Number of reindeer belonging to each class of owners, 1916–17. 1 By purchase, apprenticeship, and fawns. By paying apprentices and natives for services, and sale of deer by missions. 1 Includes approximately $6,000 received by Teller Mission for deer sold Lomen & Co. 5 3428 Amounts appropriated, growth, and results of introduction of reindeer among natives of Valuation of 67,448 reindeer owned by natives in 1917, at $25 each. . $1,686, 200 568, 352 Valuation of 31,134 reindeer owned by missions, Laplanders and other whites, and Government, 1917..... 778, 350 Total income of missions and Laplanders and other whites from reindeer, 1893-1917 2. 214, 443 Total valuation and income.... Total Government appropriations, 1893–1917.. Gain (926 per cent)................... 3,247, 345 317,000 2,930, 345 1 Some of the figures in these tables are based upon estimates. * $54,000 have been deducted for deer sold by Lapps and missions to Lomen & Co. PART II.-DETAILED REPORTS. SECTION 1.-REPORTS BY SUPERINTENDENTS. REPORT OF WALTER C. SHIELDS, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NORTHWESTERN DISTRICT. During the year 18 schools have been maintained in this district. The number of pupils enrolled was 1,032, and the entire population of the villages reached by schools was 3,894. There are probably 1,000 natives outside of these villages in this district, making the total native population of this district close to 5,000. Twenty-five white teachers were under appointment and 8 Eskimo teachers. Inspection.-All of the schools were visited during the year. Those south of Point Hope, with the exception of the up-river stations, have been visited twice. The trips of inspection during the year covered 4,328 miles, 2,427 by water and 1,901 by land. I was away from home on these trips 142 days during the year. This is the first year that I have been able to report all my land travel to have been behind reindeer, and probably it is the first time any superintendent has had such a "clean" record. The winter's travel was the most enjoyable I have ever experienced. With the exception of a very trying trip to Igloo and Shishmaref in December, travel conditions were unusually good and the sled deer did well. With the assistance of my "boys" at various places, who were always ready when I arrived, the winter's work was done in record time. During January, February, and March, in spite of considerable deep snow, we averaged 30 miles a day. From Nome to Shungnak, with the exception of one day lost on the coast on account of a blizzard, we went straight through to Shungnak without a stop except over night. We were able to cut our time between Selawik and Shungnak to four days. On the return from the north, I was met at the Igloo Fair by my wife and two children, who traveled from Nome to the Hot Springs with sled deer. Once more I feel that it is proper for me to express the wish that the time may come when the Government will make some provision for the medical care of its civil employees in Alaska in case of accident while traveling on duty, also that some pension provision will be established to cover any permanent disability that might very easily come to any of us who travel in this country. We are called upon to face dangerous conditions at times, and this should be recognized. This year again adds to our debt to the Coast Guard Service for assistance rendered through the U. S. S. Bear. I wish to express my appreciation of the great aid rendered me by Capt. C. S. Cochran and his officers during the summer months. The trip to Point Barrow and all the coast stations was made on the Bear, and I was given every opportunity to do my work at all places. The work accomplished for the natives by the surgeon of the Bear, Dr. Ernst, was of inestimable benefit. Teachers.-I think that our teachers, who do the real work among the natives and who are the real points of contact with our actual work, should be given all possible recognition. Their value to the service is inestimable. The work in this district is in the hands of capable, efficient people; their hours are all their waking hours, and their place of work in the entire community and region for at least 50 miles around. They carry the responsibility of the health of each individual, his business affairs, his family affairs, and his chances for future happiness. These community services and responsibilities make the schoolroom duties of the teachers fade into insignificance. Through the excellent supervision of appointments, each year we are getting more efficient teachers in this district. It is an easy matter to select a person whose experience and recommendations assure schoolroom efficiency, but it takes personal investigation of a peculiar order to make certain that the applicant has the larger qualifications for the leadership of an Eskimo village. All this has been efficiently taken care of by the chief of the Alaska division. Winter trips by teachers.-Mr. Reese and his family, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, and Delbert Replogle went to the Noatak Fair. Charles Menadelook, of Nome, went to the Igloo Fair. Mr. Forrest visited Icy Cape from Wainwright twice, and Mr. Evans went from Igloo to Nome in the spring. In addition, most of the teachers made regular trips to the herds under their supervision. These trips are often long and trying. Schools and buildings. This year we abandoned the school at Council and opened new work at White Mountain, 15 miles down the river. This new school has reached more people than the old one and is in a much better location. Of the 1,000 natives referred to in the first paragraph of this report as being outside of school villages, most of them are located in small scattered communities, none of which warrants a school. The largest centers without schools are: Point Hope, estimated population, 300; Solomon and vicinity, 75; King Island, 125. Of these places I would again most strongly urge the establishment of a Government school at Point Hope. The Episcopal mission maintains a large mission plant at this place, but it has been in charge of one man who is manifestly unable to attend to much school work. I believe the mission would welcome the establishment of a school by the bureau if the usual good judgment were employed in the selection of a teacher. At Solomon the storekeeper has maintained a sort of school out of private funds. A building was furnished and a native teacher hired. While Solomon is, in my opinion, a poor place to "pile up" natives, yet the store and lighterage jobs will probably hold them for some years. I recommend the appointment of a native teacher at a nominal salary and the furnishing of school equipment. While King Island has a large population relatively, its location is too trying for a white teacher. Its permanence as an Eskimo village depends entirely upon the permanence of the walrus herds, which is more than doubtful. Diomede Island is our most difficult station; the teacher is terribly isolated and the natives are hard to handle. They go right back to their old ways as soon as the winter ice comes down and shuts off the island. The school has abolished the drunkenness and crime that flourished in this region in the past, but with that exception has accomplished but little. There are few children, and there is no chance of development along economic lines. The inhabitants have to depend upon the walrus catch very largely. For several years we have been trying to induce both these people and the King Island people to go to St. Lawrence Island. While this project is difficult, yet, if accomplished, in the end it will be an excellent move. Natives; general conditions.—I have elsewhere stated that the native population in this district amounts to about 5,000. In tabulating the births and deaths, as reported by each teacher on the monthly report cards, I find that the birth rate is about 30 to each 1,000 of population and the death rate about 20 to each thousand. This makes the actual increase about 1 per cent. I believe these figures are fairly close for this district. This would show that the Eskimos are holding their own and are slightly on the increase. Only three villages of those reported showed a decrease. In studying these figures it must not be forgotten that the large death rate on St. Lawrence Island this year, 24 out of 240, due to an epidemic, accounts for the low rate. Next year the increase will probably be twice that of this year. |