Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25
Nunivak Mysterious lsle Visited by Smithsonian Scientist

! as TO he able To form n better basis
of comparison with those on Nunivak.
| Consequently. the Boxer stopped at
/: various points from tho Aleutian IL.
! land chain northward. where less
/ than dozen white men are To he
| found throughout the 500.miie stretch.
and where the entire coastal region
gave evidence of an exceedingly print.
tive culture. Skeietal material was
collected. tho people were measured,
and village sites observed and photo.
sraphed.
Optimistic indeed was tho Summer
climate impression the travellers gain
ed about the island from wiseacres
al Seattle No doubt. they were told.
the temperature range would he
around 40 degrees above. perhaps even
warmer. and certainly more pleasant
than Washington ordinary mia
Winters. but the newcomers. once
landed On the rocky. treeless.
drcary Isle. waited In vain for the
gentle swuying of the balmy breezes
predicted by the weather prophets.
Rain and mist and fog were the order
of virtually tho entire summer. Mr.
Collins claims. with just pride. THAT
he never had occasion TO wear No
many clothes In his life as during MS
NO iourn ut Nnnivak.
nut Il was some satisfaction To the
Americans that two of their own kind
were regular dwellers on the isle
Mr.. and Mrs ]. fl. bird. teachers TN
der the United States Hoard or fsdo'
cation. The couple had been there -FOUR
years,
All the martyrs to education have
not been given their due. according
esat IT,. ZaH
or and his wife have done monumen'
tai lob In their brief stay and at untold
sacrifice and monotony To themselves.
In to express tho situation mildly. PIC
iure them at the outset landing on an
island on which not one soul knew
word Of English where no white
peopie had ever lived. where no en-
tertainment WAS to be had, where nan
itation and heat were unknown,
where throngs IF lice ffniicked on the
entire ponulpce Hut schoolhotlhe
had "a ne built, along with decent Nv
Ing u,arters fnr the couple. Ana huilt
It waa. hnndiraps Notwithstanding.
With great gest. highly creditable
frame edifiee came Into brihs ana
stands today. u monument To hhttfihG
effort and unaelftshnesa' center NJ
good Viii. a never failing source af
advice. n hamlet NJ refuge To the sick
nr unfnrt innate.
WtTli facilities largely Of their own
invention. then, the couple set
out Ia teach tho children first. Ia
speak ana next 10 Write, and finally.
| something at that fascinating land
| that was America
two main facts enter dalninhhtlS
into The educational experiment, Mr,
| Collins heiiepes.v~first tho teachers
| we're very much up In their job and
| second, the children we're unusually
| intelligent Indeed such " The gen
efal nature Ut The tiny tribe that IN
! habits The island Hasidss, they arc
| decidedly friendly. cheerful aud help
| ful IN disposition anfliness. indus
criticism ana oftishnans ALI ton well
known amos the educated white
men seem Ia ta welt nigh unknown
| ~ lhesa primitive upholde,s Ut good
viii
To-Day the bakers dnHen " ya,inAs
| st.rs a,s almost marvellous IN their
| knnwiedse ~ the English language
| and sundry Yankeeisms, They scam
| per about, nuatina poetry and chant
! ing snatnhea of American snnss ~ n
great rate he The latter sentimental.
patriotic " humorous, The ehtidrsn