Northwest History. Aviation 8. Celebrations, United States.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1936
• Subjects: Point Barrow; Alaska; Santa Claus; reindeer; Eskimos; Arctic ocean shore; Barrow mission church; Rev. Frederick G. Kerkoper; Dr. Raymond Mauer; government physician; artificial Christmas tree; reindeer horns; Eskimo "ice cream"; golf balls; arctic night; Stebbins; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Aviation; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; North Pole; Pacific; Barrow; eskimo*; Tundra
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/86322

Point Barrow First Stop: Few Whites Three Aid Eskimos To Understand. Few Whites There Aid Eskimos to Understand. BARROW, Alaska, Dec. 25. (AP)—Santa Claus and his reindeer steeds made a short dash from the north pole and left Eskimos and the few whites along the Arctic ocean's shore singing his praises today. Dancer, Prancer and Dasher brought an Eskimo Santa Claus to the Barrow mission church with never a bit of trouble, though other reindeer in this desolate land of winter night fled from wolves prowling the tundra. Gather at Mission. Eskimos and whites gathered in the mission presided over by the Rev. Frederick G. Kerkoper and Dr. Raymond Mauer, government physician, and received gifts off a strange, artificial Christmas tree made of reindeer horns. For natives, there were useful presents and candy—sweets which relieved the taste of or improved the flavor of Eskimo "ice cream" consisting of seal or whale blubber. Dr. Mauer, who laid out a golf course on the arctic ice floes, almost spanked Santa Claus for failing to bring any golf clubs or balls. The doctor said he'd have to shoot some polar bear which he accused of gobbling the golf balls. With the first stop at Barrow out of the way, Santa Claus and his reindeer soared south in the arctic I night to visit other settlements, among them Stebbins, Alaska, in the Koyukuk where natives, more primitive than the northern Eskimos, met the Christmas saint for the first time in 1929. There the children sang in Eskimo, "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful." All the faithful came, chewing blubber, tobacco or candy as their tastes suggested. The champion "giver" had not been decided, could not be until the Eskimos had time to count their gifts and decided who had contributed the most generously. The "highest giver" was to be designated "head man," a title carrying great power unless the titlist tried to enforce it.