The Wrangell sentinel., 1940-11-15
THE SENTINEL
OBSERVES A BIRTHDAY

Advertising copy, which found itsI way 10 our editorial desk last week, gave us, upon opening it, an agree able and appreeiatiye surprise. ItI was the Alaska Steamship Com-I panys ad which appears on thisI page.
 Man-like, we are prone to forget birthdays. Human-ilke we deeply appreciate friends who remember them. The copy reminds Us TheI Sentinel is celebrating its 3sthI birthday on November 20.
 The present editor can only wish that it had been his privilege toI have been at the helm of The Sen tinel through all those thirty-eightI years past For in the short year We have been in Wrangell and cOmeI to know it's residents, especially theI oId-timers who, after all, are re- sponsible more than anyone else, forI the development Of the community We have come to realize what a real privilege it is to be numbered asI a fellow toWnsman.
 1t is the editors opinion that not many towns, in Alaska or any where else, can boast a group of people so cooperative toward oneI another, so truly friendly. Souls Imbued with the old, weIllknownI all Tor one and One for all and -tor-the-eommunity spirit
 Surely, down through the yearsI Wrangeu people have been awareI that 1t is by this cooperative spirit that progress Is made for the town mas progressed, and is progressing steadily. The sentineIs main amI Dition remains that it may continueI to serve this community honestly and fairly and ever lend it's aid tol contribute toward further progress.
 A year ago, in taking over thel paper, your editor said:
 A newspapers first duty is
 to its own community. That
 must have been the policy of
 The Sentinel in the past or it
 would not have survived for
 nearly 38 years to become the
 Territory's oldest newspaper.
 It certainly will be the policy
 Of The Sentinel as long as the
 present editor sits at its editor
 ial desk. Its columns will be
 open to spread the news of the
 interests of Wrangeu and its
 surrounding community and the
 affairs and problems of it's peo-
 ple."
 We have had no reason to change that view. No voice, it seems to us, is too small to be heard on affairs of common inter est. No common interest is too large or too extravagant, not to make an effort to get. The Pot latch last summer comes to mind, our airport, a recreational area for this community, and now, the Ma tional Guard They will all come, because we need them and because the people of Wrangell will pull together in an effort to attain them.
 We could not close this editorial without giving our heartfelt thanks IO the peOple OI UIdnSSh loIJ LhAS year passed, giving us the same support, help and cooperation, they have always given their paper down through the thirty-eight years. We hope you will always consider The Sentinel YOUR paper and feel free to point out it's errors or offer sug- gestions that will make it more valuable to you and our town.
 We thank, too, The Alaska Steamship Company for their fine tribute but can add, the "3S years of actively progressive service to WrangelI, which, they point out as having been given by The Sem tinel, was made possible only by the people of the community it stroYe to serve.
 We thank the Alaska Line, too, for calling attention to our 38th mile stone. A company with such an alert advertising department is bound to flourish.