Minneapolis Spokesman

Third Governors Statewide Indian Confab Sept. 11-12

Over 200 persons from all parts of the state have accepted Governor Orville Freeman's invitation to participate in the Third Governor's Statewide Indian Conference, September 11-12 at Bemidji State College.

Conference registration will begin at 8 o'clock Friday morning. Earl R. Larson, Chairman of the Governor's Human Rights Commission will preside at the opening session and official welcomes will be extended by Mayor Chester Berg of Bemidji, State Senator John H. McKee, and Dr. G. R. Sattgast, President of Bemidji State College.

Friday panels will discuss "Indian Health and Welfare", "Indian Education and Law Enforcement", and a third panel the subject of "Employment". Governor Orville Freeman will deliver the Conference Keynote address at 11:30 a.m.

Following the Governor's address, the Bemidji Chamber of Commerce's Fish Fry crew will serve their famous Wall-eyed Pike luncheon on the lake front. Panel discussions will continue throughout the afternoon.

An evening session wil discuss the subject of "Adjusting to Life Outside the Reservations" moderated by Dr. Henry E. Allen, Chairman of the Indian Committee of the Governor's Human Rights Commission.

The Saturday morning session will be devoted to "The Problems of Indian Youth". Indian high school students from several communities will participate. At the Saturday morning session the Mrs. Jaycees of Minnesota will present Germaine Bray, 1958 Validictorian of Detroit Lakes High School, with a $650 scholarship. Miss Bray will enter Moorhead State College this Fall.

Among others who will participate in the Conference are Walter Eldot of Duluth; Carl Winn, Regional Director AFL-CIO; Louis Lerman, Executive Director of Labor's Committee for Minnesota Indian Youth; Franklin Skogstad, Indian Specialist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs; State Representative Harry Basford of Wolf Lake; Ove Wangensteen, Deputy Commissioner of Welfare; Simon Howard, Chairman of the Chippewa Tribe; James W. Clark, Commissioner of Business Development: Mrs. Helen Peterson, Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians, Washington, D. C.; Roger Jourdain, Chairman of the Red Lake Band: Harry Baniger, Beltrami County Commissioner; Father Donell of St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church in Minneapolis; and Dr. Mark Moran, Assistant Superintendent of Treatment, St. Cloud.

The Conference will close Saturday noon with the summaries by the Conference Evaluators - Dr. Herman Kleinman of the State Department of Health, Miss Caroline Barron, Principal of Minneapolis Central High School; Wilfred C. Leland, Executive Director of the State Fair Employment Practices Commission; Reverend Gradus C. Aalberts, Executive Director of the United Church Committee for Indian Work; and Morris Heilig of the Youth Conservation Commission.

Sponsored by the Governor's Human Rights Commission, all sessions will be open to the public.