with the beauties O.: the California mountains and valleys that he chose this setting as fitting background for the Indian warrior. As the lengthening shadows mngle with the afterglow of the sinking sun, on the mountains brow this warrior stands, we'll formed, grace full and athletic, a true type of his tribe, while behind him the valley and mountain peaks are swallowed up in the dim purple distance.
 ''The Chickasaws descended from d who were among the first inhabi- tants of the Mexican empire. At an ancient period they began to wander toward the east. After time they reached the Mississippi river and crossed it, arriving in this country with an aggregate force Of 1O,o09 warriors. They established them selves upon the northeastern sources of the Tombigbee. The Chickasaws were living in the upper part of Mis- sissippi when DeSoto invaded it, and fought him with great courage.
 Tn 177l the whole number of gun men in the Chickasaw nation amounted to about 250. It is aston ishing what a handful of warriors had so long kept neighboring na- tions of great strength from destroy ing them.
 "Of all the Indians in America they were the most expert in track ing They would follow their enemy on q long gallop over any kind of ground without mistaking. where perhaps only blade of grass bent down told of the footprint. Again, when they were leisurely hunting over the woods and came upon an indistinct trail recently made by In dians. they knew at once of what nation they were: by the footprints, the hatchet- chops upon the trees, their camping ground and other dis tinguishing marks. They were also esteemed to be admirable hunters, and their extensive plains and un- broken forests afforded them the widest field for the display of their skill. In 1771 their grounds extend- ed from middle Mississippi to the mouth of the Ohio and some distance into the territory of the present state of Tennessee.
 The Chickasaws Were great rob .fta f.xr .l.I mi tt-xr killing the inhabitants and carrying off slaves and plunder. Quite in contrast to the Choctaws, who fought only in self-defense. The men con sidered the cultivation of the earth beneath them. and when not engaged in hunting or warfare, slept away their time or played upon flutes while their women were at work. The women were cleanly, industrious and generally good looking.
 The tradition of the migration of the Chickasaws from the Mexican empire has been preserved by the ChickaSawS alone.
 On the road leading from St. Stevens in Alabama to the city of Jackson. Miss, was some years ago a large mound, embracing at the base. about two acres. and rising about 40 feet high, in a conieal form, and enclosed by ditch. en- compassing 20 acres. On the top of it was deep hole 10 feet in circum ference, out of which the ignorant portion of the Choctaws believed that their ancestors once sprang as thick as bees, peopling the whole of that part of the country. They had great regard for this artificial elevation and called it nannawyah-nanna (hilD, wyah (mother). When hunt ing near this mound they were ac- customed to throw into the hole the leg of a deer, thus feeding their mother