Kaktovik Village on Barter Island Plans Short Move
Herman Rexford. president of the
village of Kaktovik on Barter
Island, asked aid and support for
Ihe moving of his village at the
recent Inupiat Paitot meeting at
Kotzebue.
For several reasons Rexford said
the village wanted to move to a
new site on higher ground about
500 yards from its present location.
Twenty-five families consisting of
150 persons now live in the village.
Most of the men are employed by
the Federal Electric Corporation at
Ihe largest DEWline site located
there.
There is poor drainage in me vil
lage. causing the homes to be damp
and unsanitary, he said.
"We want to be near to fresh
water and yet close enough to the
radar site where Eskimo employes
can get to their jobs easily.”
He said the village population
had increased by families who had
moved there seeking employment
and through the birth rate. He said
that the space on which the vil
lage sits is crowded and as the pop
ulation increases it gets more
crowded as there is no place to ex
! pand.
How Has Egan Leadership
Helped Alaska Meet Its Obligations
Regarding
education
During These Firs.
Years of Statehood?
:
w
SCHOOL AGE POPULATION UP 138%. During
the 1950-1960 period,, Alaska's school age popula
tion increased at the highest rate of growth in
.the nation. Annually, it increases more than
I 10%. meaning that more classrooms, teachers and
related facilities are necessary just to keep pace.
To meet this need, nearly 30% of the State bud
get has gone into education. Since statehood 88
classrooms have been constructed in state
supported schools and an additional 27 are under
construction today.
EDUCATION QUALITY IMPROVED. But,
('Alaska’s first elected State government has done
i more than merely see to it that sufficient facili—
! ties and teachers are provided. Teachers’ salaries
i have been raised and additional benefits given to
| teachers. Teachers’ requirements have been
’ strengthened.
MORE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. To
1 meet the urgent need for more and better school
j facilities in rural areas, Governor Egan urged the
l Legislature to place on the November ballot a
:bond issue for construction of new elementary
(and secondary classrooms in many localities, and
lhe is working for voter approval of this far
reaching program.
SCHOOL FINANCING IMPROVED. Legislation
/was enacted at Governor Egan’s request to im
prove the method of school support in Alaska to ,
make it more equitable to all taxpayers.
UNIVERSITY IMPROVEMENTS LAUNCHED.
Backed by the largest appropriations in its his
tory. the University of Alaska is rapidly improv
ing its facilities and at the same time is becoming
. one of the most respected arctic research institutes
in the nation. Establishment of the Marine Sci
ences Ihstitut^ at Douglas will further enhance
the University’s role in Alaska’s future.
HERE IS A COMMON SENSE PROGRAM,
ONE BASED ON ALASKA'S CAPACITY TO
GROW AND EXPAND
THIS MESSAGE SPONSORED
AND PAID FOR BY THE
EGAN COMMITTEE
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Homes are b jilt close to each oth
er and present a fire hazard, he
said.
He also pointed out the village
was located on a direct line with
the end of the Air Force runway
and that the residents were con
tinually frightened over the haz
ard of planes landing in bad wea
ther.
The village is built on the edge
of the island and Rexford stressed
that the sea was continually biting
and breaking off the edge of the
village and the shoreline was get
ting close to their homes. He said
the villagers were worried about
this unsafe playground for children
and pointed out that a military road |
from the airport to the radar site !
was highly traveled by vehicles and 1
was hazardous to playing children.
Rexford said that the entire Bar
ter Island was a military reserva
tion and that his village had pre
sented a proposal for relocation to
the Federal Electric Corporation.
He said the plan was sent to that
corporation's headquarters at Per
amus, N.J. but that no reply had
been received.
BIA officials on hand at the Inu
piat Paitot meeting promised they
would assist the village of Kakto
vik in their plan to move to the
nearby location.
Rexford also said the village had
materials for a new church but that
plans to build the church were
awaiting action on the proposal to
move to the new site.
Letter to Editor
Dear Editor:
I returned from a field trip a few
days ago and found my complimen
tary copy of Volume 1, Number 1,
of the Tundra Times.
I found the paper interesting, full
of little-known details about Alas
ka that are hard to find generally,
and surprisingly large—eight pages
—for a beginning paper.
I believe the reasons for starting
the newspaper, as set out in your
first editorial, are sound ones and
I wish you every success in your
new undertaking. You end your
staff have my congratulations and
best wishes.
Cordially,
Phileo Nash
Commissioner of Indian
Affairs,
Washington, D.C.
Ria
i WDM I
ALASKAN BY BIRTH
REPUBLICAN BY CHOICE
INDEPENDENT BY NATURE
VOTE FOR
JOHN BUTROVICH, JR., FOR STATE SENATOR
(Territorial Senate 1944 to 1960)
General Election November 6, 1962
COMMON SENSE MUST PREVAIL
IF WE ARE TO SURVIVE
AS A STATE AND A NATION
(Paid Political Announcement)