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HISTORY OF THE Y-INDIAN GUIDES
In the
Beginning... Closing the gap In 1925 Keltner arranged for Friday to speak before boys and dads in the St. Louis area. One evening after a talk given at a father and son banquet, Friday was so closely surrounded by fathers that the boys could not get near him. This gave Keltner an idea. Perhaps this strong mutual interest in the Indian could be put at the heart of a program aimed at closing the gap that he had seen widening between American fathers and their sons. American Indian Culture and Life Keltner designed a
father-son program based on the qualities of American Indian culture and
life: Dignity, Patience, Endurance, Spirituality, Feeling for the
earth, and Concern for the family. From this, Y-Indian Guide
programs were born. In 1926, Keltner organized the first tribe of Y-Indian Guides in Richmond Heights, MO., with the help of Friday and William Hefelfinger, chief of that first tribe. Although it grew slowly at first, the program was eventually recognized as a national YMCA program in 1935. The popularity of Y-Indian Guides grew rapidly in the post-World War II period of 1942 to 1962, guided by John Ledie, national advisor. Many new programs and organizational developments at the local and national levels also evolved during this time. The Y-Indian Princess program is born The rise of the family YMCA following World War II, the genuine need for supporting little girls in their personal growth, and the demonstrated success of the father-son program in turn nurtured the development of parent-daughter groups. The mother-daughter program, now called Indian Maidens, was established in South Bend, IN, in 1951. Three years later father-daughter groups, which were called Y-Indian Princesses, originated in the Fresno, CA, YMCA. Y-Indian Braves, a program for mothers and sons, emerged during the late 1970s and was officially recognized by the National Executive Committee of the National Longhouse at Dearborn, MI, in 1980. Since 1963, the swift expansion of the program has continued with all these programs, and with a corresponding group of programs for older children. The Future Although some Y-Indian Guide groups had extended their father-son experiences beyond the first three grades from the beginning, it was not until 1969 that the Y-Trail Blazers plan was recognized by the National Long House Executive Committee for sons 9 to 11 years old and their fathers. Trail Maidens, Trail Mates and Co-Ed Trail Blazers have also been developed and recognized in YMCAs across the country. Most recently, the Y-Indian Guide Program has been expanded to include preschoolers and their parents in the Y-Papoose Program. Many YMCAs have developed parent-child programs similar to those listed above; but have oriented the program around a non-Indian theme. In the future, it is hoped that expansion of YMCA parent-child groups will continue as a positive force in strengthening family life. Currently, about 900 YMCAs sponsor 30,000 Y-Indian Guide groups.
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