The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-11-15
Interesting Account of the
Work in That Country.
HELP TO ESTABLISH HOMES
Christmas Observed in the Mission
SchOols-Aid Will be Sent for
This Years Festival.

When Aalaska came into the possession
| Of the United States the various Protest
ant missionary societies with unusual Wis
| dom, met TO decide upon some plan Of
| organized mission work. AS % result CT
such concerted action the territory was
| divided into districts and each assigned
! to some special denomination. Thus It
| hapepns that Southeastern Alaska, the
portion most frequently visited, is undsr
the Charge of the Presbyterian church.
The education OF the Indian In Alaska
is controlled by the United States govern
mont, and is allied closely with the mis-
sion work. FortunaIbely the supervision
OF educational matters In all Alaska has
been for the past seventeen years in the
hands OF one man. DIR. Sheldon Jackson.
Unstlnted praise Is due him for Qhts work
OF systematizing and organizing. as weN
as for Ohis untiring zeal in soliciting aid
for establishing and carrying on mission
work In parts of Acaska seemingly mac
cessitCe.
The hardship and prlvat.on fall heaviest,
however, on those WHO eaIbor directly In
the mission schools,
At Sitira Is situated large school which
In good times rs largely attended. The
hard times Of the past two years have
ourtailed the work and many pupils have
been turned away who might otherwise
have been admitted. II is the aim OF
this school to train the Indian children
to habits OF cleanliness and t1raft--to give
them sufficient education, to make them
Industrious, and, 80 far ipoasible to bring
them inbo the realm OF civilization.
In order that am iHflugnce may be res.
tadned over them after they leave the
school, and the nome life may become
permanent factor for good, an excellent
plan Is now In force. AS the young peo-
pie of the mission marry and wish to
establiEh homes of their own, money suffi-
cient to build a small cottage is loaned
them without interest. This loan Is re-
paid In installments and again used in
The same way. Most OF THE money used
for this object is obtained from private
subscriptions. These cottages are built
near the mission grounds and the teach
ers can exercise "a friendly and help
full interest In the welfare OF the inmates.
One needs only to contrast these neat
homes with the filth, squa1or, and general
wretchedness of the houses In the Indian
village OF Sitka to be convinced Of the
advantage of this method of civilizlne
the Indian.
Christmas rs observed in these mission
schools and the exercises, like those OF
our own Sunday schools. draw large
attendance. and each dusaxy face looks
longingty and expectantiy for something
from the gifts distributed to the pupils.
Mrs. Wallace. the lady in charge of the
girls school. said In speaking OF this:
"It is 50 hard to be obliged to send any
child away without some little thing"
The young ladies' society OF the Pres
byterlan church are preparing a Christ
mas box to send to this Sttda mission,
and IN their behalf ask through the
columns of the Astorian help IN this
work. A very smaM Investment IN this
enterprise will yield to you an abundant
return in the added joys of your own
1 Christmas time as you think OF the hap
piness you alave given to those dark-eyed
| children OF the North to whom so little
meanB 80 much In every home, where
| there are children, There are toys. pict-
ures, boolus, and dolls with their dresses.
| which have been chst aside as no longer
cared for. Bvery lady can at the expense
| of moments time make up little per-
eel of bright silks or w0ocene, ribbons
bits of face, pretty buttons and other
Things trhlt would give those little girls
a tappy sewing hour as THEY were taught
to dress their dolls. Wearing apparel
suitable for children or u1aterfai for
aprons or other garments would be ac-
ceptable. I'm fact, nothing that would
give pleasure to @ child is too trivial to
send.
AIS uhe box must he sent from here on
November 23d, II 10 quite necessary that
packages for At be sent TO the basement
OF the Presbyterian church before that
date. II taken there In the forenoon they
can be left without any difficulty.
F. f. WEED.