The Alaska daily empire., 1920-12-29
ALASKA SCHOOLS TO BE AGENT IN PUBLICITY MOVE
Commissioner Henderson Proposes Plan for Giving
 Out Real Information.

To use Alaska schools as means of conveying real information about the Territory through the media of letters written by students in various grades to students in schools in the States who have indicated desire to exchange correspondence is pro posed by L. D. Henderson, Territorial Commissioner of Education. He sets forth his idea in recently issued bulletin to teaching staffs in a num- Der of schools located in several towns in Alaska.
 Giving Alaska Publicity
 The bulletin says:
 "This office, from time to time, receives bundles of letters written by the pupils of some grade in one of the schools of the States with re- quest that they be given similar grade in some Alaska school for re- ply. Likewise, various Alaska schools receive letters from schools on the Outside In many cases the teachers consider the time spent in answering such letters poorly spent. Such a plan of interchanging letters would seem, however, to be highly advan- tageous from not only pedagogic standpoint but also from a stand point of removing from the minds of some of the residents of the States some of the leading fallacies and misconceptions regarding Alaska.
 "In so far a9 the former is con ccraed very direct motive is pro- videG for training in expression through letter writing which is one of the most important and largely used forms of composition. As for the latter, real facts can be substi- tuted for the grossly exaggerated ideas now existent especially if teachers exercise some degree of supervision ovr the work and encour age children to discuss climate. re- sources, commercial possibilities and general advantages. not only of the community in which they reside but also in their section of Alaska and in Alaska as a whole.
 We are going to suggest, there fore, that such an interchange of letters be made a definite part of the work in Language and Geography during the remainder of the school year and that the Alaska schools take the initiative and select schools in communities situated in many parts of the States for such an inter change of correspondence. The sane type of letters which is sent to the sixth grade of certain Colorado schools by the sixth grade pupils Of the Ketchikan schools may also be sent to certain Iowa schools, and to schools in other states. It will ia oilitate matters if the superintend- ent or teacher takes charge of all letters and send them in one pack age to the superintendent or to the teacher of the grade with which cor respondence is sought
 Correspondence Urged
 Tn view of the fact that especial effort is being put forth to make Alaska and things Alaskan familiar to all school children in the Terri tory, an interchange of letters among the various schools is also suggested. Such a practice. in addition to in creasing the knowledge of each cor respondent, would do much toward increasing that feeling of unity which is to a great extent lacking among the residents of the Territory and without which the highest degree ol development cannot be reached.
 Such interschool correspondence should pave the way for an inter change of photographs. products ant other materials which will be highll interesting and educational. Th'