Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-11-13
FRED CAMPBELL
POSSESSED TACT
AND WAS SMART

AND WAS SMART
he TAUGHT SOCIAL CUSTOMS TO
INDIANS ALONG WITH
CLASS WORK
The late Fred c. Campbell. Nom
tana Indian agent. stockman and leg
islator, was q man Of wisdom and tact
who taught Indian students social
customs along with regular class work
when he was superintendent Of the
Indian school at Fort Shaw more than
20 years ago.
That's the recollection of Rev.
George Edwards, pioneer Presbyterian
minister. who knew Campbell during
the decade the latter headed the Fort
Shaw school and who was saddened
by his death at Portland.
Professor Campbell came to Mon
tana in 1894 and first served as SUI
perintendent of the Indian school at
Browning. He then was transferred to
the Fort Shaw school, where Rev.
Edwards made his acquaintance when
Campbell fell into the habit of asking
him to spend Sunday with him and
talk to the pupils in the afternoon.
II was his guest" Rev Edwards re-
calls. I'VE talked of his school, his
methods of work and his reasons for
doing this or that.
Campbelrs Discipline
II take pleasure in relating what I
saw and heard and did at Fort Shaw
Indian school and thus pay small
tribute to the memory Of my friend
Fred c. Campbell.
1T was inspiring to face aboriginal
Americans from the different Indian
tribes In Montana and see their black
eyes flash when they heard a good
Montana story.
My talks to them were practical. I
hope that helped them to lead pure.
useful lives, to be good citizens and
loyal to their country.
"A regular part of Professor Camp
bells dicipline and his method of
forming habits of order and cleanli-
ness was the regular Sunday morning
inspection of dormitories. It was
formal and impressive and meant
much to the scholars.
1.-THE committee on inspection in
cluded visitors, some teachers and
some of the boys and girls themselves,
the boys to inspect the girls dormi-
tory and the girls, the rooms of the
boys. Each boy or girl stood at at
tention at the foot of the bed in which
he or she slept, ready to answer ques-
lions and note what was said and
done.
Easy Pressing Method
IN the boys dormitory, he threw
back the blankets and there lay a
springs He called the attention of
girls to the boys method Of creasing
their trousers by sleeping on them.
Professor Campbell explained to
me that he taught social customs,
duties and privileges by holding a
regular Saturday night dance in the
hall under supervision of teachers.
This function was not voluntary but
a regular part of the school program,
just as much as classroom work
Professor Campbell was certainly a
man of tact and he was wise in deal
ing with boys and girls. Let me il
luStrate.
IT think 1t was on my last visit to
Fort Shaw in the early spring. The
program for Saturday night was spe-
cial, Valentine costume dance, with
prize for the best couple on the
floor. Indians are fond of finery and
this gave them chance to exercise
their wits to some purpose. 1t was
better than horse race.
Professor Campbell appeared to be
a rather sedate, sober minded man
but he was humorous, a Montana
josher, for he placed me on the COM
mittee of three to award the prize.
my dear mother was old fash
ioned and thought it quite unim-
portant that I should learn the dance
steps and know the names Of the
cards in deck. I am quite sure the
professor knew this lack in my educa-
ton for I had never asked maiden
to favor me with dance.
But the other members of the COM
mittee were ladies and politely de-
ferred to their better judgment in
social matters.
Had Boys Band
I'm connection with the school was
a boys band under leadership of
Prof. E. L. Parker, an expert cornetist.
From all appearances the relations
between the boys and their leader
were cordial I was calling at Parkers
ranch on Deep creek. My surprise was
to find the band boys in the hay field.
And when they came in to dinner,
they rested up by getting out their
band instruments and putting on an
concert before going back
to the hay field
Professor Campbell, with helpers
like Professor Parker, did much for
the boys and girls of the Fort Shaw
school by instruction but more espe-
cially by leading natural life with
them and leading them into the better
way of life.
1.-The Fort Shaw school was of high
school grades, recruited from all the
tribes in Montana If any desired a
higher education, they entered Carlisle
training school in Pennsylvania"
Summer Fire Losses
"