Burrow Electric Controversy Rages...
(Continued from Page 1)
“Contrary to the BIA statement,
GVEA has picked up the pieces
from the storm, and is now 95 per
cent complete on the distribution
system. And even though the BIA
has ordered a generator, will go
ahead and energize the system with
GVEA power (from two 50 kw
generators about Nov. 15. This ac
tion will fulfill our committment
to the people of Barrow that we
would give them electricity this
winter,” the spokesman said.
In addition, GVEA said it has of
fered technical assistance to the
BIA in installing its generator, and
Swill take power from the generator
until it is decided whether an ex
it perienced private company, or a
. federal agency is more suited to
[ manage the electrical facilities at
i Barrow.
Other Implications
Don Vogwill, commercial manager
for GVEA, says the BIA action at
Barrow has far reaching implica
tion in other parts of Alaska.
"Matanuska Co-op of Anchorage
has already set up electrical sys
tems at Unalakleet and Stony River,
similar to our planned operation at
Barrow.
Other villages have been invos
tigaed for similar operations, but
with the BIA going into the gene
ration business, no private Co-op
would be willing to risk capital,”
he said.
Vogwill noted that GVEA has al
ready spent over $150,000 in Bar
row in planning and construction;
and is waiting the processing of all,
or at least part of a $500,000 Rural
Electrification Administration loan,
to complete the system.
Dropouts .
(Continued from Page 1)
years) was enrolled in secondary
schools. The remainder either had
ileft or had been retained in lower
grades.
A 1960 census showed that 7,513
of 19,447 non-white adults 25 years
and olders residing in Alaska had
received fewer than five years of
formal schooling.
j The book details several reasons
for the problem. Included are these
observations:
1) Pupils and parents lack an un
derstanding of the relationship be
tween school curriculum and village
life.
2) Failure to see the connection
between education and future fin
ancial gain often prompts the stu
dents to leave school to engage in
such practical tasks as wood-gather
ing. hunting and fishing.
3) School personnel lack an ade
quate knowledge of the values held
by groups with whom they work.
4) Promotion and retention prac
tices are based on unrealistic stand
aids developed for Caucasians, mid
dle-class, English-speaking youth
and do not take into account the
background of the particular group
being taught. Dropouts were much
greater among over-age students
who had been held back in school.
The book was prepared by a co
ordinating committee consisting of
Dr. Charles K. Ray, Dean of the
College of Beshavioral Sciences and
Education at the University of Alas
ka; Dr. Ivar Skarland, Head of the
Department of Anthropology; Joan
Ryan, former assistant professor
of education at the University; D.
Seymour Parker, assistant pro
fessor of cultural anthropology at
Jefferson Medical College, Phila
delphia; James E. Hawkins, formerly
area director of the Brreau of In
dian Affairs in Juneau, and Dr.
Theo J. Norby, formerly commis
sioner of education for the Alaska
Department of Education. Dr. Ray
directed the study.
Single copies of the book are
available free of charge by writing
the College of Behavioral Sciences
and Education at the University,
College, Alaska.
“As things now stand, we will
only seek that part of the loan
that covers distribution,” he said.
History of Controversy
Golden Valley, with offices in
Fairbanks, was contacted in Oct.
1962 by the Barrow Chamber of
Commerce, asking if GVEA would
be willing to assume power genera
tion and distribution at Barrow.
At that time three groups, two
private and one public, were gener
ating power. These were the Barrow
Light and Power Co.; the Barrow
Native Co-op Store, and the PHS
Hospital.
Following the request GVEA be
gan investigating (the operation;
and found they could generate for
picture if the could generate for
all the above groups, including the
BIA compound, which would give
them a large enough base load so
they could offer lower rates to pub
lic and private customers, and still
show a profit.
BIA Also Interested
The BIA had also expressed in
terest at this point, and was formu
lating plans for its own power plant,
A telegram from a BIA official
in Juneau, to another BIA official
in Fairbanks, dated May 3, 1963,
spelled out their position at that
time.
It stated, “Understand meeting
with REA and GVEA board of di
rectors in prospect. If possible
would appreciate definite state
ment from either as to their plans
for Barrow.
“We have been withholding action
on plans for development of elec
trical generating plant and system
through Barrow cooperative asso
ciation with revolving credit fund."
Answered
The Fairbanks representative an
swered the Juneau official three
days later, saying Golden Valley
had voted affirmatively to supply
power needs for Barrow and that
the REA had pledged to finance
the project with a loan.
GVEA Follows Suit
On May 7, Vogwill also wrote
Juneau on behalf of GVEA stating
substantially the same thing; and
announcing that GVEA would like
the BIA and PHS as customers, to
make the plan feasible.
Washington Has Other Idea
All the above was written in May.
On Aug. 2, BIA Assistant Commis
sioner for Economic Development,
E. R. Fryer wrote Robert L. Ben
nett, BIA Alaska area director, ask
ing Bennett's ideas on organizing
a BIA utilities system in Barrow.
A copy of this letter found its
way to GVEA official, who immedi
ately asked the BIA to meet with
them, as much money had already
been spent by the association.
This request, and the Oct. 3
storm, resulted in the already men
tioned Oct. 14 meeting in Juneau.
This meeting was attended by
Ernest H. Page, of the BIA branch
of plant management from Wash
ington, D.C. It was here that the
overall utility planned was an
nounced.
GVEA Committed
GVEA officials say that by this
time they were already committed
to Barrow, to supply electricity, to
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Out-of-town orders solicited
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distribute it, and eventually to turn
the system over to the villagers,
as a separate REA cooperative.
“This was stipulated in our REA
loan request,” according to Vog
will.
He added that GVEA had also
hired, and was training two Barrow
men to operate the system. He
noted that these men may have to
be released if the BIA goes ahead
and generates power.
GVEA, following work in straigh
tening out and platting the village
done by the Bureau of Land Man
agement, Tias a'liready completed
most of the distribution work, and
is ready to hook up 200 buildings.
This work included moving the
three interim generators, with a
capacity of 225 kw’s to Barrow this
fall via the BIA supply ship “North
Star.” Since the storm these genera
tors have been flown to Fairbanks
for rebuilding.
It was noted that BIA Commis
sioner Philleo Nash was also cn this
ship, and while in Barrow, ar
ranged a tour of Inuvik, N.W.T.,
Canada for several Barrowites. Inu
vik is Canada’s model arctic village.
The three GVEA generators
shipped to Barrow were to be re
placed next summer by two 500
kw generators, that together would
supply 1,000 kw's, or 500 kw’s, of
firm power.
The planned 450 kw generator
the BIA has ordered from Cater
pillar, plus the existing PI1S gene
rator would supply about the same
amount of power.
Power Prices
There has been some discrep
ancies in the announced power
prices at Barrow. Following a meet
ing of government officials in Bar
row there was a rumor that the BIA
had stated it did not want GVEA
power, because it would cost about
15 cents a kilowatt.
A GVEA spokesman told the
Tundra Times that GVEA had of
fered the BIA and PHS power at
five cents a kilowatt.
Present Situation
With winter now in full swing
at Barrow, the villagers find them
selves in the middle of a conflict
over which they have only little
control. Electricity is still being
sporadically generated by the Na
tive Co-op and Barrow Power Co.
This system is barely good enough
at best. GVEA has promised therr^
interim power within weeks, and
the BIA plant will be operational
probably before Christmas.
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Oxnard, California Children
Write for Alaskan Pen-Pals
The editors of a small news
papers such as Tundra Times have
occasion to open and read much
mail. However, of all the letters re
ceived, somehow letters from chil
dren seeking knowlege seem to
be the most important.
Usually these childrens’ letters
arrive one at a time. However, we
were pleased last week to receive
21 letters (three of them from one
enterprising lad who wants to be
come an Alaskan salmon fisher
man) from the sixth grade class of
Ocean View School at Oxnard,
Calif. We would like to share two
of these leters with you.
Dear Sirs:
My class is studying Eskimos
and I would like to have a pen
pal who is an Eskimo. I am 11
years old and in the sixth grade.
If you can send information too.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mike Sw-eeney
* • *
Dear Madame Secretary:
I am writing about obtaining a
pen-pal. I am in the sixth grade
and am eleven years of age. Could
you possibly contact a public or
privet school and ask one of the
teachers about this important
matter.
! I would be very grateful if yon
could help me.
Sincerely,
Suzan Zulick • ^
Room 610
Anybody want to correspond with
the sixth grade class of Ocean View
School? The address is 2382 EttinJ
Road, Oxnard, Calif. j
Scholarship |
The first Sheppard Trading Co,
$500 scholarship to the University
of Alaska, has been awarded ta
Martha Teeluk. formerly of Kwi
guk, now of College, it has been
announced.
The scholarship has been put forth
by N. Douglas Sheppard, who owns
trading posts at Mountain Village
and Alakanuk on the lower Yukoa
River. ti
The scholarship is for §250 a
semester, for two semesters.
_r'
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one laugh make one weep. No
whole-hearted man, no sane art,
can be limited to either mood —
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