62 Years Ago THE REPORTER Serving St. Paul Park, Newport, Thompson Grove, and

Woodbury Hts.

October 30, 1959 PRINCIPAL SAYS: Curfew Law has snap!

By Kenneth Wagner EDITOR’S NOTE: District 833 junior high school principal Kenneth Wagner provides an interesting search into the juvenile curfew laws. St. Paul Park for instance has a curfew law prohibiting youngsters under 16 to be on village streets after 10 p.m. How did the curfew come about, what is it intended to do? Wagner gives a full answer.

Prior to World War II, “curfew” as a law was unknown to most communities. Most families had their own curfews— children and teenagers were required to be in at a certain time. Very few families permitted their children to come and go as they pleased.

The Second World War brought about many changes in home life. Fathers went into the Armed Services or Defense plants. Many mothers took evening or swing shift jobs.

Many other mothers just didn’t know how to say no to their children.

Through one reason or another children began roaming the streets and stayed out in some cases late into the night. Youngsters were picked up by local police for various reasons. Soon one community after another took steps to eliminate these problems and “Curfew Laws” were passed.

In many town and villages these laws were enforced from that day on until the present time.

Other towns quit enforcing their curfew laws at the end of World War II.

Whether enforced or not these laws in most communities were never changed or revoked and remain as laws today.

The recent number of teenagers getting into difficulty at night has caused many communities to again enforce these Curfew Laws.

St. Paul has gone so far as to change all football games from 8:00 o’clock to 7:00 or 7:30. Fines in St. Paul range from $25.00 to $100.00. The fine in any community is a small part of the punishment. Having a child’s name appear on police records is more serious.

Territorial Dispatch 170 Years Ago THE DAKOTA FRIEND September 1851 Gatherings from the traditionary (handed-down) history of the Mdewankantonwan Dakotas.

Some of the leading Dakota men still express a preference to the English, and others esteem themselves worthy of the particular regard of the United States, because they and their fathers did not aid the British. The Mde-wa-kan-ton-wans now live in seven-villages, which number from 228 to 700 souls, under seven acknowledged chiefs, and as many second chiefs, who are more under the control of fur companies, and individual fur companies, than they are under the influence of the officers of the general government. They number at the present time 2,000, according to the census of 1851.

The same leaven-like influence which has long been operating, still operates, and several of these little bands are being rent into still smaller fragments. Those chiefs are most influential who are the best friends of the trade… The Treaty with the Mdewakantonwan and Warpekute bands of Dakotas.

The treaty was signed at Mendota, Aug. 5th, by which the above named bands ceded to the U.S. all their lands in Minnesota and Iowa.

A reserve is granted them on the Minnesota river commencing at Little Rock, which is about fifty miles by land, from Traverse des Sioux, and extending up the river ten miles wide on each side, to Yellow Medicine and Chatanba rivers to which they are to remove within one year after the ratification of the treaty.

On the ratification of the treaty the chiefs are to be paid the sum of $220,000 to be used by them in the purchase of provisions, to defray the expenses of their removal, and settle their affairs generally, as shall be determined in open council.

In opening farms erecting mills, smith shops, school-houses & c, is to be expended $30,000.

In annuities to be continued fifty years: 1 Agricultural fund $12,000 2 Goods and Provisions $10,000 3 Education $6,000 4 Cash $30,000 By the two treaties concluded between U.S. and four divisions of the Dakota tribe, about 30 million acres of land have been added to the possession of the U.S. and most of it is in Minnesota. Much of it is of an excellent quality, well-timbered and well-watered. It is an inviting county to cramped up New England farmers, who dig among the rocks and hils. Her is room enough, a rich soil, and healthy climate.

If the Dakota treaties are to be ratified by Congress, there will be paid to the Indians on the Minnesota river annually, for fifty years: For agricultural purposes: $24,000 Goods and Provisions $20,000 Manual labor schools $12,000 Cash (including the old annuity) $85,000 Making an aggregate for the fifty years cash $4,250,000; other purposes $2,800,00 Immediately after the treaty at Mendota was signed by the Indians, of whom about sixty stepped up and made their marks, begin led off by CROW, who was the first to sign and the only Indian who wrote his own name, the commissioners, Col. Lea and Gov. Ramsey, gave them a few words of very appropriate, and healthful advice, on various subjects connected to their future well-being, but particularly on the subjects of temperance and schools….The Indians did listen to it with deep interest, as it was closely and plainly interpreted to them by Mr. Alex Farribeault. Many of them will remember it.

(Note: Congress would later void these treaties following the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, which treaties initially gave $100 to chiefs, $50 to principal soldiers, and $9 to each Dakota man, woman, and child for their lands. Grey Cloud Woman/ Margaret Aird, for which Grey Cloud Island is named, was part Dakota, with a village once existing on the lower part of the island).