A School Teacher in Old Alaska by Hannah Breece, Jane Jacobs (1997, Paperback)

Hannah gave twelve years of her life teaching under deplorable conditions for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Apparently, she was too strong for native rights and the Bureau in those days was not noted for defending native interest and rights so she was terminated at the end of her l2 years. She applied for reinstatement and received a letter which informed her in so many words that they wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole. She taught two more years in the public schools of Alaska and then went to Oregon to teach. The book really appealed to me as I spent time in Alaska for the dear old B.of I. and found they hadn't made many changes in their attitude from 1916 to the 1950's. I would recommend the book to anyone interested in how the natives were treated in the early 1900's and of course to any B. of I. teacher who survived life in the bush, this book will bring back a flood of memories. I also would recommend the book to anyone who likes true accounts of living among the natives. I think she left out a lot and even though she was old when she told the story, she didn't want to cause trouble for herself or others by speaking out too strongly against the Department of Interior.