The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1947-08-27
Ryan Refutes
He0riginated
School Mess
Federal Anticipation Pro-
vision of All Merq-
er Offers

Territorial, Cc----,.-- 'ssione. Ct Edu-
cation James c. Ryan today de-
clared that Congressional action to
force the Federal government to
withdraw from education of Alaska
Natives could not reasonably have
stemmed from statements be made
before Congressman or from pro-
posal of the Territorial Board of
Education for consolidation of the
two present school systems.
All proposals coming from the
Territory, Of which he has know
ledge, were emphatically tied to the
proviso that the Federal govern
ment share costs on dollar match
ing basis, Ryan stated. Any infer
ence that the Territory is now in
position adequately to accommodate
the Native school children in the
schools of the Territorial system
would be far-fetched, was Ryan's
position.
The Department O. the Interiors
inference of such Congressional in
tent was expressed here yesterday by
Assistant Secretary of Interior Will
liam B. Warne. In toady's issue,
The Empire editorially quotes from
a letter written by willard w. Beat
-, Jiraotor IF oI,ootip,, IF tho Tn
terror Departments Office of Indian
Affairs. Beattye charges that:
-"All of the. agitation looking to-
ward merging of the Federal and
Territorial schools, especially in
Southeastern Alaska, originated with
Governor Gruening, the Territorial
Board of Education, and Commits
sioner Ryan
Beatty's letter is in reply to the
following expression by the Juneau
Public School Board in protest to
closing of the Alaska Native Service
School here. signed by R. e. Rob-
ertson. president of the local school
board:
Dear Mr. Beatty:
Your letter of the oath ultimo to
General Superintendent Don C. Fos-
ter of the Alaska Native Service
was brought to our attention by Mr..
Foster forwarding copy of it to DR..
Joseph o. Rude, one of the members
of our Board. I assume you are
familiar with our letter of the 3rd
ultimo to DIR. Dale of your Service,
which we believe is self-explanatory.
While we have no inclination to, in
fact we doubt that the law would
authorize or the public approve our
taking any action calculated to force
Indian children into Parochial
school of any denomination, yet ap-
parently you do not realize that we
do not have the facilities or the
finances to assume the burden of
taking over the education of the 80
or more children of Indian blood
who customarily in years past have
attended your Juneau Indian School.
Even if the admission of a large
group of children of Indian blood
into our schools would not actually
discriminate against the white chill
dren by lowering the educational
standards which we otherwise main
tain, yet neither the city nor we are
prepared or have the finances to
institute such substandard schools,
which we are convinced would be
necessary in justice both to the In
dian and white children. in fact, our
budget was made no in May prior to
knowledge of your, to us, unexpect-
ed, astonishing change of policy.
"As a matter of fact, the Juneau
Public Schools are crowded at the
present time. We estimate that each
of the first, second and third grades
will have an attendance of at least
10 pupils and will require at least 3
teachers.
Undoubtedly the larger number
of your Indian children either be-
cause of age or intellectual level
would be pupils in the lower grades.
For us to attempt to operate the
Indian school as you have would
undoubtedly subject us to great cri-
ticism. We do not make this state
ment in a critical manner, but, as
you must realize, if the Juneau Pub
lie School Board told the parents of
Indian children that their children
must attend different school than
the white children attend and in a
two-room school wherein the courses
of 8 grades are attempted to be
taught, probably every Juneau IN
dian parent would accuse us Of dis
elimination in violation of the nom
discrimination law.
Furthermore, if we required