Impressions are made upon a person in an
instant and this is what happened to folks as their car came into the
Chilocco Indian School campus. The flat lands around the grounds were
prairies. In fact at one time they had called the school "The Light on the
Prairie." This applied literally since it was the only place lighted for
miles around, but sometimes one has to wonder if it wasn't symbolic also.
Certainly it was a light shining into many lives of great numbers of
American Natives from great numbers of tribes.
First impression was the driving through
the long entrance. Possibly the distance was a mile and maybe a third,
roughly estimating. Lining both sides of the road were lovely old Maple
trees with their red leaves in the fall. Over the years the trees died out
and were replaced with Elms, but it was still that feeling of ambiance
this drive gave.
Immediately upon arrival onto the
landscaped and verdant clean environment there was the lake. The road over
and across it held a low bridge with no tall banisters to distract one's
eye from the small body of water. Even though the great numbers of trees
planted there broke the ever blowing prairie wind there was still an
evidence of gusts across the choppy waters. Bobbing like white corks upon
the lake's rough surface were the ever present geese. Something about
their presence spoke strongly of this as a paradisaic Shangri La. The wind
ruffled feathers on their back so there would be a few out of place
looking like someone had brushed their hand against the pattern and
direction of their growth.
There was a small island setting to the
north side of the lake. One passed beside this island when walking over
the narrow bridge. The tiny island was covered with trees and wild growing
scrubs. The memory of it is tied up with Aunt's shuddering slightly
saying, "Ways-sahws," or Ponca for "Snakes."
There were numbers of buildings setting on
the edge of the little shoreline. There were the employee's homes, the
infirmary, the women's apartment building, the power plant, and the
academic building called, Haworth Hall. To look up from one's work while
in a classroom across the waters was very pleasant. If one's apartment was
on the south side of the Women's Building there was a beautiful view at
night. The dark smooth glassy surface was free of the day times restless
wind. There were large tall poles holding bright sparkling lights. Their
reflection was bounced off those waters, which was brooding now with quiet
darkness.
The pageant at the year of 1955 was being
practiced by the whole school. Nights were full of excitement as the
students were given more freedom than they had ever had during the
darkness of night. Of course, they were still heavily chaperoned, but just
the feeling of freedom from the before ever present daily regimen was
thrilling.
The pageant pictured with live persons an
enactment of different parts of Chilocco's history. There were the early
days when the children arrived on horse and buggy in their tribal dress.
Another scene would depict a vocation such as the welding school. The
sparks of the welding lighted only the face and hood of the welder and it
was picturesque.
As the gym class girls swung the heavy
exercise clubs to The Merry Widow Waltz the lights were turned off that
group all at once, and the markings of black light tape gave a design to
the night, via the swinging exercise tools.
A beautiful young Indian maiden in her
buckskin dress offered a rendition of the Lord's Prayer in sign language
and one had to be moved by the beauty of the presentation. The long shadow
behind her was created by the low light in front and below her feet. The
feeling of something far reaching and spiritual was created by the use of
that shadow.The pageant was without a question the most striking
performance put forth by the students through the direction of their
creative instructors. If anyone ever attended the pageant, it was never
forgotten. The year of 1955 the theme was the progress made over almost
one hundred years. The old was portrayed and then the modern was acted
out. However, on hearing different people talk about the showing of it, I
believe it was very much the same every year. Because it was shown only
every other year, a student would only see it twice if they attended four
years at the school. I only saw it once, and that was the year I
graduated.
For whatever trials we have suffered
through in our life time we must have a thankfulness for this brief
shining moment when we were privileged to enjoy the activities around and
about the Chilocco Lake. The last time I drove over the south edge of it I
noticed beaver's were building a dam across one of the overflow areas. It
struck me as rather ironic to think the waters that cared for the soothing
of many children's fears and tears were again being reclaimed by this
little animal. Still, we are not to despair. He was probably there first
anyway. And maybe again were the children's spirits there directing the
little animal that he might save the now neglected lake? |