The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-11-12
Rudiments Only Are Taught.

Ruu1ments Only Are Taught.
English is taught, of course, at all
the Government schools, as we'll as the
missions subsidized by the Commits
sioner of Education, and one of the in
dependent Russian schools. but the Ian
guage of the Gar is favored by all the
missionaries of the Russian Church.
and is a powerful obstacle to the in
PRODUCTION of good old Anglo-Saxon
Unless some educational genius devises
a plan to obliterate the harsh gutturaIs
of the Russian tongue from the minds
of the natives it will take a long time
to make English the universal lam
Guage throughout the length and
breadth of Alaska. This last should
be accomplished as speedily as posi-
BILE, for unless it be done it will be hard
to make the Indians an ] E,skimos real
lie that they are the children of Uncle
Sam.
ThlinGits Learn Easily,
The Thlingit learns English easily,
for he has in his native vocabulary all
the difficult sounds of the Anglo-Saxon
tongue, such at tr, ing and hard and
soft tn. Perhaps the only exception is
the Copper River tribe, which is really
distinct race, the result of intermar-
riage for many generations between
Thlingits and Eskimos. Formerly this
tribe was placed by ethnologists with
the Eskimos, but of recent years the
Indian blood has become so much more
nj 10
subdivision of the Thlingit family.
Even in the Government schools
nothing is taught but the three Rs. a
little grammar and geography to both
sexes; painting. carpentering, cooper
age and shoemaking to the boys, and
sewing, cooking and general domestic
knowledge to the girls. The schools
aim at civilization rather than deep
learning, and no attempt has been
made to introduce the higher eduta-
ton, save that the pupils OF one school
have learned enough of music to have
a pretty good brass band. 1t is aston
ishing, though, how much is done
toward the development of intelligence
and moral stamina-so long, that is to
say, as the pupils are under the direct
influence of the teachers.
Early Marriages. Encouraged.
AS a precaution against back sliding
the students are encouraged to marry
as soon as they have graduated and to
establish separate homes of their own.
1t has been demonstrated many times
that the civilized Thlingit or Eskimo, if
left to the tender mercies of his or her
uncivilized relatives and friends, soon
relapses into savagery. Early mar
riages do much to counterfeit this ten
dency. but the Government should do
something more to attach the rising
,cGerauon permanently to civilization
II pf-otG aph mailed two weeks ago
Which you will probably puL lish here
With, was taken by your correspondent
at the KarlIk school, on the west side
at hadiak Island. An experiment made
by the Commissioner of Education in
employing an educated Russian and his
wife to run TIE school has, contrary to
expectation, proved successful YOU
correspondent found the school III
fourishing condition, with a high aver
age of attendance and intelligence, and
noted many evidences of the popularity
of the teachers. The Russian, having
the confidence of the natives, has in
duced the Thlingits not only to send
their children but to attend the school
themselves. See-wooak Mountain
with-trees), the old woman in the fore
ground with her granddaughter, Now
max CThe Northern THISTLE, between
her knees, is 81 years Old Her son.
T1poo-chak (White FISH, who is hold
ing the Stars and Stripes, is 4S. All
school regularly
A Dangerous Experiment..
The employment of Russians as
teachers in the Government schools is
capital idea, if those gentry may
safely be depended upon to inculcate
American ideas While giving English in
for TIE Thlingits and Eski-
mos have more faith in the subjects of
the Gar than in citizens of the United
States. But the Commissioner of Ed
Russians who would be as loyal to their |
trusts as is the good gentleman in |
charge of the Karluk school, and he is |
slow to extend the experiment The ma
tlonal spirit is strong in the breast of |
very Russian, from imperialists to nj |
lilists, and it is more than likely that. |
given control of the United States
schools, they would teach their own
tongue. almost to the exclusion of An
slo-SaXon
After the thrush of gold seekers in
The Spring there will be many more
white children in Alaska than at pres
ant, and Congress will soon be asked
to increase the appropriation at the
disposal of the Commissioner of Edu-
cation. 1t is to be hoped Uncle Sam
viii prove as generous to his little ones
rom the States as he has heen to his