July 5, 1935, Metlaktla, Alaska
Dear Terry,
You old crow bate how are you eny way. I heard you got married, is that right. Well I hope you like married life and I hope you success old kid. I'm up here working in the cannery at 55 cents an hour. Meachem and Shepard and Moon and Buck Smith are all up here. They all were drunk the 3. Say you little runt I wrote you 3 letters when you were working in the three camps and I didn't get no answer if you don't answer this one I'm coming down there and flop you, you undestand. I've been goig to school in Shelton, Washington. I made good in football there I gained a lot of weight since I left Chemawa. I weigh 180 lbs now and it ain't "fat" neither, well young man tell me all about married life and what you've been doing when you answer these letters, Pal Don Whitener
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July 8, 1936
Browning, Montana
My Dear sister Catherine,
I am going answer your letter was glad to hear from you I am gaining my weight back again I am getting fat as hog. My children are well and so is Myles he's still working on hospital here. He get $1.20 an hour, make $9.00 a day. Well I am glad your baby is well and husky. Well my baby is trying walk she hold things walk by them and she is almost ten months old. She sure was sick while back but she sure fat now, well tell everybody I said Hello. Tell daddy to write to me, him Stan. And I am going to write to Victor I never kow where he was till Miss Williamson told me when she got here. The Blackfeets (her husband and children are enrolled Blackfeet Indians - m) are going to get their claim money soon three of my children are going get it $85.00 apiece. So I think their pretty lucky. And next after they big claim they going receive oil payment which will be $20.00 apiece. Well catherine I sure feel sorry for Mildred that her man can't support her and her baby. I thought I was the only black sheep in family. Well tell me all news I sure feel sorry for Addie Johnson. I thought she was such a nice girl. Well Catherine tell Uncle Charlie that Miss Williamson told Myles what he said about Myles building. So Myles said to tell Charlie that buildings are easy to tear down but hard to build them up. Well I'll come to close with love your sis M:yrtle.
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Boring, Oregon
June 25, 1936
Dear Sisters. Just a few lines in order to let you know that we all just fine hope you are the same.
Will you please send 3 irons down by daddy when he comes please. Gee you sure made my dress cute. Thanks a lot. We through picking strawberries. We canning now. I earned 26 dollars. Ma 25. I got 13 dollars clear, Ma 23, I drew most of mine. Kenneth said hello to baby, also Zelma.
Close with lots of love, Mildred
hope to hear from you real soon
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Portland, Oregon
April 20, 1936
Dear Kat,
I'm sorry to have been so slow. I haven't any excuse to make just that incidently had slipped my mind.
Really I feel so dumb. Now don't say that is suppose to be natural with me. No! Sir!
I feel fine and I do hope you are all doing well.
I am imagine that Terry is a proud dad. I wish you people all of the best.
What did you name the offspring. I have forgotten whether its a boy or girl. Really, if I was to remember one thing to save my neck - my dear, I lose my neck within a couple of hours.
I haven't been doing much of anything since the last time you heard from me. Still haunting the theater. The funniest and craziest, goofiest n'stuff is Chaplin's "Modern Times."
We are having the warmest of spring weather.
Last week end we went out to the country and it was a lovely lazy atmosphere - and believe me the weekend was a perfect siesta. We forgot it was Easter sunday. Esther Arquette was here last night. She came into town to join the city's working redskins!
Geneva Pablo, Eva Johnson, Ester, Aradonna and I work near one another. We see each other quite a bit on Thursday (our day off). We all go down town to gather - and do we have our fellow passengers wondering and starring. It is funny to have people not know what nationality you were. Some actually ask. Some think we're Mexicans, or Italians. Not bad at that, Huh? We have been even taken for Jews.
How is everything down in old Warm Springs? Say, how did that snap come out that Terry took or was he just making me make a redic of myself with a camera with no film. If he did get a picture I hope he didn't make too much fun of it. I'm listening to Frank Fay. Not a bad program but I like Rubinoff better. Fay is taking the air Rubinoff vacated.
Gee some how I feel so dag-goned lonesome tonight - I guess its a case of Blues.
My love and best wishes to you both, I mean all three. Yours, (I can;t read the writing, maybe a nickname, but I think it's Hazel Thomas, later Hoptowit. The handwriting was beautiful, as was the stationery. Most of the writing has been done in pencil and tablet paper - m ) PS Do write to me. I never hear from anyone in WS. Mom writes once every 3 or 4 months.
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The Dalles, Oregon
April 13, 1936
Dear Niece,
I'll write a few lines to you. We are well. Hope you folks are the same. Grandpa is in Tacoma. His leg was getting bad. I sure miss him. There is some salmon now. You folks must come and get some and I can them. How is everybody over there. I have no news. They had big dinner over to ____'s place. They are shooting (?) over there. Write and tell me the news. Ruth (I assume this is Ruth Jackson, later Estabrook, Grandma Annie Jackson Smith's sister - m)
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News clipping - no date.
INDIANS HOLD OUT ON EXCHANGING LAND
Washington, April 8. The Indian affairs bureau said today removal of an Indian fishing camp near Celilo Falls, Or., hinges on acceptance by the Indians of a land exchange program.
The bureau is negotiating with the war department in an effort to work out an exchange which would provide the Indians with a satisfactory camp site. So far, the bureau said the Indians have opposed the land exchange program.
The Dalles (Or.) Chamber of Commerce and other groups complained to the bureau of insanitary conditions at the Celilo Falls camp.
A bureau spokesman said efforts would be made to win the Indians over to the land exchange idea.
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Harlem, Montana
Fort Belknap Hospital
March 29th 1936
Dear sister Catherine,
I am writing to you as I am going through operation Tuesday and I thought I'd write you few lines in order to let you know. I came down from Browning Friday nite and arrived here at 7:15 in morning. Well Sis pray for me to be alright - again.
Well I left my poor children with woman up Browning, even my poor baby she just only 6 months old I had to weaned her and my breast is sure bothering me. Well my children were well when I left but I don't know how they are right now. Well I never told you what was matter with me. My womb is out of place and my tubes has to be taken out. Well how are you and your family.
Well I had pay my own way down here because I didn't belong to Blackfeet Tribe. So that lots expense for me to pay. And he wasn't well when I left home. Just my fare down here was 8.28 just one way.
But I don't know when it cost to go through my troubles. I sure worry about my children but what a person to do when they are sick.
Well I am not scared to go through my troubles. I am going write to my mother and tell her about my trouble. Well tell all my friends I said Hello and thope they are all well. Well I am about 200 (?) miles away from my home. Well nurses and doctors seem to be all good here. Well I sure feel lonesome here. But there some people down here from Browning. Well tell me all news. I'll come close writing, love and best regards. I am your sister Myrtle Running Wolf.
Answer Soon. PS I wish you send some nose hankerchiefs and box chocolates please. I thank you ever so much. Send your picture you and your husband please.
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Stewart, Nevada
March 22, 1936
Hello Katsie:
How's my cuzzy hope fine as ever. I'm just fine so is rest of my gang. There's not much of anything going on down here. Sure scabby place I'll tell you. And to tell you the truth I sure hate it here no fooling. They got scabby employees. Sure mean ones. Chemawa employees are ten times better. I work in the club and do like it there, but some employees are so darn particular about the things they eat. Well over here there is Clayton Q, Edwin S. Roy H. Felix W. Ben P. Eugene, Arthur T. Orville D. Alfred C Frank B. Ellery W. Lucille Mayes, Emily H., Theda A, Leila P, Sylvia Q and myself. That's all there is from home. What's your baby's name and what's Minnie's baby's name. I never did write to her. I wrote to Edna tho.
Yes, I remember those letters of Rusty. Catch me writing any more letters. I don't write to boys any more. I heard from Johnny P. and Herman but I'm not going to waste stamps on them fools. The weather's getting good more days. One of my classmates passed away with Double Pneumonia in one day, and that was Monday.
Ray Bernall was home last summer. I didn't look his way. He didn't know me anyway. So I don't grieve for him any more. He isn't a good guy tho, that's my opinion of him. I think I'll pass my school work this year cause I'm getting good grades all the way through. Well it's bed time so I'll quit.
I'm so sorry I never an swered real soon but you know how it is. Tell everybody Hello. So long Katsie. E Dee Switzler, Carson Indian School, Stewart, Nevada
Answer soon.
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REDSKIN SENTINEL
Chemawa Vocational School, Chemawa, Ore., April 18, 1936 No. 10
Selected parts:
Names you might recognize from Honor Roll:
11th Grade - Vernon Jackson
10th Grade - Olney Patt
Boxers Made Good Showing at Eugene:
Vernon Jackson lost his decision but put up a good fight. It was a fast bout but he couldn't quite make it.
Taylor Arthur through his clowning and good boxing put on the best match of the evening. His was the most entertaining for he had the crowd in gales of laughter all through the bout, but he won the decision and that was the most important thing.
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NOTE: One of the names of the 6 person Editorial Staf was Mavis Whitelaw. My mom told me she named the first four of their children, Terry, Gloria, Patricia, and Clifford (Pete). She told my dad he could name the next one (me). He named me Mavis, after Mavis Whitelaw. The five of us were born within 7 years. There were no more children for 7 years - and Mom named them, Bernyce and Ruth. I can only guess why there was a 7 year gap! m
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