Tundra times., 1963-12-23
Monday, Dec. 23, 1863
By ". B. FredsOn

N te'SiN VI e lol lilcll liISil SCllOOl GULL cation. Quite a number of village leaders have not gone beyond the third grade. This is the primary reason why many of the problems and situations that exist now remain problems and situations in many of the native villages and among the native people of Alaska.
 Progress in this vital area of so- cial development is slow, but never the less progress is being made Us ing the words of BIA Area Di- rector, Robert L. Bennett, who said in his speech at the Panama Chiefs Conference last June, "You can point with pride at the one hund- red and eighteen native boys and girls that graduated from Mt. Edge cumbe and the two that graduated from the University of Alaska last spring."
 The recent meeting of the Yukon Flats area village leaders was big step forward towards understand ing more fully the problems and situations that exist in the villages and among the native people of this area. While nothing was resolved and there is no formal organiza- tion, another meeting will be held the first week in February to for mally organize and to take con- Structive action on some of the big ger problems that are confronting the native people in the Yukon Flats area.
 The following is report on the conditions that exist in the village of Chalkyitsik which was read to the delegates at the Ft. Yukon meet ing:
 Chalkyitsik, Alaska, located 45 miles east of Ft. Yukon. on the Black River. The population is "A, with 19 school age children and IA pre- school age children. These figures are for school year 1962/63.
 The following situations would describe the conditions in Chalkit- six as it is now.
 Ninety-five percent of the people are unemployed. Most of the un- employed are not covered by un- employment compensation.
 Most of the labor force is unskill- ed and uneducated. There are how ever some good laborers and car penters in the village. The economy is seasonal, with most of the income earned by the low income groups, dependent on short seasons and variable condi- tions.
 Housing is sub-standard in re- gards to space, heating, and sani- . tary conditions.
 Medical care and related facilities in case of an emergency is not pro- vided for. There are no medically trained personnel in the village.
 Community facilities and ser vices are non-eXistent. No roads, boardWalks, fire protection, water supply, other than the river, sew age disposal and recreational fa- cilities are available.
 The village is too small to per init any business establishment to open due to the high shipping rates and high percentage of necessities needed.
 Recommendations For Development
 Two major factors that would help the development of Chalkyit- six are, low cost power and ade- quate financing. Many other factors are of almost equal importance. however the provision of low cost power and adequate financing would make our other problems easier to solve.
 More of the basic necessities of the local populace should be pro- duced here. The high percentage of needed food, building mathiala, and fuel contribute significantly to the low standard of living that ex- ist here at Chalkyitsik. The wealth of raw materials should