The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1938-06-02
CHRISTGAU CALLS PRO
JECT TYPICAL OF
WPA RETIREMENT

Past and present merged
at ceremonies defeating the
new Birch Coulee communi-
ty house and marking the an
nual statewide Episcopal di-
ocesan pilgrimage to the
agency Wednesday.
1t was a rare occasion, one
which many attendants said
will probably never occur in
counterpart. Happy and
friendly red men just two
generations up from savag-
cry and whites, many of them
church and state dignitaries, met
on equal terms.
The setting was particularly
beautiful and appropriate, with
an outdoor platform and gold
draped altar set in a field of ma
tive prairie grass strewn with
wild flowers.
The past was sharply recalled
by Bishop Stephen E. Keller, CO.
adjutor of Minnesota, who pre-
sided at the outdoor confirmation
of a class of Indian boys and
girls, wearing the scarlet velvet
robes once worn by Bishop Hen
ry Whipple, founder of st. Cor
nelia's mission at the agency.
Tells of GOOdthunder
Explaining that the vestments
were worn by Bishop Whipple
when he received the degree of
doctor of law from Cambridge
university in England, Bishop
Keller said, Il don't know wheth-
er he wore it in this country, but
then he never had such state
occasion as this"
Among anecdotes of Chief
Goodthunder, friendly Dakota
who gave to the Episcopal church
the ground on which the church,
school, mission house and COM
munity house stand, he told that
Goodthunder had presented BIZ
shop Whipple with so acre
tract.
The bishop explained that he
didn't need so much land, just
a small place for a few buildings.
'I'm not giving the land to you,
I'm giving it to God" Goodthund-
er replied, "And God, He wants
great big place" His adopted
son, Charles Goodthunder, was
among the crowd in the after
noon.
Another voice from the past
was that of George Crooks, 81,
survivor of the massacre of 1862
who conducted the initiation of
several white persons into the
Dakota tribe.
Gives Tribal Names
Wearing feathered head dress
and bright trappings, he spoke in
the native Indian language
through an interpreter, Mrs. So
phie Wilson of the Upper Sioux
agency at Granite Falls whose
command of the English language
was remarkable.
Crooks aired a few delightful
views on politics and other sub
jects in characteristic manner in
presenting initiates with Indian
names and material symbols of
their new appelatures.
white Bird" was the name
given Mrs. George A. Barnes of
Redwood Falls, the only woman
to be received into tribal MEM
bership. She was given a white
bird Of beaded felt made by
agency residents. Mr.. Barnes
was called Iron Shield" Vic
tor Christgau, holding his po-
sition as WPA administrator of
Minnesota despite custer orders
issued recently by federal WPA
authorities was called Standing
Bear
'sHe stands his ground with
bravery and courage. He faces
the future with tomahawk in
hand" Crooks stated as he pre-
sented him with an Indian war
club.
Christgau avoided any discus
sion of politics in his brief talk,
simply stating that recent WPA
work on the agency was charact-
eristic of the efforts throughout
the state to give work to 10000
unemployed. The rehabilitation of
80 Indian homes and extensive
new construction on the agency