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Show From the days in '44 when tall youths galloped I up to the tiny wood school house, strode in with clanking spurs, squatted on the dirt floor for an hour and then rode off to be replaced by new groups, I the school has progressed towards the normal ways and curriculum of public schools. There must always be much individual work, especially in language and special instruction in health. The state approval of our school has brought financial aid I and supervision which have been a great help. No longer do we have four generations of one family in school. Last year we sent about 30 older children away to government school (and Frank Benelly to St. Peter's, Peekskill) ,: and kept the young beginners at St. Christopher's. Our threeroom stone school house would make three separate groups possible if we had the teachers, but last year we had only one. A year in this school w.ould be a I challenging and rewarding experience ' for any teacher with imagination and love of adventure. A TTENDANCE is a problem in all Navajo day schools, Navajos are, expected to do as they please most of the time. When I asked one mother I why she didn't send "Little" Singer to school, she I said, "He didn't want to go, he is riding his horse." Her tone made it obvious that that explained everything. For weeks after my lecture on the duties of parents, there were wild screams in the sage brush when our old Pennsylvania R.R. bell rang for school, then the school door opened and a hand threw the small boy into the middle of the school floor and the door closed silently. One very large family settled the problem of school and sheepherding by driving a wagon load of children in from across the river every two weeks, loading in the half of the family that has been in school and taking them back to sheepherding. Last year we experimented with letting two or three of the children live with us, with excellent r esults in health and academic progress. One boy who seemed almost hopeless in school, covered about two grades A in one year. Nearly all the chil- : dren show marked physical itn- '. ~ provement during the school year i I with hot lunches, vitamins and increased health supervision. The children have been happy to welcome the white school and their friends in Bluff City to our weekly sound movies which frequently include the "News Magazine," health and other instructive films. -4- CAMPAIGN PROGRESS JUNE and July brought in a little over $2,000, which is extraordinary for the Sununer season. We have accordingly taken advantage of the good weather to get as much as possible done on the hospital. Volunteer workers have put in many hours, and we have engaged a crew of Navajos. To insure absolute safety in the heating and plumbing work, we have made a contract with a reliable firm in Cortez, Colorado. This will take close to $6,000, and the Navajo crew even at our "Scotch" wages (to which they readily agree for the sake of the cause) takes clos(l to $100 a week. At the time of our Tenth Anniversary we made an appeal for $40,000 for building and equipment, and for $12,500 yearly for mairitenance. As most of the contributions are not earmarked, we cannot make a break-down, but must use the funds at our best" discretion. The hospital seems the great n 2ed at present, and we are concentrating on it. Total receipts in response to the appeal come to about 25% of the goal. We are confident that our friends will see us through. We give our lives; you can share our joy in service by your gifts. • • • MANY of you doubtless read the article in READERS' DIGEST for August, 1954, ';Stop the 'Charity' Racqueteerl" It will interest you to know that we have been approached by a very well-recommended firm with a proposal to raise funds for the Mission "at no cost to the Mission." Quite frankly, the co:;t would be borne by contributors. We need hardly say that we have politely turned down the proposal. We can still say that every penny contributed goes, not to any office force, or swivel-chair executives, but to the work of the Mission. All members of the Mission Staff are volunteers-there are no salaries or fees, and our only complaint is that there are not hours enough in the day to do the work that n eeds doing. By your generous offerings, you put tools in our hands to increase our efficiency, you enable liS to hire Navajo help-which helps Navajos in two ways!-and you draw a blessing upon yourselves. Even thQ printing of this Newsletter is done at less than cost by a priest whose hobby is printing and who like yourselves wants to help the Mission do its job with a maximum of economy. • .. • A FEW copies of our Tenth Anniversary Appeal are still avnilable for the asking. They will help new friends to understand our needs and opportunities. .. • .. SPEAKING of anniversaries, October 4 will be the 40th anniversary of Fr. Liebler's ordination to the Priesthood. We hope on that day to have a High Mass of thanksgiving about 10 a.m. Those who live within a reasonable distance will please consider this an invitation to share in the celebration. A limited number of guests can be accommodated overnight. R.S.V.P.!! -5- |