Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-06-10

Old-faShuned MaypOle. woven by IN
seen hands, AurOra'S brilliant stream
ers shaped themselves into a long fun
mel, from which burst immense sheets
of living flames that stained both sky
and earth blood red-a spectacular dis
play never to be forgotten. never sur
passed and well worth all the discom-
forts of the polar night to witness.
"In the morning, when the teacher
rang the ten o'clock bell for school,
and the babies who wouldn't stay at
home trooped up the school hill, the
mercury. by the light of match, stood
at IS below zero. Two hours later the
Kerosene was frozen in the school
lamps But the children laughed at
the cold. Look, teacher. The sun
The sun! 1t was the FIRST day of Feb
ruary. exactly twelve O'Clock. Through
the southwest window of the school
room ginted obliquely a yellow rndi-
ance that outlined the reflection of the
window frame on the opposite wall and
lighted up the room.
Polar Night Ends.
"With one impulse teacher and pu-
pills moved toward the window. blink
Ing their eyes, shading them with their
hands laughing helplessly as they at
tempted to look at the upper rim of
pale yellow bail just showing above the
edge Of the horizon. After Y days OF
darkness and dull gray daylight the
human eye refused to adjust itself
quickly to the sudden brightness. Put
on your things, Children said the
teacher Swiftly they obeyed. but be-
fore the foremost could reach the door
the light faded. Look. teacher. It's
gOhc.' they cried regrctfully, staring
at he spot where the yellow rim had
appeared tn rest but only tightening
Of the gray clouds remained in evil
donce of The glad fact that the polar
night was over. II was IS below zero.
Three months of winter yet remained,
but what maliered thati Their souls
had thrilled once again to Gods
smile and hope. JOY and expectation
mingled with the regret IN every
youthful face.
"Traning untlltOred minds is not a
leu'i''l 'liH tulN III Slh'hH' i''N'!
erl There's man hurt in the saw
mill They want you quick painted n
youth one Sabbath day as he reached
the lone teachers cabin-high ah0v"
and back of the camp. The teacher
stuffed her pockets with bandages and
antiSeptics and ran down the hill &c
the spot where a soldier lay, the lign
"a
at the wrist, the biceps muscle gouget
out, and piece of dirty rope and
rusty file fashioned into a tourniquct
holding back the life blood with which
everything was stained. Twenty min
uteS later q long Yukon sled drawn by
seven powerful dogs and. guided by n
halfbrecd who knew the river and its
dangerous condition, carried the
wounded man toward the nearest hos.
pital-75 miles away. A white miner
accompanied them. The going WAS
rough; the surface water on the Ice OF
the river in some places was two feet
deep: the ice bent and cracked. but
they never stopped until co miles were
covered and Il relief sled from the
army hospital. summoned by another
soldier youth who ran ten miles to tap
II telegraph wire, was met. After ~
hours of eXcruciating agony the hos
Dital was reached.
The Only Trait.
"That was the last day of April. Had
the accident happened few days la
ter nothing could have saved the life
Of the injured man; the ice would have
gone, and The breaking ice on the river
was the only available trail at that
time of the year The halfbreed was
the hest man who dared to make the
trip. His Indian mothers powers of
endurance and knowledge of local con-
dilions. coupled with his white fathers
intelligence and dominant spirit. gave
him high degree Of efficiency for such
an ordeal.
"Renderng medical aid is a part Of
every teachers sworn duty In the
Alaska school service. Government
supplies are often the only medicines
obtainable in cases of grave emergen-
cy, for whites as well as natives
"A knowledge of low doesn't come
amiss at times. In places remote from
the jurisdiction of courts, the teacher
is frequently the only iawgiver of the
community. as well as the only doctor.
She Is census taker keeper of vital
statistics, arbitrator of quarrelS,
health officer, peace officer, friend and
COMPLIANT of everyone in distress. The
teaching of sanitation. hygiene of a
practical nature, economy, thrift, do
nestle science suitable to environment,
manual training calculated to utilize
the products of each particular local
ity, and civics, to fit the natives for
future citizenship. are all included in
the work of the service.
Each section of the vast territory
presents different problem; each Is
rich in q different way; each must be
settled and self-sustaining In the fu-
tUre."