Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-16

why are YOU trying ia educate the ESkimos?
Why don't you let them alone? They We're happy
and were able to exist before You began to change
their mode of life"
These are the questions that are asked and an
swercl in The Eskimo, Il monthly magazine pub
liShed ut Nome. Alaska, in the interests Of Eskiinos
Of the northwest district of Alaska. Walter c.
Shields, superintendent of the work of the bureau
nj education. department of the Interior, in north
western Alaska, who writes the leading article in
this new magazine of the North, says:
''The people who ask these questions. il they are
really sincere enough to warrant any consideration,
can be divided into two classes. First, those who
display their scientific knowledge by quoting the
law Of. the survival Of the %ilttest,' with the assunp-
ton that the Eskimo is not fit to survive. The
second class claim n peculiar insight into the frame
of mind of the ancient Eskimo, who. they assert,
was an especially contented individual. and further
more they Insist that the Eskimo of today is not
contenled.
Eskimo Fit and Able.
This set of critics insists on taking the position.
indefcnsihle in this day aud generation, that educa-
ton is IL bad thing for a people. The claim of our
service Is that the Eskimo by reason of his inner
ent qualities and because of his geographical posi-.
ton is fit and able to survive. and we claim that ny
our system OF education for him we are making
him not only more fit to survive, hut that he will
be a vital factor in the development of northern
Alaska.
'"rho Eskimo is not dependent. On the contrary.
he Is. even In the present condition, Il real and vital
factor in the wealth Of the country. He has never
received n ration from the government; he can sup
port himself. not always according to our stand
ards. 1t is true, but 1t is better for him TO eat strict.
~ native food than for him to learn to expect the
government to support him. The wall so often
heard from ignorant but presumably charitable
rN,T,,,ln tUvbv .1ap'f yuy, ,rI,-n tGn Ynn,r ,,n,,ln c,,pna
foody' If needed would make paupers of Il sclf-sup-
porting and noble race. We are proud of the fact
that VIZ have not fed the Eskimo. We arc proud
of him MS n man because he feeds himself.
"One reason why primitive races have so often
been pushed To the wall by the white race has
been that the white race has coveted ana needed
the land. As Far as we can see, for years to come
the white man will not make any attempt to push
the Eskimo of his part Of the map. While there
will undoubtedly be developments in mining, yet
for a long time to come the Eskimo will have
plenty Of room In northern Alaska. Therefore,
even Il this northern part Of Alaska, through some
unexpected development, should become desirable
for q large population. we believe that, with what
development the Eskimo has already received and
the additional development that even five years
more OF undisturbed possession Of his northern
Businesses viii give him, he Will be well lifted to
meet advanced economic conditions.
1.-THE keynote Of our school system for the Eski-
mo Is Its direct relation to the village life. Thus
the school republic becomes the village council.
the school garden soon becomes the village garden.
the cooking cIuss becomes the brend.baking class
for the village, the cleanup Of the school grounds
becomes the villnge cleanup. the bench work tor
the boys class becomes the boat md sled building
center for the village. And, most striking OF all.
the scl,oolboy who IL sent to the reindeer herd ~
nm apprentice In four years becomes the trained