The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-21
DEVELOPMENT OF
ALASKAN NATIVES
Commissioner of Education
Speaks at Lake Mohonk
ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOLS
DR.. Brown Says Law Is Necessary to
Make Alaskan Indians Send Chill
dren to School and to Make
Them Sanitary.

Lake Mohonk, N. Y, October 0.-View-
ing with optimism the campaign OF the
United States for moral, Industrial and
educational development of the natives
of Alaska, Dr. Elmer Ellsworth Brown,
United States commissioner or educa-
ton. in the course of his address, open
ing the conference, pointed out some Of
the immediate needs of the service in
that territory, and regarded as of par
amount Importance the adoption by Con-
gress of an effective school attendance
law. Second only in Importance to this
stop, Dr. Brown declared that sanitary
regulations having the force OF law
should be put into effect. This ex-
tension in the programme for develop
ment among the natives, he predicted
would blaze the way toward conoi-
ton in which they ultimately shall be
ready for free and self-directed citizen
ship.
Moral education, thorough cleanliness,
healthful home conditions, and remuner-
alive industry were among other prop
lens which Dr. Brown said the United
States through It's Alaska service was
working out gradually for the better
ment of the natives.
In Alaskan Field.
Prefacing his general remarks about
the white mans burden in the Alaskan
field, DR.. Brown paid a tribute to the
late DR.. Sheldon Jackson, who made the
daring beginnings in the education OF
the natives of the Arctic and North
Pacific domain and who had, the speak
err declared done more than any other
man In carrying through the actual IN
PRODUCTION of the domestic reindeer INTO
the Eskimo country.
DIR. Brown emphasized as significant
the definite campaign now being carried
out for the improvement of health con-
ditions among the natives. He declared
that the work of physicians and nurses
was primarily educational because he
said they helped the natives to take
on those Ideas and habits which in
sure a lessening of sickness and NOR
tally in coming years.
The action of Congress in adding $780,
600 to the annual appropriation for the
education of the natives of Alaska in
1908, the speaker declared, had made it
possible to extend the work to villages
which had not been previously reached.
Ewenty-nine new school buildings were
erected during that year, he said, and
this extension of the service has been
accompanied by a broadening of the ac.
tivities which 1t embraced
Problems To Be Solved.
1.-THE problems considered he said,
''are not simply scholastic in the older
and narrower sense; they are the prob
lens of community and racial life, or
indeed the problems of racial destiny.
Recognizing the fact that this backward
people ise already in contact with civiliza-
ton, and is beginning to suffer from that
Generalization which always follows from
the contact of civilization with people
of belated development, the directors OF
this enterprise have been obliged to con-
slider the possible and the desirable fu-
ture of their charges and prepare them
as best they can for the future.
Broadly speaking we look upon these
native peoples as passing through Pc
riod of temporary dependency. In the
face of civilization they have become de-
pendent children. What we must 90 as
best we can IL to prepare them TOR 2
new full-grown and independent lire IN
advantageous relations with the white
mans civilization
Promotion Of Industries.
The promotion Of industries suited to tn