ers in a mission school had a much better opportunity to teach by daily practice the Christian way of life. In 1923 I had completed a two- year course at Biola and was anx ious to put it to use. When the opportunity came to work among the Navajo Indians In Northern Arizona I was thrilled with antici pation. To think that this vast area of wilderness with its uncultivated people was only a few hundred miles to the east was wonderful. I boarded the train in the evening and Rev. Fred Mitchell, missionary and Superintendent of Ganado Mis sion at that time, met me at the station in Holbrook, Arizona the following morning. The deep blue of the sky and vastness of open space were overwhelming. Our road was really an Indian wagon trail, eighty-five miles by the shortest route. Finally our car hit a sandy rut that stalled the engine. Mr. Mitchell was no mechanic and he was no longer young. He had spent many years on the reserva tion, however, and he never felt lost or really alone. He tried to crank the engine but nothing hap pened. He then offered a simple prayer as though talking to a friend close by. He pointed to a little hill near the road. It looked like the place for a hogan to be hid he said. I watched him disappear around the rise of ground. Presently he re turned, followed by a young Navajo. With a few words in Navajo, Mr. Mitchell told the young man how to crank the car. The Navajo gave it two or three whirls and the engine started with a roar. Mr. Mitchell applied the gas and our Indian friend jumped into the back seat. He pointed with his lips. “ Ganado,” he said. We were glad to have a helpful friend along. He was dressed in Navajo fashion. His hair had never been cut and was brought together on the back of his head and bound around by a white cord in the middle. His over-blouse was of blue velvet and decorated with a belt of silver pieces in various design. We arrived at the mission at six o'clock when supper was being served. The warmth and friendli- THE KING’S BUSINESS
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THE NAVAJO INDIAN, Then and NOW!
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by Vena E. Howard
I n general Navajo Indians today are no longer the uncivilized nomads of fifty years ago. Neither are they a vanishing tribe as some have thought. Their population has increased from about 30,000 in 1920 to more than 80,000 today. Their reservation of about 10 mil lion acres lies mostly in north eastern Arizona and extends into New Mexico and Utah. During the 1920s only a small percent of the adult population had ever gone to school. The medicine men were the leaders and dictators of the tribe. Their chants had strong hypnotic power and the minds of the people were held in constant fear lest they offend some evil spirit. The government school at Leup, Arizona took care of 400 boarding students in the first five grades. A missionary was allowed to tell the children Bible stories on Sunday mornings. The teachers and work
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