Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-03-05

permitted to slaughter female REIN
deer. except by the permission of the
school authorities. Every precaution
has been taken to keep the animals
within the control Of the natives and
to insure the fullest possible natural
increase.
THOUGH the reindeer industry is
new to Alaska. the anhh / itself
IL no stranger in the territory. The
kind now raised is biological
brother OF the Alaskan Caribou,
not easily domesticated. In chat part
Of Siberia from which original stock
was procured conditions are virtually
the same as in arctic Alaska.
The domesticated reindeer is prac-
tically self-supporting. even in re-
gion where snow and ice cover the
ground most Of the time. Its chief
food resource is a moss which grows
under the snow. In winter the REIN
deer digs through the snow and pro-
cures its food. 1t requires no shell
ter. even when the thermometer goes
to fifty and sixty below zero. While
the reindeer is sustained by moss
found under the snow during the
winter months. its winter food is not
grazes freely on grasses and other
green stuff, and accumulates stores
Of surplus fat which helps to sus-
tain it through the period Of cold.
No food has to be grown or gath
cred for the reindeer. The owners of
herds have only to keep track of
them, which. especially when the
herds are large. calls for much out
door attention. Ownership is defined
by brands and ear-tags, in the manner
Of cattle on the ranges Of the west.
An adult reindeer, unless trained to
do SO from infancy, will not eat
grain or hay. Hence, they are not
as good for draft animal work as
ono might suppose. They have no
great endurance under stress when
their diet consists only OF moss OF
grass, but they are used considerably
for shedding over short distances.
The bureau Of education teachers,
under the direction Of Mr.. Lopp, are
now trying to improve the reindeer as
a draft animal by training more of
them to eat solid foods.
The work Of the bureau is divided
into six districts, each under a dis
trict superintendent. Mr.. Lopp, who
supervises all districts, makes his
headquarters at Seattle, for, oddly, he
can keep in better touch with all OF
Alaska from there than from any one
point in the territory. This gives an
idea of the size and also Of the re-
moteness of much Of Alaska. If the
territory were set down in the United
States, the main body Of it would ex-
tend from the Canadian border south
ward to Texas and Oklahoma, and,
Dakota to Michigan on the north and
from Colorado to Ohio on the south
The southeastern fringe would reach
to Savannah. Ga, while the last of
the islands, which constitute the
southwestern fringe. would be in
southern California While Mr.. Lopp
directs the education Of the natives
from Seattle, he spends about one
nth of his time in the territory.
* 4 X
cCHOOL work is carried on in sixty
~ seven villages, where regular
schools taught by teachers from the
states are maintained. The school pc
riod usually is of about seven months
length and is confined to the winter
months. It is difncult to get good at
tendance In summer. when the ma
tives wander about considerably in
search for game. All teaching Is in
English.
But class work Is only a feature of
the teachers duties. Most school sta
lions are in charge Of married coup
les who are paid jointly from $1,000
to $4,000 a year and given free living
quarters They teach the natives how
to live as we'll as how to read. The
aim of their work Is to prepare the
natives for civilization, contact with
which threatens their continued ex-
istsnce. Medical service is provided,
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