Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-02
FARTHEST NORTH SCHOOL
1t Is Situated at Point Barrow, Alaska's
Nearest Approach to the Pole 4.


Nearest Approach to the Pole
Somebody should do for the points Of the
compass what Poe did for the alphabet when
he figured out in THE Gold Bug tho COM
psrstive frequency Of the letters as they CO.
cur In ordinary writing. I mean the names
of the four principal directions when used
to designate the four quarters Of the globe.
as Kipling used two of them:
For East is East and West is West
Which word is the oftenest used In ordi-
nary speaking and writing-"East," West"
North" or "South"7
North" suggests bleal1ness and bitter cold,
but in all probability 1t would not be found
last in such a comparison has been sug-
gested. A Peary and Cook and a stefsns-
son bring the word into common use, and
every spell OF hot weather does the same
thing But we seldom speak Of the schools
of the far North. The schools of Alaska ars
serving as social centres to an extent hardly
to be rivaled in the rest of the American
States. Another interesting fact about them
is that the pupils never have to be sent home
because Of the seorching heat The Farthest
North school in the Western hemisphere Is
located at Point Barrow, which is Alaska's
nearest approach to the Pole.
There are n schools In Alaska, with an
enrolment of S5es and an average attendance
of 1897. Some are on the frozen ocean. in
touch with the mainland only once or twice
year. For eight months all Of them. ex-
cept those on the southern coast, are reached
only by frozen trails. The work of the
teacher Is necessarily one of self-denial and
hardship. N
There has lately been a remarkable In
crease in the use Of English among the Esli-
T1n
cluding responsive reading from the English
text Of the Bible. In which a large percentage
Of the congregation joins. Generally the Es-
kimo youths are quick to learn. They read
well, always with the spirit though not al
ways with the understanding. But they are
eager for the explanations and interpreta-
tions which frequently require patience and
ingenuity The pupils are good at arithmo-
tic. and some are rapid in mental work.
They have strong natural instinct for
Imitation. which stands them in good stead
In writing and map making, and they ara
surprisingly good in spelling and compost
tion, while all the children above the first
grade keep diaries throughout the term.
Practically the entire population totally alb
stains from drink, so that the problem Of
drunkenness hardly enters at all But there
is' on the contrary, a vast use of tobacco
among children as well as adults. and the
most inveterate users of It are women. who.
once In the grip Of the habit, are more Of
slaves to It than the men, On the other
hand. the district bathtub Is a delight, al
most to the point OF dissipation. One Of the
teachers says that It is a special feature Of
the school life in his district. "It is no un-
common sight to see four boys in a tub az
time" They are so in love with good
warm water that il is difficult at times to
prevent them taking two baths a day
BAD housing is largely responsible for
tuberculosis and many other diseases There
are ah-nisht dances in crowded. il-venti-
lated rooms. Business knowledge is being
extended. Furs can be sold through agen-
cies or by mail, and the Eskimo is quick
TO take advantage OF the chance The pur-
chase OF reindeer has helped the whole COM
mercial life, and every one is eager to be-
come an owner, this being specially true OF
the boys who go to camps in summer learn
ing the habits ana traits OF the deer as well
As heiping with the care ana herding.