LETTERS FROM NAVAJOLAND

Tuba city arizona May 23 1951 Dear My Regd, I would like to write a lette to you to day How are you You in auditorium you Picture in auditorium Picture in our room Dining room you in the Picture in the took our Picture in the When you came ou Then you side again took mrs Robin mrs Robinsons mrs Robinsons mrs Robinsons teacher She is very goo and girls she is teacher I am nine Year old How old are you 15 anavuja gets my name is Susie Big horse I am in the happy to day Frist Grade coal mine. Grandfather at roother an mother almine Upon returning from a picture-taking assignment for the Tuba City story our photographer received a large packet of hand printed, uncorrected letters and drawings from the Tuba City Indian School first grade. A brief cross section of these letters and sketches is reproduced here.

Dear Mr. Reed I would like to write a letter to you this afternoon. We thank you taking us a picture. We saw you in the auditorium. We like you very much. Will you come again and take us a picture. I am a Navajo boy. I live at Kaibeto Arizona. My mother have sheep. My uncle have horses. I have five sisters. I like to herd the sheep, and I like to ride a horse. I have four dogs. They like to herd the sheep with me. I like the dogs very much. Did you see our thing in our room. Did you see our birds pictures. Did you see our play store. Did you see our Navajos Pictures. I think that will be all.

Your Friend Irvin Bennett Dear Friend Mr. Reed. I am going to write you a letter now. How are you there now. I like you Mr. Reed. You went in our room, you took our picture. Mrs. Robinson did not like her picture. Then we went to show. You was over there. You took our picture. Then we saw three baby kittens. We like the picture. It was so pretty. We have a play store in our room. We sell milk in the store. We sell eggs in the store. We sell turkey in the store we sell vegetables in the store. We sell fish in the store. We sell meat in the store. All the boys and girls write a letter to you all the boys and girls make picture for you. We play May pole today. It was pretty. My string was blue. Come to see us again.

Good-by Mr. Reed from Gevern Johnson 7 years old Dear Friend Mr. Reed, I will write a letter to you. Mr. Reed where do you live? I live at Tuba City. We were glad you came to see us. We are happy you made picture of us. Yesterday we saw you in the Auditorium. The first time you was up in the stage and you took us a picture. How did you get in there. Then you took us a picture. Then you came in other side. You took us a picture again. We were laughing. Then you took us a picture. We came back to our building. We washed our hands and face. We went to dinner. When we were eating. I was the first saw you. Then all the girls saw you. You took us a picture. Mr. Reed how old are you. I am nine year old. I have one mother and father. My father worked at the powerhouse. On Saturday and Sunday he don't worked. He came to see us. We have a play store and post office. We have a science table. We have a gold fishs. The mother guppy has a little baby fish. We have a good book shelves. We played May pole this morning. Our teacher took us a picture.

So just Good-by Mr. Reed From Lorraine Yellowhair

OUR WEEK END

Saturday Morning we work at the building. Some of the girl worked up stairs. I worked down stairs. I swept the floor. Then we mop the floor. I wash the drinking fountain. Then we finished our worked. We get inside and get in line. We went out side, we played out side. I played with Nettle Cody. We came inside. We wash our hand and face. Then we went to the dinner room. We came back from the dinner room. We played out side. Then we come inside and get in line. We passed the money to the girls. We went to the store. I bought a candy. We came back from the store. We played out side. We came inside and wash our hand and face. We went to the dinner room. We came back from the dining room. We played out side. We came inside and get in line. We danced in the living room. Then we went to bed. Sunday morning we get up. We swept the floor up stairs. We came down. We swept out side. The church girl get ready for the church. They all went to church. We swept in the bath room. Then we went out side. We played. Then the church girl come back from the church. We played out side. We came inside and get in line. We took our bath. We went to the dinner room. We came back from the dinner room. In the afternoon we clean our hair. Some of the girl took our bath. We went out side. We played out side. Then we came inside and get in line. We ate our lunch then we went outside.

Dear Mr. Reed, I would like to write a letter to you this afternoon. How are you today? Do you know who I am? I am your friend of the Navajo Child. You are my friend of white man. What are you doing with your things. I am going good and well with my things. I have to do many things. I am so happy because you took us a pictures. Now I know you very much. But you don't know me very well. I can tell you my name. My name is Tully Haswood. Mr. Reed don't you remember when you are takeing Mrs. Robinson's picture she got cross. Mrs. Robinson did not laugh. Mrs. Robinson was not happy because she did not like her picture taken. We like our picture. We like to look. You shoot the light to us. Mrs. Robinson has many things for us. We have a play store. We sell many things. Mrs. Robinson is my very best teacher. She took us to the show. You took your picture there. We laughed at the kittens. Pop went your gun. We had much fund when you took us a picture. Still we are so much happy now. I think you are happy there too. Also Mrs. Robinson is happy now too. So good-by Mr. Reed

Your friend Tully Haswood

Dear Friend Mr. Reed, I am going to write a letter to you now. Yesterday you came to took picture. Mrs. Robinsons don't like her picture. Mrs. Robinsons said I don't not like my picture. We like you to make a picture. Yesterday we went to the auditorium. We saw you in there. We saw a picture about a little kitten. It was very funny. It was a pretty show. We are Indian Children. I live at copper mine. Where do you live? Will you please send us some picture of us thank you. Do you want me to make you a picture? You are like an Indian Man. Goodby Mr. Reed

from Florence Boyd

Dear Friend Mr. Reed, Today we will write a letter to you. We are glad you came to Tuba City. Yesterday you came to our room. Then you took our picture. Mrs. Robinson said I don't like my picture to take. We saw you in the auditorium. You was behind the curtaun you took our picture again. We saw you in dinnerroom. My name is Lilly Mae Dandy. I live at Red Lake. I am 12 years old. You are tall like my father. How old are you? I have four sisters. I have five brothers. I have four uncles. How many children do you have? We saw a picture about a little kitten. It was very funny picture show. We saw you, you made light. We like Mrs. Robinson, she is a good teacher. We don't play in school, we work all our time. Will you please send us some our picture. Good-by Mr. Reed

Lilly Mae Dandy

Phoenix, Arizona May 12, 1951 My Dear Little Navajo Friends: Thank you kindly for your good letters and drawings. We deeply regret that there is not enough room on these pages to print each and every one. Those printed here were not selected, but were drawn from the stack much as one draws straws. Visiting with such a fine group of children and seeing the work you do was a great pleasure, and I am very, very proud to have you as my friends.

Sincerely, Allen C. Reed