Two Languages Best...
(Continued from Page 2)
1 did not sell the idea to the peo
ple in the Education Department
cn the first try! But, I found sup
port in unexpected ways. With a
new brand of administrators called
Northern Service Officers, there
had come a new change in policy.
Their instructions were the oppo
site to mine; they were to learn
Eskimo (since they were all going
to the Arctic) and dispense with
the interpreters as soon as they
could after reaching their field sta
tions.
Their orientation program cov
ered a six month period during
which two hours a day for three
months were spent learning Eskimo.
The instructors were three Eskimos
of varying dialects and an Eskimo- ;
speaking linguist.
I quickly obtained permission to j
sit in on the course as I was plan
ning to return to Ungava Bay for 1
the summer of 1960.
Experiment
The rest of the winter I spent
trying to get authority to teach in I
two languages the following sum- !
mer and to evaluate the program
as an "experiment.” There was
much opposition to the idea but as
I took off for the airport with my
sleeping bag under my arm, I re
ceived a hesitating “okay.” I was
delighted, of course.
Learning Center
The summer of 1960 was differ
ent in many ways since, instead of
doing itinerant teaching going from
camp to camp, we gathered the
children at a middle point, set up
tents for cooking and sleeping and
used a log cabin (which the men
built! for the school.
Parents were not more than 30
miles away and came often by boat
to visit. The people were delighted
that I had learned some Eskimo
over the winter and spent many
evenings helping me learn more.
The children were rather startled
to be using both languages in
school, but soon became excited
about the idea. We used only vo
cabulary from the environment,
for example, boat. fish, net, water,
etc. The children said the words
and sentences in Eskimo, then in
English and then wrote them in
both English and Eskimo.
The Canadian Eskimo use a form
of syllabics for writing and we
taught the younger children to use
this system as well as the regular
alphabet. The use of syllabics
meant that they could have their
parents read their lessons and
stories too. Parents have no way
of sharing the child’s school exper
iences when only English is used.
Bilingual Communication
Contrary to all the arguments,
the use of two languages did not
lower the desire of the children to
communicate in English. Many
times when I wanted something in
a hurry and would ask for it in
Eskimo, a student would "eee” his
agreement and then ask "how in
English..”
Outside school hours we were
often surprised to hear the chil
dren in their tents talking to each
other in English.
Certainly the motivation and in
terest in learning English had not
been dampened! And too, much
more was learned in a shorter per
iod of time. The Ungava children
covered and recalled more material
in three months than the Lac La
Martre children ever experienced
as they struggled through their one
way learning day.
Way of Life
Perhaps the greatest benefits
came from the realization that it
was truly possible to communicate
with the adults and that attitudes
and sensitivities changed as a result.
There was far more mutual re
spect and warmth' with two lan
guages than ther could ever have
been with one; nothing was lost
and much was gained in the process.
1, for one, would not want to
sacrifice the many evening hours I
spent in a warm tent repeating
phrases until the adults nodded ap
proval and I could go to my own
tent with a feeling of accomplish
ment at having learned a few new
words.
It became a way of life that was
filled with many things and many
moments that I will long remem
ber. Perhaps the most important
thing I learned was to laugh at my
self! It is difficult not to laugh
when everyone else is laughing at
an error you have just made—you
stand very much alone until you
join in the laughter and then you
find yourself one of the group.
Sizable Mistake
There were many times of laugh
ter; I recall my puzzlement one day
when I was asked if there were
any fish in the cooktent for lunch.
I replied that there were—three
large ones. The suffix for “large”
in some cases is—juak but appar
ently it did not apply to fish for
when I used the word ilkalnjnak
the tent I was in emptied and I re
joined a laughing group at the
cooktent. Ilkalujuak meant shark,
not “big fish” and everyone had
gone to see how I had gotten three
sharks into the tent! There were
many such incidents provided by
my errors!
Broke Barriers
I do not speak Eskimo well nor
is it likely that I ever will. But
I found that ten words ran take
you past barriers that years of un
ending effort cannot; I learned that
there is much human warmth to be
shared in listening to story-tellers
if you can understand enough to
catch the drift of the story and I
was able to catch a glimpse of a
philosophy and a way of life I
might never had known had I not
learned my basic Eskimo.
It was an experience not only of
satisfying teaching but of effective
learning. It was an experience in
communication that might never
have been. I would not sacrifice it
for any other experience I might
have had before or since then.
There is too much to be lost in
being monolingual.
Letter to Editor
Anchorage. Alaska
February 6. 1063
Dear Gentlemen:
Recently I had the pleasure of
looking over your wonderful news
paper and I liked it so well that I
would subscribe for one year.
I think you have very interest
ing articles and I enjoy it so much.
Looking forward to receiving
your paper soon, I am,
Sincerely,
Edna Thomas
Nome Dog Races
Offer $2,000
In Cash Prizes
Cash prizes totaling $2,000 will
be awarded in the Arctic Alaska
Sweepstakes of the Northwestern
Dog Race Championship at Nome,
March 29-30.
Trophies will be presented to the
four teams posting the best total
elapsed time of the two 20-mile
heats.
For the best total elapsed time,
a first prize of $525 will be award
ed; second. $260; third. $100; fourth,
$60; fifth, 40, sixth, 30; and seventh.
$15.
For the first race, on March 29,
the prizes will be: first, $200: se
cond. $100; third. $75; fourth, $40;
fifth, sixth, and seventh, $10 each.
For the second race on March 30,
the prizes wil be: first, $225: second.
$125; third, $100; fourth $45; and
fifth, sixth, and seventh, $10 each.
An entry fee of $20 will be charg
de each participating team.
Tom Martin, race chairman, says
the racers in the Nome area would
like to challenge mushers in other
areas for the honors and prizes.
Eskimo Scouts
In TV Movie
The important work of the Es
kimo 1st Scout Battalion is the sub
ject of a documentary television
film now being made at Nome and
Shismaref.
The special production of “The
Big Picture” series is being made
by a crew from the Army Pictorial
Center of New York.
Here is the masic plot of the film,
which is based on fact.
An Eskimo National Guard Scout
finds a foreign parachute and pro
ceeds to report the information to
proper authorities. Information is
channeled, a patrol is sent to in
vestigate, and a hidden transmitter
is found.
Also included in the film will
be shots of Eskimo life, including
the blanket toss, dancing, games,
and fishing.
Bert Shiparo is director, Lt. Ben
Benoit, assistant, and Sgt. J. Devan,
chief cameraman. Major Robert
Steele, commander of the 1st Scout
Battalion, is acting as technical
advisor.
Betty Claire
Toy Shop
Mail Orders
Filled Promptly
747 Airport Road
Fairbanks, Alaska
GOOD LISTENING
AROUND THE CLOCK
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Musk — News — Special Events
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Barrow Asks Assistance H
To Speed Townsite Survey
I The Honorable Ernest Gruening
United States Senator
Washington, D. C.
February 19, 1963
Dear Senator Gruening:
At. a meeting of the Barrow Vil
lage Council on February 12, 1963.
it was unanimouusly agreed that
Barrow residents do not want to
move or to be moved to another
location. What is desired is assist
ance in a step-by-step improvement
plan in the present village location:
the realignment of houses, the es
tablishment of well-defined streets
and alleys, and the laying out of
proper gas distribution lines and
power lines.
Among the reasons vve list for
maintaining the village in its pres
ent location are these: our location
is the best in northern Alaska—
since Barrowites live principally
from produce of the sea, it is im
portant to utilize this beach, the
only suitable beach for some miles,
for our fishing boats, etc. Also, this
beach provides the best facilities
for lighterage from the North Star
on her yearly visits. Lastly, this is
an excellent spot for hunting cari
bou.
It is our understanding that the
BLM Trustee recently appointed to
handle the Barrow townsite survey
has been instructed to delay such
survey until late 1963 or until the
summer of 1964. We ask you to use
your influence with the BLM peo
ple at the Washington level to get
this survey completed at once. It is
vitally important that this be done
early this summer, as our REA, our
new airfield, the gasoline distribu
tion-all will be held up until such
survey is complete.
In consultation with the BUM
Trustee, we hope to draw up plans
for a well organized village. What
assistance would be forthcoming,
with your help, from various
branches of the Government to aid
financially? We should appreciate
your cooperation. May we hear from
you?
Sincerely yours.
The Barrow City Council
Signed
Forest Solomon, Chairman
Thomas P. Brower
Arnold Brower
Alfred Hopson
Wyman Panigeo 1
cc: Senator Hopson
R. Bennett, Area Dir. BIA
Fairbanks News-Miner
Anchorage Times
Jessen's Weekly
Nome Nugget ' 1
Tundra Times
BLM. Anchorage
S. Udall, Secy Int.
WIEN ALASKA AIRLINES
KOTZEBUE . Dally ex. Sun.
•(Noatak-Kivalina-Point Hope
Cape Lisburne) . Mon., Wed., Frl.
•(Shungnak-Kobuk-Ambler) . Thurs.
* (Xoorvik-Selawtk) . Tues., Thurs., Sat.
•(Buckland) . Tues., Sat.
(Kiana) . Tues., Thurs., Sat.
NOME . Daily ex. Sun.
•(White Mountain-Golovin-Elim
Moses Point-Koyuk) . Mon., Wed., Frl.
•(Shaktoolik-Unalakleet) . Mon., Frl.
•(Northeast Cape) .. Mon., Wed., Frl.
•(Teller-Port Clearance-Tin City
Wales) . Tues., Thurs., Sat.
•(Shismaref) . Tues., Sat.
•(Granite Mountain-Candle-Deering) .... Tues., Sat.
•(Gambell) . Mon., Frl.
•(Solomon-Council, (Flag Stop)) . W'ed.
FORT YUKON . Mon., lues., inurs., oai.
♦(Bcaver-Stcvcns Village) . Mon., Wed., Thurs.
♦(Venctie) . Tues., Sat.
♦(Arctic Village) . Tues., 3rd Fri.,’Sat., ex. 3rd Sat.
* (Chalky tsik) . Jr*
♦(Barter Island) . ®a*'
♦(Old Crow) . 3rd Sat
♦(Stevens Villagc-Beavcr-Fort Yukon) out of Fairbanks . Wed.
♦(Rampart-Tanana) . Mon.
PT. BARROW . Mon., Wed., Erl
♦(Meade River) . Tues.
♦(Point Lay) . "cd.
♦lUmiat) . Tues.. EH
♦(Wainwright) . Mon., Wed., Erl.
* (Coleville) . 1st & 3rd Tliurs.
TANYNA . Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Frl., Sat.
HUGHES-ALLAKAKET-BETTLES . Tues., Thurs., Sat.
♦(Utopia) out of Hughes . Tues., Thurs., Sat.
♦(Big Lake-Chandalar) out of Betties . hat.
*(W'iseman-Porcuptne Cr.) out of Betties . T,iurs
*(Hogatza-Iluslia) out of Hughes . Thurs.
♦(Anaktuvuk) out of Betties . ^2lurs‘
* (Rubv Creek, Kobuk) out of Betties . TH5S:
GALENA . Mon., Wed., Frl
♦(Kovukuk-Nulato-Kaltag-Kalaket) . Mon., Wed., Frl.
* (Huslia) . Mon.
♦(Ruby) . Mon., Wed.. Frl.. Sat.
♦(Kokrines) . Service by boat from Ruby on Mon.
♦(Unalakleet) . Mon.. Wed., Frl.
CIRCLE HOT SPRINGS-CIKCLE . Mon.. Thurs.
RAMPART . T»es- .
♦(LIvengood) . Tri.
WOODCHOPPER-EAGLE . Tues., Frl.
BOUNDARY-CHICKEN . Tues.
M1NTO-MANLEY HOT SPRINGS . Tues. Frl.
CHENA HOT SPRINGS . Tues.
UTOPTA-HUGHES-KOBUK-HOGAT*A~
KIANA-KOTZEBUE . Mon.
•NOTE: Connections are made with bush aircraft to communities
in parenthesis.
CHARTERS available anywhere u*ilizing the following equipment:
Cessna 180. Cessna 185. Pilatus, Beaver, Porter, Norseman, Twin
Beechcraft, DC-3, Super 46 and F-27. We invite your inquiry.
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