Indian teacher stresses freedom 5"dai
by CAROL GOETSCHIUS
Nebraskan Staff Writer
"I've played my own game
all my life, that's my right and
freedom," said Webster Rob
bins, a new faculty member
and a Cherokee Indian.
Robbins' game is education.
He is working on his Ph.D. in
that field and teaches an
Education 31 class.
Robbins would like to set up
a specialized elementary
education program for teaching
Indian students. "With a
dropout rate of 50 per cent for
Indian school children," he
said, "there is a need for more
Indian teachers and teachers
who understand Indian
values."
Wrapped in hundreds of
years of separate tradition, In
dians have a different way of
viewing things than most peo
ple, Robbins said. This cultural
difference stems from the In
dian's closeness to nature, he
explained.
Inbred in his people is an
awareness of the cycle of
nature, of man's kinship to
animals since all eventually
return to the soil, he con
tinued. With a nod towards the win
dow, Robbins said that what's
out there, nature and creation,
are awe-inspirinig to the Indian.
Man-made monuments, "you
can have them," he saiid.
Robbins emtphasized the im
portance of freedom to Indians.
Indian life is one of self
determination, of "total in
dividual freedom," he said.
Children are allowed freedom
of choice, he continued, and
parents will not force dropouts
back to school. To reach Indian
children, teachers must un
derstand this freedom.
Indian life, Robbins said, is
not structured like the average
American's life. Indian time,
he said, is "no concept of
time."
"To be effective, a teacher
must work with these Indian
traits, not change them," Rob
bins said. "We accept the
values of the dominant society,
but try to retain our own,
picking the best of both."
For the last two years Rob
bins taught in the Niobrara
school system, which includes
the Santee Sioux reserva
tion. Originally from Oklahoma,
Robbins went to Niobrara as a
member of the National
Teachers Corps (NTC). NTC is
a government organizatpon
providing teachers for disad
vantaged areas.
A graduate of Northeastern
State in Oklahoma with a
masters degree from UNO, 33-year-old
Robbins said he came
to NU because he believes
there is a need for more people
in the educalponal pro
fession. -
Although he hasn't formed an
opinion of the University yet,
Robbins said he' likes Lincoln
and plans to stay indefinite
ly. Chambers to talk
at A ACS dinner
Candidate for the Unicameral
and well-known black activist,
Ernesit Chambers, will be the
guest speaker at a fund raising
dinner Monday in the Nebraska
Union.
Chambers will be speaking at
a $5 a plate dinner and dance
sponsored by the University
Afro-American Collegiate
Society (AACS).
Monday. Soot. 21
American- Sculpture Exhibition Sheldon
Gallery..
Student Prlnfr Show Union Gallery.
-Madagascar! Art Exhibit Elder Gallery,
Wesleyan University.
Final day 'add" accepted.
Tuesday, Sept. 22
Sculpture Forum: Lecture by William
Gerdts, "Marble Resurection" 8 p.m.
Sheldon Auditorium.
NET Festival, "Beethoven: The Em
peror" 8 p.m. Channel 12, Nebraska ETV
Network.
American Sculpture Exhibition Sheldon
Gallery.
Student Print Show Union Gallery.
Madagascan Art Exhibit Elder Gallery,
Wesleyan University.
Soccer Club
meets Tuesday
The University Soccer Club
will meet at 8 p.m., Sept. 22, in
the Nebraska Union. Anyone
with an interest in soccer is
invited to attend.
The club plays teams from
local colleges and Big Eight
universities as well as in
' tramural matches.
Webster Robbins
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Clothes 41
misc. In
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Join the Nebraska Union
Film Society
Foreign
The Two of Us
Stolen Kisses
Teorenia
Rules of the Game
Daisies
Shame
Dande a Parte
Forhithlen Gaines
Battle of Algiers
The Music Koom
La Strada
My Night at Maud'
Fifth Horseman is Fear
The Eclipse
The Exterminating Angel
Tickets on sale in Nebraska Union
Sept. 21-Oct 2 9-3
Residence Halls 11:30-12:30 and 5-6
Sept. 21-Oct. 2
Studenjr, Faculty, Staff $8.24
Non-University Student $9.27
Patron . $11.33
Shown Wednesday Evenings 7 & 9 P.M.
Nebraska Theatre 1144 P St.
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1970
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THE NEBRASKAN PAGE 7
