WALTHILL PUBLIC SCHOOL PURCHASES SCHOOL DRUM

WALTHILL PUBLIC SCHOOL PURCHASES SCHOOL DRUM WALTHILL, NE --- Walthill Public School last week received a Native American ceremonial drum. A $500 Mildred Anderson Community Grant from the Junior League of Sioux City provided the school district with the funds to commission Macy, NE resident Tim Grant to make the instrument. Patricia Browning, secondary school counselor, explained that the school, whose student body is over 95% Native American, plans to start a student drum group in the foreseeable future. She plans to present the drum to the students at a cedaring ceremony, “so the kids can see we now have our own school drum.” A date for the ceremony has not yet been set. “The cultural education gained by a drum group is something that we want to see continue,” JLSC Vice President Mary McGowan stated. Browning would like to see the drum used to play the Omaha Nation Flag Song at ball games and other important events. The Flag Song was composed by an Omaha veteran of Word War I to honor those who served in that war; it has assumed a status similar to the National Anthem for the Omaha people. Browning stated that students would have the opportunity to learn how to play the drum during Project Washkon or a similar after school activity. Project Washkon, Omaha for “to succeed in life” is an after school program financed by a grant of the 21st Century Learning Centers.