A GROUP OF ALASKAN SCHOOL CHILDREN*. 



CONSERVING NATIVE ALASKANS 



A ASK A has an area approximate- 

 ly equal to one-fifth of the Unit- 

 ed States and in this continental 

 region there are about '<?."), 000 

 natives in villages ranging from 30 to 

 40 up to 300 or 400 persons, scattered 

 at intervals along its thousands of miles 

 of coast line and on its great rivers. 



During eight months of the year all 

 of the villages in Alaska, with the ex- 

 ception of those on the southern coast, 

 are reached only by trails over the 

 snow-covered land or frozen rivers. 

 Many of the native villages are remote 

 from the main lines of travel, with no 

 established means of access. In spite ot 

 the inherent difficulties of the problem, 

 the Bureau of Education has estab- 

 lished a United States public school in 

 each of TO villages, with !>T teachers, 

 each of whom is a "settlement" worker 

 striving to elevate the natives, adults as 

 well as children, intellectually, morally 

 and physically. 



In many of the villages the public 

 school is the only agency striving for 

 the uplift of the natives. Each school 

 house is a social center for the ac- 

 complishment of practical ends. Many 

 of the buildings contain, in addi- 

 tion to the recitation room, an indus- 

 trial room, kitchen, quarters of the 

 teacher, and a laundry and baths for 

 the use of the native community. The 

 schoolroom is available for public meet- 

 ings for discussion of affairs of the vil- 

 lages or, occasionally, for social pur- 

 poses. 



In the native villages the teacher., 

 and nurses endeavor to establish proper 

 sanitary conditions by inspecting the 

 houses, by insisting upon proper di 

 posal of garbage, and by giving instruc- 

 tion in sanitary methods of living. 

 Natives are encouraged to replace their 

 filthy huts by neat, well-ventilated 

 houses. In some sections the natives 

 have been taught to raise vegetables, 



751 



