STEFANSSON SPEAKS ON EXPERIENCES IN ARTIC ON MONDAY

Vilhjalmur Stefansson, foremost scientist-explorer of the world, will talk on the subject of "My Five Years in the Arctic" in the Living Room of the Union next Monday evening, December 20, at 8 o'clock. He will be introduced by Mr. W. W. Atwood, President of Clark University and former Professor of Physiography here. This will be the sixth of the Union's main lecture series and will be open to all members of the Union.

Following the completion of his studies at the University in 1905, Mr. Stefansson visited Ireland on an archaeological trip with an American scientist. The next year his career as an explorer began when he joined the Leffingwell-Mickelson Anglo-American Polar Expedition as an anthropologist. This expedition and exploration of Alaska was financed by the University in conjunction with Toronto University.

On his next trip he was in the Arctic regions continuously for 53 months under the auspices of the American Museum of Natural History, and the Canadian Government. It was on this expedition that Mr. Stefansson found the blonde Eskimos--a race showing unmistakable signs of European origin--for the first time.

Unheard From Four Years

In 1913 Mr. Stefansson embarked with his party of scientists at the instance of the Canadian Government on his latest Arctic expedition, expecting to be back within eighteen months. Shortly afterwards it was reported that one of his ships had been lost and his entire party was given up for dead when nothing was heard from them for a year following. Five years later, in 1918, however, the party returned with men and dogs in good health--having lived practically off the land for months at a time.

Mr. Stefansson has explored at least one-fourth of the million square miles of the hitherto unknown polar regions. He has discovered new islands, one of which is almost as large as Great Britain, corrected the outline of others on the map, established the non-existence of one supposedly-discovered island, and upset all the prevailing ideas of life and vegetation in the far north. His reports have been authenticated by the world's leading scientists, and three National Geographical Societies have awarded him gold medals in recognition of his achievements.

The lecture will be illustrated with remarkable stereopticon views. Any members of the University, not already Union members, wishing to hear this lecture may sign up for membership in the Union at any time.