The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-23

first of higher learning and technical operation for period of two months first in the Northland, is a potent sign of the times. It speaks progress Il tells the world that Alaska is going ahead It proclaims, in it's name, the fact that agriculture and mining are gives denial to the popular fiction that Alaska is a forbidding, frozen upheaval real Alaska. It will be helpful factor in service to Alaska"
 The above quotation is the first paragraph of the address delivered by Governor Scott C. Bone at the dedi- cation of the Alaska Agricultural Col lege and School of Mines September 13, 1922.
 : Now that the College has been in operation for period of three months it is interesting to get closeup view Y see whether or not it is and will con tinue to be helpful factor in service to Alaska"
 It must be kept in mind that people are pretty much the same in all sec tions of our country; the proportion of pessimists and optimists maintains a fairly constant ratio. Radicals and conservatives are limits between which safe equilibrium is maintained, and for everyone bent on tearing down two or more are building up. Con- scientious critics voiced their opinions, which, from a careful survey of the begnnings of other similar institutions, are found to be identical in all ma terial respects The date of opening having been determined some contend ed it would be impossible to open on time: others were sure no students would attend and still others stoutly maintained the Federal endowment or $50 900 would not be forthcoming for the year 1922-1923. All such prohe- sies ran the usual and natural accep- tance or rejection were helpful 1n measure and are now no more.
 On September IS. the day of open ing. six students enrolled. It so hap. pened that President Bunnell expected inst about that number and had or dered textbooks and supplies occord- ingly. This modest beginning was due for hundred per cent increase, ana before the end of the first month there were twelve students enrolled-one general science: two home economies; eight mining engineering, all Fresh men; and one Agriculture, taking sen for class work
 One of the most frequent inqulrles is. "How do you get out to the COT 1ege from Fairbanks?" We'll, here is how it is done Right here in the land so many good people in the States still nersist in measuring in terms Of Eskimo, igloos, polar bear, dog-teams' snow shoes. and endless frozen tun- dfa. -one gets up in the morning, eats breakfast. goes to the depot, buys d round trip ticket from Fairbanks 10 inc College station, distance of three miles on the Government Railroad (the charge is 25c) gets on the electrlc car. Panama" leaving at S:30, ana after getting off at College on the camnus walks a few hundred yards to *the College building, hangs up ms nat and coat and goes to the lecture room or the laboratory just the same as do some severel hundred thousand col' 1ege students in the rest of uncle Sam's domain, One can return to Fairbanks on the noon car at l2:5o' or on the evening car at 4:15. 4s
 In this first year the College mas enc building only, two-story 1ralhe structure, fifty-two by elghty-three feet with concrete basement, It IS wet arranged for handling the various ,.tinls of york necessary; Its hea.hs. electric lgt. and pumping plant o"- crnies portion of the basement Ihe service thus far is perfect. The balance of the basement is used for chemis- try and ;hy :ics laboratory, shop ana living roo-as for rhe engineer oh the next fluor are the presidents or t;ce and the ,nllege bookstore Here also YOU find the library. It has hao a really wonderful beginning. Already if contains many autographed volumes from big men given to the "Farthest North" College because they pelleVe in colleges and education and progress and because they can see a future TOT any section of our country where American enterprise is invading the