The Coconino sun., 1927-11-25

ourselves and to our fathers and our
mothers and our benefactors in not
taking hold Of the opportunity. In
some instances where pupils not long
in school have returned to backward
home conditions, the results have been
disappointing, but by no means an
entire loss. Ny only regret is that
| did not go on to higher education.
/ got away with only grammar
school education of which / always
will regret 1t is unfortunate that
some of US do not realize the grave
problem that our people are facing.
Some of US still persist in wasting
our time Whatever the course may
be we should know that our people
back on the reservation are depend
ing on us for social uplift. What
would the sad conditions have been
had not the United States Govern
ment afforded us the opportunity of
a free education. Suppose some in
ernment owes the Indians nothing, let
them starve; they have massacred
when they could, why should the gov
ernment provide for them ?" What
would the condition have been? We
would have been what some st. Louis
people said, "Are they still wild 2"
If we had not been under the protec-
ting hand Of our United States Gov
ernment and had been left to shift
for ourselves, we still would have
been warning and stealing from our
neighbors, the Hopi, the Pueblos, the
Utes and others. We would have been
looked upon as an extinct race that
have passed out of existence. Then
again to think we were forced from
the freedom of nature to the confine-
ment of reservation life. On one of
the most arid and barren sections of
the continent we Navajos support our
selves. A reserved portion of land
called the reservation, can't go beyond
the line, the remaining once our free
country now in the hands of the
whites or the government. Yet again
we come to compare the two ends to-
gether | think it a fifty-fifty deal
for our land, we getting our free
education in return. To appreciate
our gift more highly to those who
have devoted their lives and ener-
gies for our welfare we owe a graft
tude that should be returned by show
ing our colors as true American citi-
zens. Many white people, both in
the Indian Service and outside whose
interest in the Indians and sympathe-
tic understanding of them is so great
that they have given their lives In
the service of our race.
Does it pay to educate an Indian?
/ pity some narrow minded people
when they don't go in to investigate
for themselves. Did not the World
War prove it. If he had not the ed
ucation, it would not have been there
were MANY references to the Indian,
the real native Americans to their
remarkable wartime services. There
were many that entered the military
and naval services, and many that
made the supreme sacrifice on the
field Of battle, overseas. Those that
remained at home were active up
holders Of the Stars and Stripes in
every way they could give assistance.
Some by purchasing liberty bonds,
savings stamps, besides giving dona-
tions in money and services through
cies. | am giving this account for
all Indians in general.
/ found out in St. Louis that some
people still have fear for the In
dians, expecting to get scalped at the
approach of one. Some of the people
were very much surprised to hear US
talk English and / suppose our cos
tune had more to do with that. A
little boy six or seven years old came
up on the platform where we were
working. His mother said to him,
go on talk to her, she'll talk to you"
Then the little boy said to me, "Do
you eat prunes 2" / said, Eyes,
eat prunes, do you?" And he said,
eyes" His mother then told me that
he was afraid of us and she was hav-
ing him to see that we were no diff
ferent from them.