Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07
ESKIMO YOUTHS
TO RETURN HOME.
Illness BaIks Attempts Of
Missionary to Educate
Pair in Canada. -

TORONTO, Ontario July 6.-The
most recent attempt to introduce Anglo
Saxon civilization to the Eskimo has
failed miserably and almost tragically.
Ben and Sam, two Eskimo boys upon
whom the hopes Of their race had been
pinned In an experiment with the civil
iSation of the white man, are fleeing
for their lives to the safety Of the
Arctic wastes. They are fleeing from
disease.
Two years ago an Eskimo chiettain
far up in the silent Arctic asked the
head of the missionaries to send his
son to the unknown lands to the South
to learn the ways of the white nan.
''My people haven't q chance unless
they are able to meet the white man
on his own ground" he said.
So last Fall 9-year-old Ben, son of
Chief John Ell, head of the South
ampton Island EskimoS. accompanied
Pudlutt of Lake Harbor, Baff1n Land,
were handed over to the headmaster Of
the Lakefield Preparatory School near
Peterboro. They had been brought
down from the North by Rev. r. H.
Gibbs, returning missionary.
1T is of the utmost importance that
these boys should not be spoiled and
that they should be considered in every
way upon the basis Of white men,"
were the instructions of Venerable A. L.
Fleming, archdeacon Of the Arctic.
It was a unique experiment. Ben and
Sam knew no English, but they were
Eood-natured, good sports and intelli-
claimed unanimously as general favor
ties by their white playmateS.
Took Sick at Christmas Time.
Just before Christmas Ben and Sam
were forced to re1inquish their studies
to face an ordeal of sickness, from
which they barely escaped with their
lives. After influenza they took pneu-
monia, measles, tonSilitis and under
went operations for naStoidS and ade-
hoids.
It has been pronounced that for them
10 remain here means only one thing
death.
On July Is Ben and Sam sail from
Montreal on Hudson Bay Co. ice
breaker, the NaScopie. They will be
taken back to the land Of the midnight
sun.
This experiment has been thor
view" declared Venerable A. L. Fleming,
who bore the responsibility and ex-
pense of the enterprise. ut has shown
that the Eskimo is in no way inferior
to the white man.
The archdeacon stated that the
Eskimo was an intelligent but unde-
veloped race. The way Ben and Sam
picked UP the white mans language
and customs In such a short time was
remarkable. IT wish white men could
learn Eskimo as quickly as these two
picked up English" commented the
archdeacorl.
IF possible, I want to have Ben stay
With missionaries, with Sam, at Lake
Harbor, Baffin Land, and 60 to school
there" said the archdeacon. IT think
It would be better for them to be to-
gether." Where Ben lived at South
ampton Island there was no school,
and it was about 400 miles from
Baf1n Land.
May Come South Again.
Asked II Ben and Sam would ever
be brought down south again. the arch
deacon said 1t was too far ahead 10
plan at present. do you feel that
Ben and Sam ought to go back to the
Arctic that they can't stay here?"
he was asked. II feel that 1t Is taking
too much of a chance to leave them
here" was the reply.
Have any similar experiments been
tried with the Eskinos before?"
"Oh, yes" he said, but all those who
were brought down before died. There
Is one exception-when Peary brought
down nine Eskimos. including nine
year-old Eskimo boy, Minnie" All died
except the child, who was adopted by
DR.. Wallace of the Natural History
Museum of New York. The boy lived
In New York nine years and then re-
turned to Greenland" Similar expert
ments In Labrador had been fatal, he
stated.
sam has been placed with some peo-
pie on q farm near Pickering, ontario;
where Ben, who still is under medlcai
supervision, will join him In week
The pair will wait there until the boat
Is ready to sail, when they Will be
taken to Montreal.
In an interview, Rev. A. w. Mac
kenzie, the headmaster, declared: Yes,
the experiment has been failure, ana
Ben and Sam are going back to the
Arctic next month. could not take
the responsibility of having them any
longer. We can't tell what might hap
pen to them"
Both Were Bright in School.
In school work, Mr.. Mackenzie said,
the pair were bright and willing, with
o leaning toward pictorial executions.
Ben was interviewed in st. Joseph's
hospital Peterboro, where he has been
since June 10, having had his tonsils
and adenoids taken out.
why, QOn T. you WdIlI 10 gu 0Ch .
back home?" mo" why not?" TOO
code YER code br-r-r-r," and
Ben shivered at the recollection.
Ben dreaded the thought Of hcme
and all it meant after clean sheets,
baths. and the good food Of his white
friends.
When Sam was found in the build
ings Of the Lakefield Preparatory School
next morning, he was in the reading
,{vaep 1Aa
the piano with one finger.
Hello, Sam. How are you?"
Fine" he replied. "All better now?"
9Yeh." They tell me you are going
home?" "Yeh." Where do you live?"
''Baffln Land" do you like it there?"
"Ye-e-h." vaguely. "Is that true? Do
you really want to go homer" mo-"
0aid Sam, after a moments hesitation.
ANY brothers or sisters?" Sam was
Aeked. "YeS-tree." Three what
others2" "No-sista." mo BROTH
dRS7" NO" Are your mother and
father up there?" "Yeh."
(CopyriRht, 1920