Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-09-20
SEElNG Ine FAIR
 IN DETAIL

the Great Territory-Wild Flowers.
 Fine Laces and Enbroideriea From
 the Far North-comforts of the Alas
 kan Building - The Alaskan Press.
 The Stereopticon Called Into Play.
 Fishing Tools of the Eskinnos - A
 Loan Collection.
 ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE BY
 MARK BENNITT.l
 Beyond the signal poles of the great German railway exhibit stand the to. tenn poles of the Alaskan Indians. Science and civilization stand beside superstition and barbarian. Enlighten- ment says, "Howdy doY to mental darkness and gives the hand of friend ship, which finds acceptance with hesi- tancy and suspicion.
 We stride up the gravel walk between hideously carved and horridly painted sentinels whose first mission is to keep off the evil spirits. Being good spirits, we pass into the Indian cabin. It is an Indian cabin upon the outside only, and is grafted upon the stately Alaskan building of the colonial type, with tall pillars in front and pediment above, elaborately decorated with architectur- al terms.
 Within this graceful mansion that might once have adorned great es- tate in Virginia or held the place of honor in the shady main street of New England town, suggesting afflu ence and ease-two words that no lon- ger Keep company-we find the great collective exhibit of Alaska. It is a building containing many surprises It is characteristic of the whole exposi- ton, for surprises are all the while jumping out and saying, "Helloy' to us and drawing us away from any plan which one may have formulated for seeing the exposition.
 Aladdin of old rubbed his one lamp 1t must have been a stereopticon- produce wonderful things. Here we must keep rubbing our two lamps to be sure that we see alright the wonder full objects already created and pos sessing material qualities of lasting value. All the visions at the worlds fair are marvelously real and full of AIlCtlAlllE lO OAC WAO 0AAAS " N0hAPLC- bend the foundation which is here be- ing laid for future growth and de- velopment extending throughout the world.
 The particular surprise to every vis- itor to Alaska's building is the educa- tional exhibit. The chubby round face of an Alaskan Indian may not show the fine artistic temperament that lies at the heart The Eskimo has been too long linked with axle grease dinners to permit us to think of him. as one whose mind runs to poesy. But artists region and the fur clad hunter and fisher of the interior country, whose home the better part of the year is an icy hemisphere or rude hovel overlaid with snow. The torch of civilization was introduced into the most remote settlements years ago. Mission schools for Indians have long been in exist ence. The United States government has an established school system that serves the children of both the Indian and the white settler, and now we may see the practical fruits of sustained eff fort.
 Feminine Alaska may claim credit for the large educational display. Mrs. Mary E. Hart, hostess of the Alaska building, has spared no effort to pre- sent the home life and reflnements,, the progress in education and the social development of the territory. To that end she appointed auxiliary bands of women in every village whose purpose was to secure exhibits worthy of place at the big exposition. Here they area story well told.
 In this composition by a boy in the Juneau public school the American flag waves in patriotic splendor, all bril- liantly done in colors. i, Another tells the story of Lincoln from cabin to the presidency. This one tells of the an gelus and illustrates the story with n careful cutting from newspaper. The tale of Hiawatha and Mudjekeewis is narrated by another, with color illustra- tions of tepee, quiver, bow and ar row. mittens and moccasins. The same story is decorated by another with q totem pole in colors. As we get to the higher grades the work is equally cred itable, particularly in map drawing. One pupil illustrates "The Lady of the Lake, with well drawn castle.
 Alaska is so different only in our imaginations. Spring comes with the warm breath of May. The snow slips from the hills and valleys, and all the common wild flowers that we know spring up as they do here and give gladness to the world. You might see blue forgetmenots by the acre if you were there, and double buttercups to make your chin yellow as of yore. The ardent foxglove glows on the Alaskan landscape, and the yellow throated col umbine blooms coyly in it's dells. The dewy cowslip and modest violet, the delicate anernone of early spring, the wild geranium, snapdragon, heliotrope, larkspur and thimbleberry come in