Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-08-19
(By MRS. Nj. e. PLASSMANN)

rHE story of the establishment of
Ursuline missions in Montana, and
the later work in Alaska, is the story
of Mother Amadeus. Although she
had opened three missions, n through
her faithful co-worker, Mother St. Fran
was still more for her to do.
Father Cataldo, the superior Of the
Jesuits of Montana, believing that the
early years Of a child's life are the most
important from an educational point of
view, thought a kindergarten should be
opened at ST. Ignatfus, on the F1athead,
and asked Mother Amadeus to undertake
1t. There was already another order
there, that of the Sisters of Providence,
some of whom had come with Father
Ravalli to labor among the Indians, but
they did not attempt to teach the very
little children.
Mother Amadeus at once responded to
the call, and in March. 1890, i~naugurated
this new movement; for, states the biog-
rapher Of Mother Amadeus, never before
had an Indian woman trusted her baby
to another. Chief Carashee watched in
silence the children being taken one by
one from the mothers, n carried to
the kindergarten. Then he said, The
father (Cataldo) has spoken well, but the
mother has spoken better Mother ANA
deus had not opened her lips"
There was an old Indian woman living
on the Flathead at this time, who re-
membered the visit there OF, Lewis and
Clark. She said the Flatheads regarded
the explorers with veneration; but
thought the trousers they wore were not
in the prevailing style, and insisted on
their covering these garments with the
blankets that we're loaned them, in or
der to present a suitable appearance
when introduced to the chiefs.
Old Eugene told another story which
/ have hitherto failed to see in print. 1t
was this: when Lewis and Clark came,
they gave the Flatheads a present Of q
bell and a looking glass. The latter the
chief POLITICALLY mistook to be the soul,
He stored this treasure jealousy away In
his own tepee, and when the young girls
of the tribe gathered about him on Sat-
urday nights, as they regularly did, being
summoned by the bell to keep the week
ly vigil and to watch for the rising OF
the sun on the seventh morning, they
were admitted, one by one, to look each
at her own soul. e., her face in the
glass, and when thus purified by prayer
and self-contemplation, they beheld the
first streaks OF lawn athwart proud Mt
Macdonald, they rose, joined their hands
above their heads, and then Frustrated
themselves on the ground face downward
and prayed aloud, each n crying out
the needs Of her soul"
1t WOulQ seem Jnal Win uVe .mlSSlOuf
the Montana field was pretty we'll COW
cred. Cheyennes, Crows, A~ssiniboines
Gros Ventures and Chippewas, Flatheads
Kalispells and allied tribes had been
looked after, while st. Peters was in the
Blackfeet country. But Father Damiana
felt the need of Ursuline assistance at
the Holy Family mission, on the Black
feet reservation.
without hesitancy the Ursulines an
swered the call. 1t was Saturday night
after a long and tiresome journey that
they found themselves at the govern
ment stockade on the Blackfeet reserva-
ton, n 1t was decided to remain there
until Sunday afternoon before going on
Here the writer Of the story pays tribute
to q native Montana woman, now Mrs
Thomas Dawson, Of Glacier Park:
Father Damiana said mass for them
on a piano belonging to n lovely Miss
Isabel Clarke, the matron Of the agency
school. She was the daughter OF Malcolm
Clarke. the friend Of General Sherman
at West Point, at whose tragic murder In
1870, the little girl had played 80 heroic
a part. The graceful n beautiful cir
had decked her room as a chapel, hel
piano AZ an altar"
Shortly before the nuns left the gov
nmen stockade for the home which
was built for them by Mother Katherin,
Drexel, Chief Battler said he wished IL
speak to them. He told OF q dream hs
once had.