100 Years (1884-1984)
Chapter 9
Saint Labre SchoolGovernment boarding schools for Indians were first established by President U. S. Grant in the 1870's. Their main objective was the "civilization and ultimate citizenship" of the American Indian by replacing Indian culture with "the primer and the hoe," as well as the White work ethic. For Indian children, boarding school was the first separation from their extended families and their first confrontation with an alien system of values. However, contrary to the expectations of the U.S. Government, assimilation of the Indians into White American culture did not and has not occurred. In fact, the boarding school were responsible for several good things for the Native Americans. The Indians were able to remain together and to generate an ethnic unity because they were with other Indians and they were also segregated from non-Indians.
Religious boarding schools for Indians had a slightly different purpose: to Christianize by conversion to the Catholic or other Christian faith and also to civilize through education. But the needs of the Cheyennes who came to Saint Labre became priorities at times even more important than conversion and education. The Cheyennes were hungry because the buffalo and other game were gone, and their government rations were not sufficient. In addition, they did not know how to farm nor did they have any way to buy the necessities of life. From the first days of Saint Labre's existence, the Indian children were given two or three meals each day at the mission, and the Sisters and priests visited the sick and ministered to them. Though there are negative things to be said about boarding schools for Indians, there are many fond memories among former students and Saint Labre boarding school is one of the small number of boarding schools still in existence because the Indians want them. As was mentioned in an earlier chapter, from 1885 until 1947, the Indian children who boarded at Saint Labre saw their parents on Sunday after Mass and went to their family homes only for the Christmas vacation. This was hard on both students and their parents. In fact there were many of the Cheyenne children who ran away from the mission because of homesickness or because they resisted being within four walls so much of the time. In January 1934, the Capuchin Day-Book reported that eleven girls ran away and were found playing in the hills. About two weeks later a group of girls again ran away and when they were brought back they were given a day of solitude with bread and tea. Two "incorrigibles" were dismissed. The next year, in February, six girls ran away and spent the night in the hills. But sadly, Annie Soldier Wolf separated from the others and a few days later was found dead from exposure. Winter, especially January and February were times of illness and epidemics. 1944 was typical. Many students and some teachers suffered from the flu during January. In February there was a siege of measles and then to add to the troubles, the Tongue River overflowed its banks in March.
In 1936, there was a scarlet fever epidemic that began about February 1 and raged until April 1 with 64 cases in all. A quarantine was established on March 12. The epidemic of the winter of 1937 was the mumps, which began in January and was still rampant in March. An extra long Easter vacation was given that year and when the students returned on April 4, there were no more cases of the mumps. The Cheyenne boys needed something to keep them occupied, some kind of discipline. So, Maurice Finn, teacher and prefect for the boys, got the assignment to organize a Catholic Boys' Brigade. The Brigade made its first appearance in 1928 on the feast of St. Benedict Joseph Labre, April 16. For a few years the mission adopted a kind of military schedule with bugles and flag raising and lowering each day. Brother Gaul had to use all his ingenuity to get the flag pole into an upright position. But most impressive of all, the boys got to dress up in out-dated army uniforms. The bugles and drums were still used into the '30's. In 1937, during a mission for the adult Cheyennes, the daily schedule was: 7:15 Bugle - Reveille 7:30 First bell for Mass 7:45 Raising of the flag - drum and bugles 7:50 Second call for Mass - bell and bugle 8:00 Mass 8:45 Breakfast 9:30 Instruction and the day's activities 7:00 p.m. Lowering of the flag 9:00 Bugle - Taps In the first 60 years of Saint Labre school, very few Cheyenne children began in the first grade at age 6 and finished grade school eight years later at age 14. Attendance at school was never regular. On the first day of school in September there might be 40 or 50 students in attendance. The rest were with their parents at rodeos and fairs. In 1936 some of the older boys were working on the road to Birney into September. After a few weeks, about forty more students would begin coming to classes. In 1931 the high school was started and most of the high school students were White because there was no high school in the town of Ashland. For the Cheyennes who had gone through the eighth grade and were not taking high school subjects, a two-year Commercial course was begun. The school paper "The Arrow," a mimeographed sheet began publication in 1934, a production of the Commercial class. In 1933 Saint Labre High School received accreditation for a full four-year course, but at the end of the school year in May 1937, the Capuchins decided to discontinue high school for the Whites because "it seemed to distract us from work with the Indians." It also proved to be a drain on the mission funds. The Commercial course was continued for Indians only and the next fall on September 20, 1937, the chronicler recorded that the Commercial course was in full swing with 7 pupils and Sr. Anna SSSF was in charge. In 1938, there were six graduates from the grades and four from the Commercial course. There is a special note in the Capuchin Day-Book that on May 21, 1943, four Cheyenne girls graduated from the grade school: Katie Hardground, Regina Long Pouch, Jane Iron Hand, and Grace Bearquiver. The next year on May 28, 1944 "Esther Two Bulls and Theresa Little Bird received diplomas after 8 a.m. Mass - both finished eight grades of school." These were the years there were very few in Saint Labre school and consideration was given to closing the school entirely. In September, 1944 there were only 50 pupils in two class rooms. Sr. Rosella had the upper grades and Sr. Avina the lower ones. There were very few older boys in the school, only Buddy Gray, David Four Eyes and James Big Head. Two others wanted to come to school but their father would not let them.
In May 1946, Sr. Limana took the 8th grade pupils to visit at St. Paul Indian Mission in Hays, Montana. It was hoped that meeting students their own age in another school would encourage the Saint Labre eighth graders to work more zealously at their education. When the first school bus was purchased in 1947 and the high school reopened, more subjects were introduced into the curriculum, more students enrolled and the school began again to flourish. When Sister Limana left in 1952, Saint Labre high school was accredited by the Montana Department of Public Education. Between 1949 and 1956, the number of faculty increased from two Sisters to seven plus four lay teachers, hired for vocational training, physical education, coach-prefect work and music. By 1956, due mainly to the efforts of father Marion Roessler co-curricular activities included basketball, football, drama, band, glee club and crafts. Music has been an important activity at Saint Labre mission through all its hundred years. The first Ursulines brought a small organ with them from Miles City and as soon as the Cheyenne children learned a little English they were taught to sing hymns and songs. Sister Angela wrote in her reminiscences: The girls are very good at music and readily learn to play hymns for Benediction and their entertainments. Good Mother Drexel gave us two baby organs, an accordion, a zither and a number of mouth organs. Those instruments pleased the children very much. At Christmas time they were able to play and sing "Adeste' and "the Snow Lay on the Ground" for the parents and a crowd of people. The performance was very good. At another Christmas (1944), the church organ was not functioning for some reason, so a large group of students under the direction of Sr. Edeltrude played "Silent Night" on harmonicas. In the opinion of the Capuchin superior it was a very beautiful rendition. At that period of liturgical history, the only instrument allowed in religious worship was the organ. But the chronicler rationalized that an organ was an organ whether played by mouth or by hand. As far back as 1927, Fr. Benno Aichinger noted in the Day-Book that instruments for the Brass Band had arrived. In 1932, again, the mission appealed for band instruments through The Indian Sentinel and there was a very good response from benefactors all over the country. A Miss Rita Kachelmeier arrived at Saint Labre in 1949 to take over the music program in the school which included directing the band and the chorus. She also established a drum and bugle corps. In 1958, the Saint Labre Mission Band of 32 members received a top-rating at a state music festival in Billings.
When the older boys were getting into mischief during the after school hours, the Friars started them off playing basketball. The exact date was February 9, 1945. The Cheyenne boys took to basketball very naturally since they are generally tall, long-limbed and graceful. In 1952 in the opening game of the season, the Saint Labre Braves defeated Forsyth 71-59 with Matt Little Bird scoring 34 points, which must be some kind of record. Walter Williams, an Alaskan Indian, came to coach the athletic teams at Saint Labre in 1953 and is fondly remembered by all those connected with the school during those years. The Saint Labre Braves won the district basketball championship for the second year in a row in 1965 and also received the sportsmanship trophy. In 1967 they went on to win the Montana State Championship in the C Division and in 1977 they again won the state title, this time in the B Division. For several years the Saint Labre basketball team traveled to Rapid City, South Dakota, for the All Catholic Indian Tournament and brought home a few trophies. For several years the Saint Labre Girls' basketball team placed 2nd in the state tournament in 1976. Football was introduced as a team sport in the fall of 1954 and with only 20 hours of practice the Saint Labre Eleven won their first game upsetting the veteran football team of Colstrip 20-0. That was a never-to-be-forgotten triumph. For the last few years, student actor-directors from the Theatre Arts Class of the Missoula Children's Theatre have gone around to Montana schools where they spend a week working with the local students to produce a musical play. Saint Labre has been on their schedule each year. For five days the two professionals teach, train and direct the students to act, sing and dance. At the end of the week fully-costumed performances are given for the public with the collegiate actors taking the main roles. The results are very impressive and the productions have given the Saint Labre students excellent experiences. Some of the musicals have been "The Wizard of Oz," "The Emperor's New Clothes" and in 1984 a revised version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
During the '70's Saint Labre student won prizes at debate tournaments, spelling bee's and the annual Science Fairs. With a drill team, cheerleaders, proms, yearbooks, Saint Labre has become like any other high school anywhere in the country. The number of high school graduates grew from two in 1950 to 34 in 1966, evidence that education had become more important to the Native Americans and that they were determined to succeed in the White world. In 1973, nine of the 1972 graduates of Saint Labre were in college. Post high school education and vocational training was giving hope to the young Indians but at the same time they were determined not to sacrifice their cultural heritage as Cheyennes and Crows.
When Larry Kostelecky became the first lay superintendent of the Saint Labre School, in September 1968, he made this statement: There is a very definite conflict between the values of the White Man and the Indian. In our education of the Indian we have thought only of conformity with our own ideals and values and have emphasized the same. In this process, the very rich Indian heritage is ignored and even destroyed. The end result has been confusion and conflict by the time the Indian youth reaches the Junior High School level. Because of the confusion and conflict, Mr. Kostelecky felt that more psychological and social services were required to help the students to prepare more adequately for the realities of life. The Saint Labre School expanded its services and these have grown in keeping with the needs and problems of the students of all grades. In order to help the Indians preserve their culture and values, a course in Cheyenne history and culture was added to the curriculum. Cheyenne language classes were put into the 3, 4, 5th grades and an adult education class in Cheyenne was also added in 1970. There have been many dedicated teachers at Saint Labre who sincerely love their students and bring out the best in them. One of these, Alice Snodgrass is presently completing her 25th year at Saint Labre School, where she began the special education program, served as grade school principal for some years and is now back where she loves to be, teaching the third grade.
Gladys Schonenbach has been teaching all of her twenty years at Saint Labre in the seventh grade. Gladys has said that when one of her students comes back to teach, she will retire. Vera Parker (Fisher), a graduate of Saint Labre, did complete her college education and returned to Labre last year to do practice teaching under her former teacher, Mrs. Schonenbach. This year, Vera teaches the eighth grade but Gladys is not ready to retire yet. When the new school building was completed in 1967, a medical and dental clinic was built into the complex so that special care could be given to the health of the students. There has never been a doctor or dentist resident in Ashland, and for only a few years has there been a clinic for the Cheyennes in Lame Deer with doctors available full-time. At least three times in the mission's recent history, a dentist has volunteered his services to the children of Saint Labre school. The dentists have come for a month or two at a time to care for the dental health of all at the mission. Regular visits are made by other medical professionals, also, through the health services of the county. But Saint Labre has had its own nurse for many years. Miss Viola Campeau arrived at Saint Labre from Minneapolis in 1957 as a volunteer ready to do whatever was needed. At first she was asked by Father Emmett to help Fintan Schaub, which meant that she planted flowers, planted trees, helped him make a park, drove a tractor, etc. When school started in the fall, she was asked to teach in the newly opened Kindergarten. She had twelve 5 year old Cheyennes, two of whom knew no English. Viola feels that she learned more than the children did that year.
A nurse by profession, Viola had access to many Cheyenne families through their children and she became aware of some of their medical problems. She was able to get them to a doctor or hospital when necessary and to follow up with prescribed treatments. Thus she became a trusted friend of many Cheyenne families. For the first years of her stay, Vi was an unpaid volunteer. Later she became one of the salaried personnel as a nurse in the school. Only in 1983 did she retire from that position and at present she continues to reside in her little white house on the mission grounds and to care for the health needs of the ministers and faculty at Saint Labre as well as the Cheyenne families. The children miss her presence in the school but she is still involved at times with the reservation or county health program. A few years ago, Vi acquired a "hearing dog," Charmin, who is her constant companion even at daily Mass. The dog's job is to alert Vi to sounds she cannot hear. After 27 years of devoted service, we hope Miss Campeau is still able to hear words of gratitude and love from those she has helped and befriended. Viola Campeau is only one of the many, many volunteers who have given one, two or more years of their lives to serving at the Saint Labre Mission. In one year alone, 1978, there were eleven volunteers. Six of them taught in the school, one was a registered nurse and four worked in Cheyenne Home as tutors, house-parents or maintenance personnel. Almost all of the volunteers have come through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps with headquarters in Washington State. Each receives food, lodging and a small monthly allowance, very little in comparison to the worth of their contributions to the life of the mission.
The quarterly newsletter of Saint Labre that began in 1956 as The Race of Sorrows was renamed The Morning Star People in 1972 the time when the Cheyenne Indians were struggling for a new identity. It is principally in the school and among the school children that a new Cheyenne culture will be formed. There is much potential and hope although there are still problems which plague the life of the Cheyenne tribe on the reservation. A project of the third grade class published in an issue of The Morning Star People a few years ago, may illustrate how the children are learning to discover and express themselves. After a discussion about the many meanings of beauty, the children were asked to write what beauty might mean to them in complete sentences. When the papers were handed in, the teacher removed the repetitions, put the sentences together to form a poem and added the last line. Beauty is the world and everything in it. Beauty is having a good friend to play with. Beauty is to know how to walk and to run. Beauty is being myself. Beauty is a bird singing and a bell ringing. Beauty is having a cat and a dog. Beauty is having pets and a turtle. Beauty is having a family and being together. Beauty is Mom and Dad and Sister and Brother. Beauty is having fun with each other. Beauty is having someone care. Beauty is in the stars, the moon and the sun. Beauty is in the flowers and green grass. Beauty is in newborn puppies and calves. Beauty is in all nature, even in a snake. Beauty is going to Church and Jesus and love. Beauty is God. Beauty is the third grade class by whom this poem was written | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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