ALASKA YOUNGSTERS ARE
LEARNING FAST TO
SPEAK ENGLISH
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The number of persons in
' Alaska 10 years old and over un
able to speak English has de
creased since 1920, the 1930
census statistics just released
show.
In 1920 there were 43,768 per
sons over 10 in the northern ter -
ritory. Of these 6593, or 15.1 per
cent, could not speak English.
In 1930 the population over 10
had increased to 46,844, but the
number unable to speak English
had declined to 6469, or 13.8 per
cent. 0
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ALASKA WEAKER IN
MILITARY MANPOWER
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In military manpower Alaska
grows weaker.
This is shown by the census
report on Alaska, just made
public, following the 1930 survey.
In 1920 Alaska had 15,422 men
of “militia age,” which is 18 to 44
In 1930 the number had dwindl
ed to 13,474.
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1HE SUPERIORITY COMPLEX
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Invariably people assume their
race superior to others. The idea
goes back to early times when a
certain race assumed itself the
chosen people. The Greeks con
sidered themselves cultured, all
others, barbarians. In America
we assume ourselves superior to
ofher races, particularly ike
races of the Orient and the na
tive races of Alaska. Only a tew
years ago, school officials of the
States assumed the Japanese
were inferior in mentality to
American children. Recent ex
periences, however, have dem
onstrated that Japanese children
are mentally on an equality with
children of American parents
and excell in music and art.
The Superiority Complex holds
for the respective native people
of Alaska. The Eskimo considers
himself superior to the Indian.
His word Innuit means people
and in speaking of himself he
uses the term. Innuit for people.
We are the people. The Thlingets
also have the superiority com
plex. People, in his language is
expressed by the word “thlinget'’
end in speaking of people
“Thlinget” is the word used. All
others are barbarians. “Haidah”
means people and Haidah In
dians speaking of themselves or
people use that word. Tsim
sheans characterize themselves
in the same way and look down,
or did in early days, upon all
other native races .
Tiie cutstanding illustration cf
the Superiority Complex shown
by Na'hu s of Alaska, occurred at
Sitka when President Harding
visited ib.?.t town. The people of
Sitka expressing their apprecia
tion to the President presented
him with a Potlatch Bowl. After
the Mayer of the town had given
his present, the President want-'
ed to shake hands with the man
who made the Potlatch Bowl.
Practically all of Sitka was in
the c' rj at the time of the
presentaPon, but the maker of
the Potlatch Ecwl was not there.
The Mayor was informed
where the maker of the bowl
could he found and went to him.
He was alone on the dock away
from the crowd, with an entire
ly indifferent attitude to public
ceremonies. The Mayor said to
tire maker of the potlatch bowl.
‘ The President of the Uneted
States wants 3 011 to come to him'
that he may shake hands with
you and thank you personally
for the potlatch bowl which you
have made and which we have
presented to him.” The old na
tive, speaking English, replied:
f'Jf the President of the United
States wants to meet me $nd
shake hands With me and thank
me for making the potlatch bowl
which you have presented, you
go back there and fetch him
over here.” The maker saw no
reason why he, with his family
back-ground, should condescend
tc go to the President of the
United States.
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DEPARTMENT CHILD
WELFARE REPORT
1930-1931
(By Elaine H. Talbot, Depart
ment Chairman, Child Welfare
American Legion Auxiliary.)
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Since the visit of Miss Emma
C. Puschner, National Director
of Child Welfare for the Ameri
can Legion, to Alaska last April
Child welfare has taken on new
meaning in our territory.
She brought with her echoes
of the White House Conference
at Washington, D C. held last
November when Children’s Char
ter was adopted. In accepting
the challenge of the children’s
charter welfare organizations
throughout the United States
have pledged themselves to a
square deal for all children (re
gardless of race or color or situa
tion, wherever he may live un
der protection of the American
flag).
In the past we have felt in
Alaska that we had no child
welfare problem inasmuch as we
understood our efforts to be con
fined to children of veterans.
Miss Puschner emphasizes the
fact that unhealthful conditions,
both moral and physical, which
affect children in any of our
communities will surely, sooner
or later, affect our own children.
Thus our program has been en
larged to include all children.
This does not necessarily
mean that we must expand our
funds, but that it will be the
duty of our child welfare