The Alaska citizen., 1914-06-29
SOME NEEDS Of
LOCAL SCHOOLS
ARE OUTLINED
PROFESSOR kNOWLTON TELLS
HOW EDUCATION CAN BE
IMPROVED.

principal of the Fairbanks schools
! has prepared careful review of
the educational conditions in Alaska
| Lack Of space prevents the publica-
! ton of more than the following sug.
| gestions for the Improvement OF
Alaska schools, as contained in his
review:
Il. The number of white children
in a rural district necessary for the
establishment of a school should be
lowered
90 Many school laws on miscel-
laneous topics should be passed,
printed, and put into the hands Of
teachers. e. g., laws concerning the
legal school age in Incorporated
towns; health laws for the schools,
together with definite regulations
regarding the closing of schools dur
ing epidemcs of certain diseases: tru-
ancy laws.
"3. Greater attention should be
paid to the more obviously practical
subjects. Vocational subjects have
been suggested. together with man
ual training for the boys and domes-
tic science for the girls. Yet changes
in this direction should be made eau
tiously; though proper provision
should be made for the so-called
'hand-minded" pupils, and every op-
portunity should be extended to all
pupils to acquaint themselves with
as many Immediately practical sub
jects as possible, the more strictly
unitarian branches should not be
permitted to crowd out the others
In Alaska, where there are no
large cities and both children and
adults have been accustomed to shift
for themselves in matters of daily
routine with surprising versatility
II ere Is more danger of over-empha
sis Of the practical subjects than
there Is of their neglect, at least in
communities where instruction in
practical subjects is not rendered I'M
possible by lack of funds. The pres
ent popularity of, for example, vo
cational training in the States is
the result of a highly organized
commercial and industrial system
which does not exist in Alaska
"a Regulations should be passed
requiring the presence of at least
certain specified books in all school
libraries.
haps be organized in some Of the
largest towns"
Concerning an educational memoir
ial passed by the Alaska legislature
Mr.. Knowlton says:
"Probably not one educated Alas
kan in ten is aware of the fact that
an educational memorial was passed
at the last session of the Alaska
legislature and is at present before
congress, for the matter has received
but little attention In the press. Of
the two great educational needs of
Alaska, namely that of central or
ganization and that of more definite
school laws for Incorporated towns,
only the former Is recognized in the
memorial which contains four chief
provisions, as follows:
Il. The supervision of public
schools, together with the discharge
of many duties requiring hig' ly
technical knowledge of educational
matters, Is put in the hands of
board of three-the governor, the
secretary, and the treasurer of the
Territory.
20. The governor is made eX-officio
superintendent of schools, with ar
duous clerical and administrative du-
ties.
20. The governor and two other
persons appointed by him are to con-
stitute a Territorial board of eX-
aminers, for the issuance of certi-
ficates to teachers.
"a. Two division school superin-
tendents are to be appointed, with
certain specified duties"