45

Harry Clifford Fassett.

Americanizing the Pribilof Island Natives of St. Paul, with 4 related photographs.

San Francisco, CA, 30 April 1936
[1], 15 loose typescript carbon pages, 11 x 8½ inches; punch holes, uneven toning, minimal wear. 

The Pribilof Islands are located in the Bering Sea, more than 200 miles from the Aleutian Islands and the Alaskan mainland. St. Paul is the largest of the islands and the most populous, with a present-day population of 413. Harry Clifford Fassett (1870-1953) headed the Bureau of Fisheries at St. Paul from 1914 to 1919, making him the ranking government official of the islands. He composed this unpublished narrative of his experiences 17 years later. He discusses the Aleut-Russian population, their expertise in managing the endangered seal population, their Christmas pantomime performances, efforts to shift the primary language from Russian to English, the creation of the island's first hospital, and the illicit brewing of Russian-style quass ale. A compelling description of one of the most remote corners of the United States.

With--4 photographs of St. Paul, each 8 x 10 inches, with minor wear and light curling. Two are captioned in manuscript, "North [South] End of St. Paul Village, October 1914, GDH." The other two are similar but uncaptioned. 

and--2 copies of a letter of recommendation written for Fassett by the Bureau of Fisheries in 1925. 

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