Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

"New Eldorado," by Mr. M. Ballou. Published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, 1889. Price, $1.50.

"The Wonders of Alaska," by Alexander Badlam. Published by the Bancroft Publishing Company, San Francisco, 1890. Maps and illustrations. 151 pages. Price, $1.50.

Pacific Coast Scenic Tour," by Henry T. Finck. Maps and illustrations. Published by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1890. 309 pages.

"A Woman's Trip to Alaska," by Mrs. Septima M. Collis. Published by The Cassel Publishing Company, New York, 1890. Maps and illustrations. Heavy paper. 194 pages. Price, $2.50.

"Arctic Alaska and Siberia," by Herbert L. Aldrich. Maps and illustrations. Published by Rand, McNally & Co., Chicago, 1889. 234 pages. Price, $1.50. "Thirteen Years of Travel and Exploration in Alaska," by W. H. Pierce. Published by J. H. Carruth, No. 1312 Ohio street, Lawrence, Kans., 1890. 224 pages. Illustrated. Paper, 60 cents. Cloth, $1.

"From Yellowstone Park to Alaska," by Francis C. Sessions, president of the Ohio Historical and Archæological Society. Published by Welch, Fracker & Co., New York, 1890. 186 pages. Price $1.50.

"Reconnoisance in Alaska, 1885," by Lieut. Henry T. Allen, U. S. A. Maps and illustrations. 172 pages. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1877. "Contributions to Natural History of Alaska," by L. M. Turner. 1866. 226 pages. Illustrated. Government Printing Office. Washington, 1886.

[ocr errors]

Report on Natural History Collections made in Alaska, 1877-81,” by E. W. Nelson. Illustrated. 337 pages. Government Printing Office. Washington,

1887.

"Fur Seal and other Fisheries of Alaska." Maps and illustrations. 324 pages. Government Printing Office. Washington, 1889.

"The Coast Indians of Southern Alaska," by Ensign Albert P. Niblack, U. S. Navy. Maps and illustrations. 158 pages. Published by the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum. Government Printing Office. Washington, 1890. "Cruise of the Revenue Marine Steamer Corwin in the Arctic Ocean, 1884." Maps and illustrations. 128 pages. Government Printing Office. Washington,

1889.

"Cruise of the Revenue Marine Steamer Corwin in the Arctic Ocean, 1885." Maps and illustrations. 202 pages. Government Printing Office. Washington, 1887.

"Bean's Report on the Salmon Fisheries of Alaska." Maps and illustrations. Government Printing Office. Washington, 1890.

From Yellowstone Park to Alaska, by Francis C. Sessions. 8vo. 196 pages. Illustrated. Published by Welch, Fracker & Co. New York, 1890.

Vel

"California and Alaska," by William S. Webb, M. D. Quarto, 190 pages. lum paper. Illustrations, India proof etchings, and photogravures. Price, $25; popular edition of the same, $2.50. Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons. New York, 1891.

"Alaskana. The Legends of Alaska," in verse, by Prof. Bushrod W. James. Illustrated. 368 pages. Published by Porter & Coates. Philadelphia, 1892. Price, $2.

"Kin-da-Shon's Wife. A Story of Native Customs Among the Chilkats of Alaska," by Mrs. Eugene S. Willard. Illustrated. 281 pages. Published by Fleming H. Revell. New York and Chicago.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

The three most urgent needs of education in Alaska at present are:

FIRST-LARGER APPROPRIATIONS.

Fifty thousand dollars is a sum wholly inadequate for the establishing and maintaining of good schools for the 10,000 children of Alaska. The utmost care is taken to make it go as far as possible, and yet a number of communities are asking for schools, which can not be granted because of the insufficiency of the appropriation. I would most respectfully recommend that an appropriation of $75,000 be asked for the coming year.

The efficiency of the school service would be greatly increased if a permanent appropriation could be made for a term of five years, which would increase in regular amounts up to $100,000. This would enable the Bureau of Education to keep pace with the steady growth of the work. It would also enable the Commissioner of Education to more wisely plan his work.

The appropriation for education in Alaska is placed in the sundry civil bill. Every alternate year during the long session of Congress this bill is not enacted into law before July, August, or September. But the last vessel for the year that communicates with the teachers in northwestern Alaska leaves San Francisco about the 1st of June. Consequently the Commissioner of Education can not appoint teachers for that section until ten or twelve months of the school year have expired. Or, in other words, the teachers are compelled to teach the entire school year without knowing whether any appropriation has been made to pay them. This is an injustice to the Commissioner of Education and to the teachers.

SECOND-OBLIGATORY ATTENDANCE.

There is no one subject connected with the Alaska schools that teachers, superintendents, committeemen, and citizens are more united upon than that the highest interests of the children and the schools require that there should be some authoritative regulations that will secure the more regular attendance of the native children. Attention has been called to this in every annual report. Mr. John H., Keatley, ex-judge of the United States district court of Alaska and ex-member of the Territorial board of education for Alaska, in an article in the Atlantic Monthly for August, 1890, on "The Race Problem in Alaska," says:

The natives of Alaska realize that everything is changing about them, and are anxious to pattern after the whites in better dwellings, more comfortable clothing, and a greater diversity of food, but they fail to realize yet the importance of education. The adults are serious obstacles to the education of the children, and no radical change is possible until attendance at the Government schools is compulsory. It is not enough to provide schools and teachers at the public expense, but Congress must go further and authorize the employment of Indian policemen at every village to compel the attendance of the children.

"Some of the native schools have an enrollment of 60 pupils,' with an average daily attendance of 10. This is due to the total lack of means of enforcing attendance. The race problem presented in the subject of their education and possible participation in the political affairs of the country is of too serious a character to be thus ignored by those who are now responsible for their future development."

THIRD-AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION.

Passing from northern Alaska, with its adaptation to reindeer-raising, we find the whole southern coast, stretching for thousands of miles, to possess a temperate climate. This is due to the "Kuro-siwo" or : Japan Current" of the Pacific Ocean. In this "temperate belt" it is probable that there are areas of greater or less extent that are adapted to agriculture. At least it is known that there are small farms or vegetable gardens on Kadiak and Afognak Islands, on the shores of Cook's Inlet, and in southeastern Alaska. It is also known that wild berries grow in great profusion and abundance in many sections. But no intelligent and continued experiments have been made to test the agricultural and horticultural capabilities of the country.

Until a quite recent period (1867) the European population were fur-trading Russians. They were followed by fur-trading Americans, and more recently by the gold-seekers. No one expected to remain long in the country, and there has been no incentive to carry forward intelligent experiments in agriculture. As early as my first report to the Commissioner of Education (1885) I called attention to the fact that there was a very wide diversity of views concerning the agricultural and horticultural capabilities of Alaska, and necessarily very great ignorance; that no systematic effort intelligently prosecuted had ever been made to ascertain what could or what could not be raised to advantage; that it was of very great importance, both to the people of Alaska and the country at large, that careful experiments should be made, extending over a term of years, to ascertain the vegetables, grains, grasses, berries, apples, plums, trees, flowers, etc., best adapted to the country; the best methods of cultivating, gathering, and curing the same; the planting and grafting of fruit trees; the development of the wild cranberry; cattle, hog, and poultry raising; butter and cheese-making, etc. In 1886 my recommendation was taken up by the U. S. Commissioner of Agriculture, who, in his annual report for that year (page 20) says: "Something in the line of experimental work might also be undertaken

1This is true of a few, not of many schools.

in Alaska, possibly with profit. It is well known that the Department of the Interior has established an agency for the promotion of education in that territory."

"It has been suggested that a line of experiments, to be undertaken by this Department, would easily prove whatever of agricultural and horticultural capability may exist in the Territory. No careful attention seems to have been given there, as yet, to this branch of industry, and the resources of the country are quite unknown and undeveloped.

The industrial training school at Sitka would furnish an admirable basis for a station, where could be conducted careful experiments to ascertain the agricultural products best adapted to the climate and soil of the Territory, and what breeds of cattle and other domestic animals are most suited to its climate and soil.

"Such an experiment ought to extend over a series of years, and the result would amply repay any expenditure that Congress may choose to make in this direction."

In view, therefore, of the national importance of introducing the domesti cated reindeer of Siberia into northern Alaska, and testing the agricultural capacity of southern Alaska, I most earnestly recommend that you secure the establishment of an "agricultural school and experiment station" in connection with the system of industrial education in Alaska.

By an act approved July 2, 1862, Congress made provision for schools for the "benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts." By an act approved March 2, 1887, provision was made for "agricultural experiment stations" in connection with the agricultural schools. And by the act approved August 30, 1890, certain of the proceeds of the sale of public lands were set aside for the better support of these agricultural schools.

These acts of Congress require the assent of the legislature of the State or Territory in order that their provisions may become available.

But Alaska has no legislature, and is governed directly by Congress. On this account, and partly because nineteen-twentieths of the children to be benefited belong to the native races, Congress has committed to the Secretary of the Interior the duty of making "needful and proper provision for education in Alaska." would therefore recommend that an application be made to Congress to direct The Secretary of the Interior to extend to Alaska the benefits of the agricultural tacts of 1887 and 1890, and secure the establishment of a school that can introduce reindeer into that region, and teach their management, care, and propagation, and also to conduct a series of experiments to determine the agricultural capabilities of the country.

To reclaim and make valuable vast areas of land otherwise worthless; to introduce large, permanent, and wealth-producing industries where none previously existed; to take a barbarian people on the verge of starvation and lift them up to a comfortable self-support and civilization, is certainly a work of national importance.

In the closing year of the existence of the Territorial board of education the fullowing rules were enacted, viz:

First. From and after this date (October 27, 1888), corporal punishment in the public schools of Alaska is entirely and wholly prohibited.

Second. All religious services are prohibited in all the public schools of Alaska except Howkan Klawack, Metlakahtla, Fort Wrangell, Juneau No. 2, and Haines. The above rules were carried by the deciding vote of the chairman. If Mr. Duncan, the absent member of the board had been present, they could not have been passed.

With the reorganization of the Alaska school system on April 9, 1890, the above rules were rescinded, and both school punishments and religious exercises left discretionary with the teacher and the local school committee.

To still further popularize the schools and create in the several communities a feeling of responsibility for the conduct of the schools and a personal interest in their success, I would recommend that in the villages containing a number of white people, such asJuneau, Sitka, and Douglas, the voters be allowed to elect their local school committee, and said committee be authorized to select teachers of the white schools, subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Education.

I remain with great respect, yours, truly,

Hon. W. T. HARRIS, LL. D.,

SHELDON JACKSON, General Agent of Education for Alaska.

Commissioner of Education.

CHAPTER XVIII.

EDUCATIONAL NECROLOGY.1

1887.

ELIOT, W. G., D. D., at Pass Christian, Miss., January 23, aged seventy-five; was born in Massachusetts, descended from the same family as President C. W. Eliot of Harvard; graduated at Columbian University, Washington, D. C., and at Harvard Divinity School; during his long pastorate of the Unitarian Church in St. Louis, he was one of the most effective promoters of the social, intellectual, and moral uplift of his city and State. He was specially active in establishing Washington University, and finally became its chancellor.

1888.

CALLAHAN, Henry, died at Franklin, N. Y., February 7, aged seventy-seven; born in Andover, Mass., graduated at Union College 1836; studied at Andover Theological Seminary 1836-40, taught in New Hampshire, pastor in New York, and became chaplain of the One hundred and fourteenth New York Volunteers, and was on duty in hospital in New Orleans; taught two years in Delaware Institute, Franklin, N. Y., conducted Callahan Institute there for fourteen years.

WADLEIGH, Miss Lydia F., October 27, in Brooklyn, N. Y., aged seventy-one. She was born in Sutton, N. H., educated and taught at New Hampton, Hanover, Derry, Concord, Georgetown, D. C., Philadelphia, Pa., and Freehold, N. J.; in 1856 became principal of the senior department of the Girls' Twelfth Street Grammar School, New York City; here she advanced the course, won the girls to larger study, at her own expense provided text-books and diplomas, and in spite of criticism inaugurated annual commencements, prepared the public to demand and establish the Normal College, of which she became vicepresident and professor of ethics in 1871, and so remained until her death, which occurred on her return from a visit to Europe.

1889.

ABBOTT, Amos, M. D., in England April 24, aged seventy-eight; born in New Hampshire; educated at Phillips Andover and Andover Theological Seminary, and in medicine in Philadelphia; missionary in India, 1834-47 and 1857-69; author of mission text-books; his arithmetics have been used forty years.

BRACE, Chas. Loring, in Germany, August 17, aged sixty-three; was born in Connecticut; graduated at Yale in 1846; studied theology there and at Union Theological Seminary; he went to Europe for study and observation; while in Hungary he was arrested for expressions of sympathy with the Patriot cause, and was only released on appeal of the American minister and the arrival at Trieste of two American frigates; returning, became interested in an effort to reduce the misery at Five Points, New York City, but declared it as he saw it a Sisyphus' work; began to form the plans which resulted in the Children's Aid Society in 1853, in which he sought to arrest degradation at its source in

1Often the information furnished the Office comes too late for insertion in the current report. Most of the persons named were correspondents of this Bureau.

childhood. Some of the wisest philanthropists joined him, and he found his life work. Boys and girls in need were taken in, and an effort made to elevate them. Lodging houses, newsboys' homes, night schools, free reading rooms, fresh air fund, and summer resorts were established. In his last report it appears that over 200,000 had been received at the lodging houses, over 70,000 had been transplanted to country homes, and not a few had risen to places of responsibility. The expenditure for that year reached $366,998.26. He was a correspondent of this Bureau and the Commissioner appealed to him to plant similar organizations in all of our large cities, but he did not see his way to the undertaking.

BRIGHAM, Miss Mary A., in a railroad accident at New Haven, June 29, aged fifty-nine years; born in Massachusetts, graduated and taught at Mount Holyoke Seminary; was principal of Ingham University, Leroy, N. Y., in 1863; assistant principal of Brooklyn Heights Seminary; was offered the presidency of Wellesley, but accepted that of Mount Holyoke, whose charter as a college she had been active in securing.

BURNHAM, Jonas, March 9, aged ninety years; born in Maine; educated at Phillips Andover, and Bowdoin College, 1823; teacher of academies at Saco, North Bridgton, Bath, China, Bridgton, Kennebunk, Hallowell, Augusta, Winthrop, Strong, and Farmington, Me.

CANFIELD, Mrs. S. A. Martha, May 11, at Bristol, R. I. Her husband, a lieutenant-colonel, fell at Shiloh, and she devoted herself to the relief of the sick and wounded soldiers. She founded the colored orphan asylum at Memphis, Tenn. On the suggestion of President Grant she became a clerk in the Bureau of Education in 1873 and so remained until she resigned in 1885, giving special attention to child-saving institutions and the industrial education of girls.

COOKE, George, in Florida, March 10, aged seventy-eight; born in New Hampshire; graduated at Dartmouth, 1832; studied theology at Andover; president University of Tennessee at Knoxville, 1852-59; teacher at Amherst, 1859–63. FAIRCHILD, Edward H., in Berea, Ky., October 2, aged seventy-three; born in Massachusetts; graduated at Oberlin; principal of preparatory department, Oberlin, 1853-69; president of Berea College, Kentucky, from 1869 till his death; was a brother of President Fairchild of Oberlin and of President Fairchild of Manhattan College, Kansas.

GAGE, William L., May 31, aged fifty-seven; born in New Hampshire; educated at Phillips Andover Academy and at Harvard (1833) and abroad; lectured before Lowell Institute; editor of Ritter's Geographical Studies, Ritter's Life, Ritter's Lectures on Geography, and a Historical Atlas, also of relief maps; author of some twenty other publications.

HALL, J. D., February 16, aged seventy; was born in Connecticut; graduated at Yale 1837, and in theology in 1842; was teacher at Hartford, Conn., 1859–64; principal of the Murray Hill Institute, New York City, 1864-81; teacher at West Hartford, Conn., 1881-84.

HIGBEE, Elnathan Elisha, D. D., LL. D., December 13, aged fifty-nine; born in Vermont; graduated at University of Vermont; taught in Woodstock Academy, Vermont, in 1849; accepted position of teacher in Emmetsburg, Md.; graduated at Reformed Theological Seminary, Mercersburg, Pa.; was one year teacher of mathematics in the high school, Lancaster, Pa.; was professor of Latin and Greek in Heidelberg College, at Tiffin, Ohio; in 1864 accepted the professorship of Church History and New Testament Exegesis in Mercersburg Theological Seminary; 1871-90 was president of Mercersburg College, which be had been instrumental in founding; in 1881 he became State superintendent of public schools for Pennsylvania, and so remained until his death. HOSFORD, H. B., February 27, in Illinois, aged seventy-one; born in Williamstown, Mass.; graduated at Williams, 1843; principal Hopkins Academy, Hadley, Mass., 1843-44; tutor at Williams College, 1844-48; professor Western Reserve College, 1854-60.

KENDRICK, John, LL. D., at Marietta, Ohio. July 29, aged eighty-six; born in Lebanon, N. H.; graduated at Dartmouth in 1826, first in a class of which Chief Justice S. P. Chase was a member; professor at Kenyon, intellectual and moral philosophy, rhetoric, logic and history, also of Greek language and

« ForrigeFortsæt »