The Daily Alaska empire., 1936-06-24
Alaska History to Be Assembled,
 Starting, Juneau
Cecil F. Robe Coming North This Week to Organ
 ize for Work

Recognition of the importance of research to make available all data possible having to do with the his- tory of Alaska finds expression in an appropriation authorized by the Executive Committee of the Rocke- feller Foundation on May Is, 1886 The sum of seventeen thousand dol lars ($l7000) was made available to the University of Alaska to cover a two year period beginning July l, 1886.
 The application for this approp- riation was made through Dr. David H. Stevens of the Division of Hu- manities of the Rockefeller Founda- tion and has been under considera- tion during the past two years.
 James Wickersham, who is the author of "A Bibliography of Alas kan Literature" 1724-1924 and which was published in 1928 as Volume l, Miscellaneous Publications of the AL aska Agricultural College and School of Mines, is giving his enthusiastic support to this project Judge Wickersham's extensive library is be- ing made available for the research to be undertaken.
 Organize Work in Juneau
 Former Professor Cecil F. Robe, on leave of absence for the past three years while doing graduate work at Yale, has been appointed director of this research. He is saiing from Seattle for Juneau this week. and during the months of July and Au- gust will be in Juneau organizing the work Two assistants who will | spend most of their time in Juneau during the two year period are to be appointed in the near future. One will be assigned the duties of trans lating Russia n publications and manuscripts, the work of the other will be devoted pricincipally to re- search in publications, documents and manuscripts written in English. Miss Hilja Reinikka of Douglas, from the University in the Class of 1886, has been appointed Secretary to Director Robe.
 Detail Work
 The undertaking involves a vast amount of details. Although the ma jor portion of the work will be done in Juneau, the translator of books, documents and manuscripts in Rus sian will probably have to spend some time in the Manuscript Di- vision and Rare Book Section of the Library of Congress, in the archives of the Department of State, and in libraries on the Pacific Coast
 In the Manuscript Division of the of material in the form of films of books and documents in libraries in Europe. It is interesting to know that these film records of foreign documents were made under aid from MT. Rockefeller, Jr., and from the Rockefeller Foundation, and de- 1 livered to the Library of Congress
 Interested in Work
 Already many now resident in the States, and who came to Alaska in the gold rush days" have become interested in this work and it's inn portance. AS indicated by letters re- ceived, the residents of Alaska are going to be of invaluable assistance in collecting data for this research. What has been written and offered to the public in printed form is na- 1 turally very important, but of vital importance are the diaries, letters, pictures and old papers packed away to be looked over only at rare inter vals and unfortunately, as it so fre- quently happens, destroyed by fire or thrown away by those who do not realize their importance.
 Has FireprOOf Vault
 The University of Alaska is pro- yided with fire proof vault in which all such important data can be safely kept. Its department of history has been established, and, in order to facilitate this research and do the very best job possible
 Continued on Page Three)