PRESENT STATUS OF THE 

 ALASKAN ESKIMOS 



Margaret Lantis 



Study of Adult Development 

 Harvard University 



In 1940, 15,700 Eskimos were counted in Alaska. Figures for 

 1950 are not yet available, but it seems likely that the population 

 has increased slightly. Until World War II, Alaskan Eskimos 

 were scattered in 200 or more small settlements. Even the "big 

 villages" had fewer than 500 people each. In fact, only twenty 

 villages had more than 200 inhabitants apiece, according to the 

 1940 Census. During the war, Eskimos tended to concentrate 

 in Fairbanks, Nome, and other centers of military construction 

 that offered jobs. Since the war, Pt. Barrow has drawn people 

 from all northwest Alaska, also because of work opportunities, 

 finally attaining a population close to 1000. Hence, during the 

 past ten years the number of villages probably has decreased. 



Including Alaska Native Service (Federal) and Territorial 

 systems, there were 55 schools in Eskimo communities in 1948. 

 Although schools gradually are being transferred from A.N.S. 

 to Territorial system, the total number at this moment probably 

 is the same or only slightly decreased. A few Eskimo youngsters 

 go to the boarding school at Mt. Edgecumbe (Sitka) for sec- 

 ondary-level vocational instruction, though not such a high 

 proportion as from the Southeast Alaskan Indians. The White 

 Mountain Boarding School for Eskimo children has had fires 

 and other difficulties, but the policy of the A.N.S. is to keep it 

 open. Not so many Eskimo children (proportionally) attend any 

 school, even the local village school, as among Aleuts and Indi- 

 ans. Eskimos are as intelligent as the others and most of the 

 children enjoy school, but their families' hunting and fishing 

 require migration. 



Understandably, teachers and missionaries strive to keep Es- 

 kimo families close to their facilities, in some ways an unrealistic 



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