The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1919-12-10
SCHR0EDERTALk
By I. C.. Fridblom

OuI tO"H Degan On C13 1UQn OF NO
vember, and the parents are now con-
fronted with the problem of dressing
their children adequately. In our
artic winters nothing less than furs
will do; fur boots reaching over the
knees, fur coat, fur cap, fur mittens,
and in extra cold weather a fur bag
to put each child in. We should be
just as we'll dressed here during the
winter months as are the Eskimos or
the people of Alaska or of Finland
and northern Russia. They all dress
in furs, grown-ups and children.
In a climate like ours, with winters
similar to those of Siberia, and winds
more vehemently piercing than you
ever meet them in northern Europe,
! we should make Accommodations to re-
sist the cold. Thick log buildings,
the walls rendered airtight by tar
paper and siding, for souses, and fur
to cover our bodies from head to- feet
when travelling will make it. easy for
people to winter in this region. And
the means for such houses are here,
and for the fur garments we have the
animals of the forest; the moose for
footwear, (if we do not present them
away to outsiders during the hunting
season., and the wolves for coats and
other things, if we can catch them.
But if we cannot, the sheep industry
will be a source for what other gar
ments we need. The woolcip will
give us socks and sweaters if our
women will learn to card, spin and
knit, instead of embroider, chrochet
or tatle-or is it tat?-and the skin
will be nice to line our coats with,
and make caps of, which we can
easily do ourselves.
We had a start of an enterprise to
establish the sheep industry in our
ounty. We hope to see another start
attempted, for the benefit of the
community in general, and for what
the sheep will give us in the way of
food, clothing and money. When we
get the sheep business we'll estab-
lished it will not be necessary for a
mother to envelop her child in a
loose shawl fastened with safety
pin for the ride to school. For if
she can do nothing else, she can sew
a bag of sheepskin similar to the
sleepingbags Of the artic explorers.
which could be tied together over the
head Of the child, with just a hole
the size Of a dollar for the nose to-
breathe through.
This is new country. But many
of US North Shore dwellers have been
here for decennials, and it is time
that we rig US up fittingly for the
nature Of the country. In Europe
under the same winter conditions,
every farmer has Il good sleigh with
fur robes, footsacks of sheepskim, 4
fur coat in ordinary winter, and in
extra cold weather. Then you can
take ride and not feel uncomforta-
BILE, but without such an outfit walk
ing is better, And this is what we
have got to have, every one of us
| who live in a railroadless country,
| and even if we had such commodity,
in order to reach it.
What has been said here is not
meant to be a kicking on the climate.
On the contrary, ours is a wonder
fully enjoyable climate, If we only
adjust ourselves to it's different
moods. In summer all we have to do
is to breathe, for everything is ideal;
not too hot, not too cold, just right.
And the fall months, in general, are
heaven on earth. As soon as we have
arranged ourselves for the winters by
| proper dress and housing so as to