The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-29

Who IL to blame for Condition OF
Alaska's Schools.

THE important subject Of Alaska
schools, over which there has been
The governor tells OF the establishment
OK Aiaska's FIRST school in Sitka. in 1865
Continuing. he says:
From this time on until the withdraw
al OF the United states troops in 1877 the
city government waned and died. and
with II the school This was the only
school attempted in the territory. except
Company on the Priblof islands, and II
was exclusively for the creoles and the
WHITES. The natives were then, as many
stun assert them 10 be- too 'unsayory' to
DE considered or touched
IN the spring of 1873 the Presbyterian
Board OF Home Missions sent a mission
airy TO Sitka. and school was opened
the whites that they were neglected this
same missionary urged Miss Pauline CO.
nen 70 open a school for these children.
which she did. The children of the Greek
church were allowed TO attend upon the
condition that the priest should be al
lowed TO teach them one hour each day.
This was agreed to. Miss Cohen held
compensation by subscription.
Mr.. A E. Austin, citizen of New
YORK city. moved TO Sitka In 1879 and took
year. The following year his daughter
was commissioned TO teach the natives.
Snd MI Austin's family moved TO Sitka.
MIR. Austin's younger daughter then
Joined with her father in teaching the
white children.
Section ID of the organic act. approved
May II, 1854. provided:
That the secretary of the interior
shall make needful and proper provision
for the education Of tha children OF
school age. in the territory of Alaska.
time as permanent provision shall be
made for the same. and the sum of SIS. 600.
or so much thereof as may be necessary.
is hereby appropriated for this purpose
March 2 10 Of he
interior assigned the duty of making pro-
vision for the education of children in
Alaska to the United States commissioners
OF education. DR.. Sheldon Jackson was
appointed general agent of education
April 10. 1855. The commissioner was we'll
satisfied that he had appointed the right
marked out.
From this beginning until the present
time the bureau of education has had
charge of Alaska educational matters
The white children did not Increase to any
noticeable degree until 1897. Where they
were in sufficient numbers, as a, Sitka
and Juneau, separate school houses were
built and furnished for them. Congress
could not be prevailed upon to increase
the amount OF the annual appropriation
which was kept at 10000. The work
which the bureau had In hand consumed
this amount for each year. and It was
impossible for IL To build new houses aud
furnish them and supply teachers unless
the appropriation was increased
This has been clearly enough set forth
IN the reports OF the governor for 1887 and
1874 The reasons were given why tho
amount should be increased to $4,000.
Ihey are stronger and more urgent to-
day Skagway and Dyea sprang up as if
by magic. Family life at once assumed
large. proportions. The erection OF 60
brought more families TO Douglass New
enterprises in the neighborhood OF Juneau
multiplied family life there Fort Wran-
gel had a boom in real estate and her
al
Cons siderable discomfort has been
aroused Somebody is to blame. Who Ia
Il? Here is a fine opportunity to strike a
blow. and IT was seized by the foreman
OF the last grand jury. DR.. Sheldon Jack
son is the cuprit. Attack him and pour
all possible abuse upon him Some of us
have been In Alaska a long time many
years before the foreman OF this grand
jury. who was once the governor of this
district The educational agent was n
stumbling block to him then He de-
manded his removal. and believing that
he had secured It, so announced IL before
leaving the deck OF his steamer on his
return to Sitka from Washington. This
is enough to show that there has been
an animus Of long standing. In view of
the -four able paragraphs which he wrote
concerning education In Alaska from isSs
10 1883, inclusive, this attack upon gov
eminent officer, who has for SO many
years performed his duty faithfully ana
well. is altogether unworthy OF the OK
governor. 1t is n very poor way In which
10 get even. The fault OF deficiency in
school facilities does not lie with Or.
Jackson.
We need more schools and more teach
eFs because the number of children is In
creasing. Those children who have been
in primary grades need Ia he advanced
10 higher grades. but this ia impossible
unless the means are provided II con-
gress provide that the larger towns may
organize themselves into municipal gov
ernments granting them power To ham
die their own school affairs and setting
apart a sufficient amount or the sum re-
ceiyei for the licenses IN sell intoxicating
liquors toward their support, then the
school question need no longer TO be a
yexed one.
1T Is earnestly recommended that p
sum not less than ssl eao be placed At The
disposal Of the bureau of education to
meet the costs OF schools fer the ensuing
year"