school building in which we can carry on this work. With more room we could greatly increase the output of the shop and make it of more value to the community.

Domestic science.—This part of the work was carried on in a very capable manner by my assistant Mrs. Porter. Much time was spent instructing the natives how to cook vegetables in as many ways as possible. Each dish was prepared several times so that every girl had experience in preparing it.

In the sewing class 26 aprons, 5 cooking cups, 1 crocheted cap, 1 corset cover, 3 pieces of crocheted lace, and buttonholes were made. Some of this was machine work, but most of it was done by hand.

School work. The classes made good progress in their books and showed a great deal of interest in the work. Most of the pupils are ready to advance to the next grade. Special stress was placed on enunciation, the phonic system being used. Arithmetic and reading were emphasized, and very good work was done in both. The natives are good spellers as a rule. A great deal of blackboard work was done to supplement the lessons in the books. Our average daily attendance was 27. Entertainments were given throughout the school term, to which all were invited. In this way the parents kept in touch with the school work and became more interested in it. Several spelling bees were given which were well attended. The more frequently we can get the parents to visit the schoolroom the better work we get out of the pupils.

Canning. The small canning outfit sent here by the Government two years ago has been a success. We used tin cans the first year and lost some of them at first on account of leaks. Better results were secured toward the end of the season. Last year glass jars were used exclusively, and the pack was perfect. We used the double safety jars, which gave us very little trouble. Six dozen cans of wild-goat meat, about 30 dozen cans of salmon, 4 dozen cans of golden wax beans, 3 dozen cans of peas, and about 2 dozen cans each of chard and spinach were put up last summer. Beans and peas could be packed at a profit, and perhaps spinach. The salmon put up in glass is far superior to that put up in tins, and it looks well if properly packed.

Cooperative store.—The cooperative store has certainly been a great help to the village. There are two other native stores, but the cooperative store gets most of the business. The new directors are all young men, except the chief, and his presence on the board has helped us; he has not opposed any good measures, and the older people feel that they have a representative to look after their interests. At the monthly meetings the business of the month is brought up, and new plans to increase the business and make the store more attractive are talked over and passed upon. It was decided to pay F of the dividends on the money invested and the other half on purchases. New scales were purchased, as the ones we had were not satisfactory. The new ones are the "Money weigh scales," by which the clerk can tell at a glance how much merchandise to weigh out for any amount of money. A new store building has been built by the company, and it was occupied just before the holidays. Our merchandise sales during the year totaled nearly $9,000, and our net gain was 25 per cent. Everybody seemed satisfied. Three hundred and fifty dollars' worth of new stock was sold this year.

Hunting, trapping, and fishing. The natives were very successful in hunting, trapping, and fishing during the past year. About 30 bears were killed and sold at an average price of $10; 2 dark silver fox skins sold for $200 each; about 65 red fox skins averaged $9 each; 8 cross fox skins sold for $16 each; 21 mink skins averaged $2; 40 ermine skins averaged 60 cents each. Between 75 and 80 lynx skins sold at an average of $10 each. Between four and five

thousand dollars was received for fish and work in the cannery and dried fish sold during the winter. This brings the total received for fur sold to nearly $7,000. Canadian Indians who buy their supplies here also brought out $2,000 worth of skins.

Enough can not be said in praise of the Office of the Bureau of Education at Seattle for the way in which it looks after the natives' interest in the handling of their furs. Three lots, for which the natives were offered $782 here brought them when handled by the bureau in Seattle over $1,200.

Goats. The goats shipped here have not been a success for several reasons. It is almost impossible to build a fence that will keep out the native dogs. The snow falls from the bushes upon the backs of the goats in the winter while they are feeding; this snow melts and the hair does not dry out for a long time; their backs are often damp after being kept in the stable for two and three days. As far as forage is concerned, there is an unlimited amount in this country just suited to their needs. On account of their short hair, milch goats would be much better for this country than those sent and I do not see why that breed could not be raised at a profit. The nettles that I had hoped the goats would destroy they would not eat. I will shear the goats soon and the hair will be given to some of the blanket makers.

Bees. I purchased two swarms of bees in order to try them out here. One came through in fine shape and is putting up lots of honey. There are lots of honey-producing plants here, but it will take at least two years to try bees out thoroughly.

Sanitation and medical work.-The medical work was carried on, with Mrs. Shaver's assisance, in about the usual manner. There was less sickness here than usual, except during the epidemic of la grippe. There were several severe cases of scabies that were sent to the Mission Hospital at Haines to receive treatment. Dr. Craig made several visits here, aiding us materially in the care of the sick.

In mothers' meetings, held by Mrs. Shaver and Mrs. Porter, talks were given on scabies, tuberculosis, and the care of babies. These meetings were well attended and very helpful.

Old customs.-The old customs of the Thlingets are holding them back, especially the young people. Several big feasts were given last fall in which nearly all of the money accumulated for years was spent by parties giving the feasts. There are many things for which money may be demanded. The largest amounts are secured on account of deaths which are supposed to have been caused by another tribe. Last winter a young man died of pneumonia ; his mother accused a neighboring tribe of having caused his death, and she demanded $50, which the tribe refused to pay. She then took a vow to starve herself, and in that way she collected $25, as they would have been the cause of her death if she had starved. Another case was that of a little girl who also died of pneumonia; she was taken sick the day after she had been pushed down in the snow by a boy while all of the school children were rolling and playing. Her death was laid at the door of the tribe to which the boy belonged. The mother threatened to starve herself in order to secure $300. I found out about it in time to tell them that such practices must be stopped, and then I notified the United States commissioner at Haines. The result was that the woman did not starve herself and no money was collected. Each member of the tribe from which the money is secured is supposed to contribute, so that the young people are required to pay their part. If they do not pay they are ignored by their own tribe as well as by others; of this they are greatly ashamed, so most of them pay, sooner or later.

The work among the natives of Alaska can not help but hold the interest of those who have been connected with it long enough to be able to put themselves in the natives place and look at things from their point of view; we sometimes judge the natives harshly, not realizing that they are much like children at times. In many things they show very good judgment, and most of them wish to aid those who are working with them.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES PUBLIC SCHOOL AT YAKUTAT, IN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA.

By E. M. AXELSON, Teacher.

Classroom work.-The children made good progress in the common subjects taught, and I have had classes in all readers up to and including the fifth. In arithmetic the advanced class did creditable work in decimals and fractions. This class was also instructed in the history and geography of America, Alaska and the United States receiving the most attention. Besides, I made a special effort to familiarize the children with the English language through all methods available, by sounds, by letters, by words and phrases, by spelling, by letter writing, and by copy work.

Industrial pursuits.—Mrs. Axelson has had charge of the classes in sewing and cooking. Both the boys and girls take great delight in using the needle, and they take a special pride in making the designs on the sewing cards as neat and attractive as possible. The sewing material furnished by the Alaska School Service is utilized to the utmost. In the first place, it offers the pupils an excellent opportunity to learn needle craft, and, secondly, when the cloth is finished it offers good, serviceable garments to the children.

Cooking and canning have also received considerable attention. Through the kind assistance of Mr. Lopp I secured a small home canning outfit, and in the early fall we canned berries. This work was both delightful and profitable. First, we gathered up some of the larger children and went up to the berry fields to pick berries. The next day we canned them. The class consisted of eight members, and everybody joined in the work of cleaning the berries, putting them into the jars, etc. We canned blueberries, salmon berries, and strawberries, and in such an amount that after a very liberal distribution to the individuals of the class for their work we had about 100 quart jars left for our own use. There is a large supply of berries every season at this place, and this work offers great possibilities for the future, both for commercial and home use.

Medical and sanitary work. The supplies of medicine and books furnished the teachers I consider invaluable. By these means we are able to render first aid to the sick, and often throughout the disease extend service almost equal to professional. Hardly a day has passed by but that there have been some native calling on me for medical assistance, and often there have been as many as six and eight in one day. When I first came here the natives had little or no faith in the white man's medicine, but now they think this medicine can cure everything.

The health of the natives seems to be improving. This, no doubt, is due to the fact that they begin to take better care of themselves; they begin to live under better sanitary conditions, and their homes, their food, and their clothing are superior to that of some of the white men of this place.

Concluding remarks.—In regard to morals, this last year has been a great improvement. With the arrival of a marshal here, beer making and liquor traffic has been reduced to almost nothing. All the younger people have begun

to marry according to the laws of the nation. As a whole the people are becoming more industrious and spend their money in a more judicious way, and we all must admit that the untiring efforts of the Alaska School Service are doing wonders with the natives of Alaska.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES PUBLIC SCHOOL AT AKIAK, ON THE KUSKOKWIM RIVER, IN WESTERN ALASKA.

By JOHN H. KILBUCK, Teacher.

The Akiak United States public school which was established in July, 1911, has been under my care continuously for five years. The year just closed has been a trying one for this entire river, both for the natives and the white men and for the Akiak school. The nonarrival of the steamer Abler and the late arrival of the Bender Brothers prevented the Kuskokwim River Commercial Co.'s river steamer Quickstep from making her up-river trip, causing a serious shortage of provisions up and down the river. Some kinds of food were exhausted before the winter was over. The hardship this entailed was, no doubt, considerable in some sections.

This village, upon our arrival five years ago, occupied less than an acre of ground; it consisted of four cabins above ground, two half under ground, and four huts altogether under ground, beaver style-10 habitations for about 115 people. To-day the village is spread over a space of no less than 5 acres, upon which are erected three rows of dwellings, 24 in number, not including the schoolhouse, teacher's dwelling, and the church. These 24 cabins are as a rule occupied by one family; they are well lighted with from two to four windows and have means of ventilation without opening the door. Eleven of these cabins have cellars under them, and there is one under the schoolhouse that is 32 by 16 by 6 feet. There are also 15 private water-closets. In 1911 there were no ranges in the village and only one sewing machine. Now there are 5 ranges, 19 stoves, 18 sewing machines, and 6 phonographs. Tables; chairs, rocking chairs, bedsteads, and bed springs are to be found in these homes. The premises about these homes are looked after the year round, and the housewife is the prime mover in this forward step. She does not hesitate to rake the rubbish into piles and set fire to them. Last year's rubbish does not exist any more. Clean premises are reliable indexes of cleanliness inside the houses.

By engaging in the reindeer industry and by tilling the soil the people of Akiak have made notable advancement in civilization. Up to our arrival only men who had served the required term of apprenticeship in the reindeer service were in possession of deer. The privilege of any native of good standing to acquire reindeer had been given by the Government some years before our coming to Akiak, but no one here had taken advantage of it. In this village there are now 14 individuals who have acquired deer either for cash or in payment for labor, and they own from 2 to 50 deer each, aggregating something like 127 head. The Government's guarantee to protect the owners in the possession of his deer, insuring the proper disposition of the herd after his decease, is one of the reasons why the native has taken to purchasing deer. The present owners do not expect to get very great benefit from the few deer they are able to purchase, but they look upon this transaction as a provision for their children. Before this, however wealthy a native might be, his wealth after his death went mostly to outsiders, while his own immediate family usually became destitute. Our success in getting these people thus to provide for the future is an achievement of which we are proud.

Our greatest triumph, however, was our success in getting the natives to break away from that pernicious old custom, the potlatch. The potlatch out of the way, the providing of home comforts engaged the attention of the people. The women and children at once began to be better dressed, the wife was given a sewing machine, a better stove, an ample supply of kitchen and table ware, and food the year round. The men were able to keep their best dogs, a good gun, a full supply of steel traps, and a good boat; in the days of the potlatch they had to give up these things on demand. By practicing a little economy and self-denial, a savings-bank account was possible, in the form of reindeer, which is the very best bank for the Alaskan native. Debt, the bane of the Eskimo's life, became less and less with each succeeding year after the potlatch was abolished by the village, and the close of the present fiscal year sees the Akiak people practically out of debt.

The drain

Before our

Gardening.—The climate of Akiak is favorable to gardening; the soil is a sandy loam, covered with the sediment of overflows from the river. age is good. As there is no moss there is no ice under the ground. arrival there was not a foot of ground under cultivation, and the natives were very skeptical of their ability to make things grow. Immediately upon our landing in July, 1911, we spaded up a small bed and planted radishes, turnips, and lettuce. These gave a good yield, except the turnips, which the rabbits enjoyed. The following year several men made gardens, each about 10 by 12 feet in size. Year after year the number of gardeners increased, and the gardens grew in size. Now every family is cultivating a plot, and the ground under tillage is about 3 acres.

The returns from the sale of vegetables raised in Akiak gardens were $50 one year, $150 for the next year, and $750 for this year. The price of potatoes was $200 per ton until this year, when it was lowered to $140. This village had the distinction of being able to supply the potato demand for this section of the Kuskokwim Valley, disposing of at least 5 tons. The Abler's failing to arrive with the winter's supplies of potatoes for the river was a fair wind to potato growers, and Akiak had its share. Ten dollars was the lowest realized on the last crop by an individual, and the highest was $240. There were 14 sellers of vegetables, and these averaged $53.51 apiece. The quality of the vegetables, especially potatoes, has improved from year to year. The buyers, principally miners and prospectors, were well pleased to be able to get new potatoes of such good quality. The miners of Canyon Creek Camp laid in a supply of 14 tons of potatoes for the summer. The natives also had sauerkraut, canned red beets, and berries for sale. Besides the vegetables sold, the natives used a very liberal supply themselves throughout the year.

The vegetables that do well at Akiak are peas, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, rhubarb, turnips, radishes, lettuce, beets, and celery. This year the gardens are still more increased in size, the main crop being potatoes. The proposed agricultural fair did not materialize on account of the inclement weather. The potatoes were harvested in wet weather, and it took all our time to dry them and get them into condition for storing for the winter.

We have made great efforts to get the people to be forehanded instead of behindhanded. It was gratifying to see every net ready for use long before the salmon arrived, and fish traps were ready to set out as soon as the ground was thawed enough to permit the driving of the stakes. The gardens were spaded and the ground prepared for seeding before the weather was warm enough for planting.

740°-17-Bull, 32- 4