The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-30
REINDEER IN ALASKA.
Their Practical Use and Bene-
fit TO the Natives
EDUCATION IN THE FAR NORTH.
Rev. sheldon Jackson. superintendent
Of Instruction Talks OF the Work
Of the Government

1T a. sHp@-f1fs1sent of the Presbyterian
N ss.ors. s-d was IN that c.-see when he
received his p-eseEt app0Ertr1ert from The
gcve--rnerf IN ~ Since 1921 Mr.. Jack
son kas been Engaged n what seems 20 BE-
navel r1ssxi5s for a superintendent Of
schools. He = introducing Siberian rem
deer lnto Alaska When hesgoes north he
ALI meet the rsweaue cutter Bear at IT,
alaska and in that vessel will visit the
east q Siberia. travelling slong from
pant ahcur 30 miles south Of Pe-4-g
straits - point aboat 30 miles north, sc-
csrainz &c the condition Of the ice and surf.
Within the snail harhors In this stretch
af coast lire the catter VIII drop anchor,
ard Mr.. jackson VIII 60 prospecting for
rssntee-. By Inquiries among the natives
he finds out where there are reindeer TO he
purchased and then re<o-.ates the sale
He geaeraIsy selects fenss.zs between the
ages Of ard years. and bays On the 81
oer1ar side about g a head
Il Do not know whether the cutter VIII
transport the Ios this yea~ or not" he said
when seen AZ the Occidental hotel las,
night They may be pressed fer time and
Il 50 ] shall charter a yhaisr or trading
vessel ] VIII have between 80 and so
We have now about so reindeer in Alaska
Proereation Ia. been rather slow 80 far,
put the herd was increased by the birth
Of - last year.
Bat what has this 20 do with the public
Schools and education in Keneraiv' was
asked.
Why. everything" responded the SUD
ertntendent. with a smile in Alaska We
do not make such a point Of mere mental
training as we DO Of giving the native .
means whereby he can make more money
10 support higher mode OF living Our
pupils are really apprentices. 10 whom We
teach trade As the scholar OF the In
dian schools in the states Is laugh. the care
Of horses and cattle. ne teach the care
and use OF the reindeer. II would BE- empty
cruelty TO give the native an education
that would make the surroundings OF civil
eaton necessary TO him. without giving
him the means By which to support the
surroundings When the native Is civil
lied. IL means that more money must be
expended in his support In their wild or
unciFii-zed state they can live on very lit
tie. / do not imagine the store bin OF an
Indian for year would amount to more
than SO or 81 OF course a great deal OF
their food Is obtained by hunting and
fishing We have to teach them indus
tries. and the bresding OF reindeer is one
Of the great avenues OF wealth In the
Arctic
The school is located At Point Clarence.
the first harbor On the American side OF
Berins straits. and we have eighteen pu-
pills Each one is given two reindeer .
year TO keep and after each has served
five years he has ten head or. IL there have
been any births. ne may have fifteen or
eighteen. We have seven Lapmen from
Laplsnd. who are skilled herders. TO teach
the eighteen young Eskimoz They also
act as herders The herd IL not placed in
an enclosure. but is allowed to roam at
viii on the broad prairie. attended by
Lap and his dog. These dogs are from
laplapd. andsare Of peculiar breed, re-
sembiing collie. They are shaggy, and
some have absolutely no tails. This does
not worry them. however. as there are no
flies in that country. No provisions are
necessary for the reindeer. When turned
ont they find plenty OF sustenance in the
moss and short grasses OF the plains
When a small number OF our apprentices
have been IN the school a sufficient length
OF time 10 have come into possession of
gocd-sized herds. we tell them TO club to-
gether. take themselves OF and live BY
themselyta
such band OF natives can make their
living OF the animals The reindeer fur
nishss milk. cheese and flesh as food, and
from its skin can be made clothing and
shoes. Money is made from them by
charges for The transportation Of goods,
and the owners are put to no expense in
their keeping.
The rein jesr is the animal provided by
nature and God for that region The in
PRODUCTION Of the animals was originally
started by the government as an ect o.
humanity TO aid the natives, who were In
many cases starving. But ii was soon
found useful 20 miners. Mining Is all i'm,
portant In Central ana Arctic Alaska and
tho question of transportation has as
snrned very large proportions. OF the
mines In the Yukon basin none are nearer
than twenty-five Mes 20 the river. The
and then the question is TO carry them 10
the mines. What could De better for this
purpose than the reindeer. The distress
in the mining camps last winter was ter
rtble- The price of dogs. common ordin-
airy ours. went up TO Se0 each. A reindeer
Is as good as six dogs. In travelling be-
tween points lying a long distance apart
two dog teams are required. one 10 pack
the regular outsi; and the other to PACK
provisions for the two teams
There Is pasfursge IN Alaska for s.0ss,
90 head. and the stocking % those frozen
plains would be worth millions to the
country from a commercial point of view
In isnlan9 and the northern part Of Nor.
~sy there are se'ea head OF tame rein
deer. Last year - 90 carcAsSes were shtp-
ped from there to Europe. together with
thousands OF reindeer hams and tongues
IN addition. there ts a cannery IN Norway
witch puts uP reindeer iaea; sas. as they
do eecf In this country. The lnt-ofuctlo.
Of reindeer ts cf vastly more importance
70 Alaska than ..is preservation o. tha
seals. Rni yet she government spends
thousands % dollars each year IN main
tainirg SECT 20 keer OF; poachinx scaier-
snd onlv allows s7sea year for the IN
t7cdgcfian ana support or the reindeer
and the school ~ Point Clarence. The lat.
'cr IS o. such practical consequence TIA,
il wouit seem more attention would -
patti % il by TIE government.
@Thert are nov about thirty schools g.,
Alaska Juneau ana Sl1ka have two each
one for Whites and ore for ire natives
Schools are located also at Fort v-arr4;
Douglas jslaDd. Unalsska and various CIR.
e. points a new school WIN - establish
81 AZ Circle CITY tais year. Fight uure-
the ArtiC zone The miners has \ me-,
iuE taere last winter and raised 81. 10 %
aui a school house ard then applied %
t3e government Tor q teacher. Two enter
isi1iuenf@ were gwen. one by the white
women ana she other BY the native So
fann. 20 ralse funds Every White woman
N the town VAS elected a school trustee
Save selected a young lady rom Indian.
10 so - teacher. she e a sister % ~
present superintendent Of the state norma,
sehea4s- suppose our Young LADY teach
eTs Nil get r7agTies as fas, a. Ne can go
tscri uP there. a1d there viii - -
teSrheF ea2A year.