Robert Specht

This is a biographical story about Anne Hobbs, a young teacher who went out to Chicken, a remote gold mining town, in Alaska in 1927. The story creates a vivid picture of the hardship, dangers, but also beauty of life in this remote region. Anne begins the story as quiet and demure but finds the fire in her soul when the vitriolic racism of the townsfolk pushes her to action. Firstly she has to fight to allow Native American children to be educated at her school. Next her budding romance with the lovely Fred, whose mother is Inuit and father is white, threatens her employment and existence in the town. Lastly when she adopts two children after their Native American mother dies and their white father disowns them, the powder keg is lit. Anne’s grandmother was Native American, but the townsfolk consider her to be white and have very rigid views on how she should behave.

Anne was a brave and kind-hearted person and a dedicated teacher. The story itself was gripping, with some action scenes, a sweet romance, and a vivid portrayal of the nastiness of racism and small-mindedness of life. On the other hand the writing itself was very basic and a little clunky at times. The whole thing feels quite dated to read and although I understood Anne’s desire to protect the children, ultimately she still removed them from their culture. Three stars for me, for the insights it gave into life in the Yukon in the 1920s, and for Anne’s example of not bowing to the racism of others.… (meer)

Alaska, 1927. Anne Hobbs has traveled by ornery pony to be a teacher in the Alaskan remote village of Chicken. Tisha is a true story as told to Robert Specht. Barely twenty years old, Anne begins her adventure in Chicken battling sub-zero cold winters and even more frigid prejudiced hearts. The natives of Alaska are considered lesser people even though it is their land. The word siwash is derogatory, both as a noun and a verb. Even the children are not exempt from cruel words and actions of the white community. Anne is not fazed by the immature behavior of the white community and, after developing a fondness for one such "half breed" child named Chuck, insists he attend her school. The taunts and threats now targeting Anne grow louder when she develops an even stronger fondness for a "half breed" adult named Fred. It isn't until Anne and Fred survive a terrible tragedy that the community starts to slowly come around.… (meer)