Elmer is second from the left.John is in the plaid shirt.

(variant n'úzhn'ik) Outhouse. It comes from the word nuzhda meaning 'necessity'.Possible that many Russian dialects would have this as a nuetral word.Source: Russian. Sort of sounds like Noosh'nik Noosh'nik

My Great Uncle Kanashka (Elmer Kelly Senior)was more ingenious than the rest of the villagers or perhaps lazier as his brother John often related, "It takes a wise man to be lazy." He invented things to make his life more convenient. Most homes used a padlock and chain in the old days. Everyone else had a wooden latch on the inside. His padlock was more secure than the others in the village. It was constructed so the chain and lock could be used from the inside as well as the outside. A bit drafty but nonetheless no need to carve a latch. He conned my Mother into taking his sled dog, Silver, one fall by telling her he was going to shoot it. My Mother cooked and tended the dog all winter. In the spring Silver was fat and Sassy. Uncle Elmer reclaimed the dog and used him to pull log poles on the beach for his fishing site just as he had for the past five years. He had the dog but my brothers had suffered the winter elements tending the animal while Kanashka was snug in his cabin. Memories of trudging to the Núzhn'ik. (outhouse) in thirty below weather and Sears catalogs linger in the hearts of everyone who lived In Ninilchik before indoor plumbing and often after running water arrived. The best of this sagacious Uncle’s devices was his outhouse. No trudging through the wind, slush and snow or sitting in the frigid temperatures reading an old Montgomery Ward’s catalogue for my Uncle. He had a small room off his house, in a strategic place conveniently located near the coal and wood cook stove for warmth, stocked with National Geographics and other reading materials. Other than packing water he had little reason to face the harsh winter elements. I was always fascinated with this concept and wondered why no one else had such a wonderful Núzhn'ik. I don’t recall any foul odors because he sprinkled lime down the opening in the same manner as one would flush a toilet today. To my knowledge it was the only indoor toilet in the entire village of Ninilchik.

I have recently learned that several folks including the school teacher had a similar inside outhouse. Hmmm wonder why we didn't?