Mexico Missouri message., 1916-11-23
MAGAZINE FOR ESKIMO
Unique Journalistic Enterprise
Launched in Far North.
Writer In Publication Explains Why
Uncle Sam Is Trying to Educate
the Native Population Of
Alaska.

A magazine for the Eskimoi This is
one of the latest results of the efforts
that are being made by Uncle Sam to
educate and improve the people Of the
far North. The magazine, which Is
called the Eskimo, has been estab-
lished by teachers and others who are
interested in the development of the
northwestern district Of Alaska. 1t is
published at Nome, Alaska.
Walter G. Shields, superintendent of
the work of the United States bureau
of education in northwestern Alaska,
in a leading article in the new maya
zine, answers these questions which he
says frequently are asked: "Why are
you trying to educate the Eskimo?
Why don't you let him alone? They
are happy and were able to exist be-
fore you began to change their mode
of life?"
"The people who ask these questions,
if they are really sincere enough to
warrant any consideration" says Mr..
Shields, team be divided into two
classes. First, those who display their
scientific knowledge by quoting the law
| of The Survival of the Fittest,' with
the assumption that the Eskimo is not
fit to survive. The second class claim
q peculiar insight into the frame of
mind of the ancient Eskimo who, they
assert, was an especially contented in
I dividual, and Furthermore they insist
that the Eskimo of today Is not con-
tented. This set of critics insists on
taking the position, indefenslble in this
I day and generation, that education is O
/ bad thing for n people. The claim OF
our service is that the Eskimo by rea'
son of his inherent qualities and be-
cause of his geographical position is
! fit and able to survive and we claim
that by our system of education fol
him we are making him not only more
/ fit to survive, but that he will be 9
vital factor in the development Of
northern Alaska.
"The Eskimo is not dependent. Or
the contrary, he is, even in his present
condition, real and vital factor in the
wealth of the country. He has never
received a ration from the government
he can support himself, not always &C
cOrding to our standards it is true, bu
it is better for him to eat strictly ma
tive food than to learn to expect the
government to support him. The wal
so often heard from ignorant but pre-
sumably charitable people why dom
you give the poor people some food?
If needed, would make paupers out of {
self-supporting and noble race. We ar,
proud of the fact that we have not fee
the Eskimo. We are proud of him as ;
man because he feeds himself.
'The keynote of our school system
for the Eskimo is it's direct relation Il
the village life. Thus the school repub
lie becomes the village council, tn,
school garden soon becomes the villag,
garden, the cooking class becomes tn,
bread-baking class for the village, tn
cleanup of the school ground become
the village. cleanup, the bench work TO
the boys class becomes the boat ant
sled-building center for the village
And most striking of all, the schoolbo
who is sent to the reindeer herd as al
apprentice, in four years becomes tn
trained herder, the supporter of hi
family, and future leader of his pee
pie"