Phoenix Indian School

Phoenix A Chapter in the

Democracy at work! This phrase is often used and often abused. But it hardly can be more splendidly demonstrated than as exemplified at the Phoenix Indian School, where the principles of Democracy is the keynote, both in teaching and conduct, and where the students are taught to accept responsibilities of citizens by being given responsibilities to accept.

The propagandists of the totalitarianism philosophies as expounded by Adolf Hitler-the belief that the overthrow of the United States would be aided and augmented by the uprising of the Indian people of this country is as ridiculous as are other predictions and conclusions from that source. The truth is that among our finest citizens are Indians, and if Herr Hitler and his spellbinders could visit the Phoenix Indian School, they would really see Democracy at work.

Extensive lawns with a profusion of trees lends beauty to the half century old campus at Phoenix Indian School. This school is a striking example of the American Democracy at work.

INDIAN SCHOOL Workings of the American Democracy

At this fine boarding-service school, under the jurisdiction of the United States Office of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, there are approximately five hundred boys and girls, ranging in age from six to twenty-one. From Arizona's many Indian reservations they come. Maricopa, Pima and Papago from the southern farm lands; Apache from the eastcentral cattle ranges; Yuma, Mohave, Chemhuevi, and Cocopa, the Colorado River tribes, from the western boundary of the state; Navajo from the vast northern plateau country; Hualpai from the northwest; Hopi from northern Arizona's high mesas, and Havasupai from the beautiful depths of the Grand Canyon. Still others from many tribes come from other states.

All students are admitted to the Phoenix Indian School for various reasons after appliApplications for admission have been thoroughly checked and subsequent investigation found to be satisfactory. Some of the children have no adequate school facilities within reasonable range of their homes, and a goodly number of older students are enrolled for special vocational work not available at local schools. There are also children from broken homes, as well as orphans and half-orphans.

The boys and girls at Phoenix Indian School are mostly full blood Indians, their parents being from the same tribe or from two or more tribes. In a few cases the children have mixed blood other than Indian as well as Indian. However, there is no evidence of tribal friction, despite the fact there are radically diverse cultures represented. Many of the children have never been off their reservation before coming to the Phoenix school, while others from reservations near towns and cities have had almost constant and prolonged relationship with white culture. Considering those who are from iso-lated areas, it is all the more remarkable how they blend into the new way of life, which presents many complex phases. As a general rule the youngsters learn the English language quite rapidly. This is perhaps accelerated by the fact that new arrivals, speaking the various tribal tongues, must apply themselves functionally with the new way of living, and where the English language is universal.

lated areas, it is all the more remarkable how they blend into the new way of life, which presents many complex phases. As a general rule the youngsters learn the English language quite rapidly. This is perhaps accelerated by the fact that new arrivals, speaking the various tribal tongues, must apply themselves functionally with the new way of living, and where the English language is universal.

The Phoenix Indian School, which lies adjacent to North Central Avenue and Indian School Road, was founded in 1891 by the Department of the Interior. In 1939, its fortyeighth year, it had an enrollment of over 550 students. The seventy buildings of the school occupy a forty-acre campus of extensive lawns with a profusion of trees. Among the buildings are dormitories, vocational and general classroom buildings, a library, gymnasium, administration building and cafeteria as well as farm buildings and faculty residences. A 150acre farm lies just beyond the campus and additional farm acreage is also rented in the vicinity. The plant is valued at $629,000.

The library, largest in the Indian Service, contains approximately 20,000 volumes. Prior to the war, this school maintained a mobile traveling library service, where books were placed at the disposal of various reservation schools. Notable in the present collection are many books on Indian life and lore as well as Indian ethnology and archaeology.

Previous to the present emergency of World War II, stress was laid upon activities which would enable Indian boys and girls to make a living, and to carry their experiences and knowledge from the school to their reservation. To a great extent, this policy holds true today, basically. However, the whole curriculum is geared to a war emphasis now, with new courses in world history and world geography. The boys too are being better prepared for possible military service with a special mathematics course, covering algebra, geometry and trigonometry. Semester courses are given in First Aid, which is a graduation requirement. Fire drills and air-raid drills are held. In 1940, the entire national guard unit of the school, 59 members, went into the armed forces of theUnited States and a steady stream of boys have since entered. Especially significant is the value of the Navajo language in connection with the Signal Corps in a two-way transmission of confidental information by voice. In line with their contribution to the war effort, the Phoenix Indian School scrap metal drive netted 50 tons, all accumulated from the campus.

The average day's activity on the campus varies little from that of other schools, except perhaps that the students have a few more routine chores to perform. They arise early and make their own beds and tidy the buildings. This must be accomplished by seven o'clock, when breakfast is served in the cafeteria. Classes for the elementary children are held from nine o'clock to eleven-thirty, and from one until four. Junior high school students have classes in academic work during the same morning hours, and vocational work during the same afternoon hours. The senior vocational work begins at seven-thirty and continuesfour hours. Following lunch, academic subjects and related work predominates for this group until leisure time at four o'clock. Intra-mural sports and playground activities usually follow until the evening meal at six o'clock. Many of the older students have assigned chores to perform in the evening, while others spend their time in study or quiet. It is interesting to note that many of the students, both boys and girls, do their own washing and ironing, although the school maintains a laundry. And while clothing is issued, most of the older students buy their own clothes with money they have earned from various sources, in order that they may keep up with some of the latest fads and styles. Many of the boys buy elaborately decorated cowboy hats, and most of them wear the conventional Levis, or cowboy pants. Others are seen in broad brimmed cowboy hats.

The senior class conducts a store and lunch counter on the campus where a number of students gather to spend their free time in the evenings. Social dancing to music furnished by a juke box is a popular activity. Some of boys play basketball in the spacious new gym, after which they usually head for the showers and then to bed at nine-thirty, the retiring time. The little tots are in bed at eight. All campus social activities are of course under supervision, as are all dormitories at all times. Assembly and special programs are held on Friday evenings, and sometimes, social dancing. In the field of dramatics, the school usually presents one big event each year. A few students are drilled in oratory, and they sometimes compete in state-wide and national competitions.The older students are free to leave the campus on Sundays, with permission, and they usually are found in large numbers in downtown Phoenix. Religious services of various denominations are held on Thursday evenings, and although attendance is entirely voluntary, most of the students attend the services of their choice.

All but a few of the boys and girls come from rural areas, and most of them return to their homes after leaving the Phoenix Indian School. As a result, rural living has been made an important part of the curriculum and the students are taught a family of skills that would be of use to them on the reservation, such as farming, livestock raising, mechanical and construction skills, as well as practical English,arithmetic, tribal and American history and tribal government and science, including tribal economics. Perhaps the most unusual class is the tribal history and economics class. Among the five major tribes studied are the five Colorado River tribes and the Navajo and Apache, discussed together.

In the vocational field, agriculture, including dairying, cattle, hog and poultry raising, as well as crops, is of major importance. Livestock is bred and raised on the school farm. A large herd of dairy cows is maintained and all of the milk needed at the school is available. The many pens of chickens supply fresh eggs. Fine turkeys are also raised. Most of the pork