Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-15

VILLAGES during the year, special attention
has been given to the medical work
among the natives, which includes the
maintenance OF two hospitals under the
preparation for education in Alaska for
the. year. $24.926 was expended In the
Following an Investigation Of health
Alaska made by Passed Assistant Sur
geon Milton II. Fostef, the surgeon gen.
eral Of the public health and marine hos
pital service detailed Passed Assistant
Surgeon Emil Krulish for service in
Alaska for an indefinite period under the
direction Of the commissioner of educa-
ton.
The Alaska reindeer service has been
made a. part of the educational work
there, and one of the most successful of
the Industrial training branches. A well
organized system of reindeer apprentice
ship is in operation. Reindeer meat.
hides and horns have commercial value
and can be made q profitable industry for
the natives. Under the system followed
by the bureau. an apprentice upon be-
coming capable of caring for the animals
Is paid for his term of apprenticeship In
reindeer. Reports for the fiscal year 1911
show that there were $500 reindeer in
Alaska, distributed among forty-six herds.
OF that number 60 per cent, or 20O71.
were owned by 400 natives: II per cent,
or 1851, we're owned by the United States;
IA per cent, or 1858. were owned. by mis-
sions. and Is per cent. or 1914. were
enterprise become, not alone from the
standpoint of the United States. but the
natives Of Alaska as well. that the young
Eskimos who are not apprenticed with the
herds are losing caste with the native
girls, as the latter have no favors to be-
stow except upon prospective reindeer
owners. Inasmuch as the number Of ap-
prentices that can be employed is less
than the number Of applicants, the situa,-
ton Is unfortunate for many ambitious
young natives
Sufficient meat being secured from the
reindeer to supply the native villages, ex-
portation has been begun.
REINDEER In October, 1911, the first
r..a shipment Of Reindeer meat
left Nome for Seattle con-
| sistins Of about 1925 carcasses. or Is. 75O
pounds. This found such a ready sale in
Seattle as to warrant the belief that the
expectation. Of reindeer meat from Alaska
will eventually become an industry of ex-
tensive proportions.
Aside from the Alaska division, the bu-
reau Of education is composed of eight
other divisions. being the divisions of
higher education. school hygiene and san
itation. school administ ration. rural edu-
cation. statistics. library. editorial and
correspondence and records.
Kendrick G.. Babcock Is chief of the
division of higher education. Under him
Investigations are made pertaining to all
matters affecting higher educational in
situations, including professional schools
and normal schools. Under Fletcher B.
Dressler, chief of the division of school
hygiene and sanitation, come all matters
pertaining to the construction. ventila-
ton and heating of school buildings med
' ical inspection and hygiene in general
The division of school administration, in
charge of Harlan Updegraff deals with
the collection and compilation Of sta
tistical and other data respecting state
legislation. Arthur c. Monahan. acting
chief of the division Of rural education,
Is starting the work Of the youngest divi-
sion Of the bureau This. established De-
| cember, 1911. embOdies one of the spec'a
ambitions of Commissioner Claxton, the
uplifting of rural school conditions. Edu-
| Gated among the rural schools of the
south after the war, DR.. ClaxtOn Is in a
position to know the most urgent needs
of such schools. and through this division
is endeavoring to better their conditions.
The duties Of the division embody the i'm
provement Of rural schools in general.
and especially the preparation of teachers
for rural schools, the Improvement of SUBJ
course Of study by the inclusion OF SUBJ
jects especially appropriate for rural COM
munities.
In the statistical division under Alex
ander Summers are collected and COM
piled all the data relative to