The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1947-08-27

accomplished His superior's was short but
definite: do it,
In the past we have criticized Don Foster on
several occasions But this is one where
want to give him credit for having much better
grasp of the education problem in Alaska than our
own Territorial officials even though Foster has been
here for only a short time. He able to realize
what the consequences of such a step would be and
tried to prevent it. This was example of how
former Development Board manager Sundborg cost the
Territory than his $4,000 yearly salary.
However this wasn't the beginning. Certain
other Territorial officials, notably Governor Ernest
Gruening had been preaching for some time that
the Territory should take the burden of educating
the Native Just what his motive has been difficult
to understand but many times, it is connected with
the Governors theory that Alaskans just aren't pay
ing enough And this would be one way of
forcing eventually the biggest tax burden any people
ever carried for this theory of abandonment of the
Native problem doesn't end with education. If the
first step logical it would follow that the stagger-
ing health burden and other of the Alaska
Native Service program could be dumped the Terri
tory which at present cannot support adequately the
functions it must perform
Lest the Governor and others accuse of sup
position we submit the following quotations from
recent letter from Willard w. Beatty Director OF
education for the Office of Indian Affairs who states
Il find it difficult to reconcile the statement
that closing Juneau Federal school because of
lack of funds was developing policy of the Indian
Service.
"All of the agitation looking toward merging of
the Federal and Territorial schools originated with
Governor Gruening the Territorial Board Of Educa-
ton and Commissioner Ryan.
THE Territorial Board financed trip by Com
missioner Ryan to Washington about year and a
half ago during which he met with the Appropriations
Committee of Congress and assured them that this
merger should take place and that the Territorial
Schools were adequate to accommodate the Native
children.
The doubts raised by myself and other represen-
tatves of the Indian Service as to whether such
merger is feasible the present time not given
as much weight as the statements by represent
tatives of the Territory of Alaska.
while it is true that Commissioner Ryan
payment of tuition on behalf of the Native children
he at time indicated the physical inadequacy OF
the Territorial schools to accept Native children
THE visit of the Appropriations COMMITTEES of
the House to the Territory two years convinced
the members of the Committee that Alaska not
levyng adequate to meet its school needs and
this conclusion operated to nullfy any attempt to
tuition payments on behalf of Indian children.
Seventy five per cent of the information fed men,
bers of Congress who visited Alaska several years
came from Governor Gruening, perhaps more In addi
tion he and other Territorial officials who make
the trip to Washington have been spreading the
propaganda there.
This then, is the result And it is only the
beginning.