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1910-Slide number 1.
1. You might ask why I am showing this picture? This woman, Anna Schoenholz,
obviously isn't Indian so how is she involved in Chilocco. Anna came to
Ellis Island from Germany, circa 1910. George Schoenholz, also an immigrant,
sent for her from Germany. He went to New York and married her there before
he brought her home to these prairie lands outside of Foraker and Grainola.
She was a widow with two children, Emma and Bill. These children, her
grandchildren are my half brothers, Arnold and Paul Jones, children of my
father's first marriage.
The 1910's were a decade of
great change for America. It was the decade when the United States was first
considered a world leader. World War 1-the first 'war to end all wars'
raged. 1910 was the decade America came to age. It was the decade which
began with America's efforts to reform itself and ended with its efforts to
reform the world.
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/donna/picturebook/192193.htm
Slide 2
1910- Elizabeth Little Cook, Pensoneau, Hernandez my grandmother is the
first short story in my book, “How To Keep Up With The Joneses.”. She is
full Ponca but dressed here in the costume of the day, 1910. It was the
last year of the “Gibson Girl Look.” Elizabeth for all her academic life was
schooled in institutions. First in the government school out of White Eagle
and then at Chilocco. She worked at Chilocco as a housemother over 200 boys
in Home Two. She was a court clerk here at Newkirk taking notes in the court
room with short hand. She worked in the A.W. Comstock, Attorney at Law, Law
office as a secretary and a interpretor.
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/donna/picturebook/122123124.htm
This time period enjoyed,
BALL ROOM DANCING, GEORGE GERSHWIN, THEATERS, COLE PORTER and songs like,
“ HINKY DINK PARLAY VOUS.” The first MODEL T for 345 dollars rolled off
new assembly lines. The Titanic sunk in 1912.
All of us remember how we
became skilled ballroom dancers at Chilocco. We danced every night at the
Flaming Arrow. In later years I was dancing at a party. Someone said, “Why
Donna, I thought you lived in such a “straight laced family.” They
obviously thought I had learned to dance at the public dance houses. I just
let it go, how could I explain about Chilocco and our socials.
Slide 3
1920-My father, Lee Otis Jones, on the right, his sister, Gertrude Jones in
the middle, and his brother, Dennis Homer Flynn Jones on the left. This
decade is often characterized by a period of American optimism and
prosperity. The nation became urban and commercial. It is seen by historians
as a decade of serious cultural conflict.
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/donna/picturebook/190191.htm
Hitler was coming into place
in 1921. He capitalized on our economic depression in 1929. Because we as a
nation had become frivolous with our good times in and around the
prohibition era we were weakened so that he did come to power. The nation
had been practicing isolationism.
Like the concentration camps
saved today as museums it is my plea to the people of this great nation
that Chilocco should be saved for the same reason. OF course, we were NOT
imprisoned in a concentration camp, quite the opposite. Most of us as
alumnae agree it was a wonderful time. We enjoyed:
1. LOVING TEACHERS WHO WERE
DEDICATED TO THEIR MISSION
2. CLEAN HOUSING (no matter that we did the cleaning).
3. GOOD FOOD (until we got tired of it)
4. FELLOWSHIP WITH TRIBES FROM ALL OVER THE NATION (and some of us married.)
5. SOCIAL ACTIVITIES WITH GRACEFULNESS WE COULD HAVE HAD NOWHERE ELSE
6. THE SPORT OF OUR CHOICE (and this wasn't night hawking)
We are proud that a difficult
problem was addressed and implemented by the fathers of our country. We as
American Indians were educated and learned how to survive in the White man's
world for that I am thankful. Of course, we have all had our own trials and
struggles but because we could read and write we all have been able to
accomplish. |
