ARCTIC MOOD

The story of a year's service for the Alaska Division of the Native School and Medical Service in the Eskimo village of Wainwright on the Arctic coast. A hardy courageous American woman brought to this primitive, all-native community the rudiments of education and sound health practices. Her story is taken in part from letters home, from her diary and from recollections, and she describes her preparations for the journey, the hardships and obstacles overcome in setting up the school, clinic and village center. The stalwart character of the Eskimo people comes through in this record, and one gets a feeling of their way of life, struggle unending with cold and inadequate food supply, and the buoyant enthusiasm the author brought to bear on their problems, as she made constructive contribution to the community well-being, and decided at the end of her first year to stay on at Wainwright. There is no distinction to the writing, but the character of the woman stands out...Selection of Family Reading Club.