VALLEY FRONTIERSMAN
Published each Thursday
Palmer, Alaska
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21. 1947. at the Dost office at
Palmer. Alaska, under the Act of March 3. 1379.
Subscription rates 50c month. S5 a year
Viola Daniels Editor
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Mailed to ail points in Alaska and the United Slates
DANIELS -In The Lion’s Den
A starilingly different plan for the reconstruction of Eklutna School,
than that advanced here several weeks ago by Don Foster of the Alaska
Native Service, needs serious consideration by all Valley parents and
residents.
Rather than the construction of a school, as Mr. Foster said ANS
proposed, present plans call for the construction of dormitories only.
Native children, and white children who are wards of the Territory,
would attend the Palmer elementary school, prooabiy increasing its en
rollment by at least t>uO students
Because of its plan to utilize the facilities of Palmer School, a site
within walking distance of that school must be selected. ANS heads an
nounced last week that they had that site in a location offered by John
Bugge. not more than six blocks from the school.
At the risk of again being called short-sighted and uninformed, as
we were when wfe opposed the location of a mental hospital within what
must be considered the "city limits" of Palmer, we've got to say that we
don’t like the plan. We don’t think there are advantages in it. either lor
the pupils of the so-called school, or for Valley children.
We know we mustn’t be narrow. We don't think we are. It sounds
fine to speak expansively of the advantages for Palmer, but if you sep
arate Palmer from the people who live here, do their business here, and
send their children to school here, there doesn't seem to be much left
And we can’t see how the proposed plan is going to be good for the
people, particularly the children, who live here in the Valley. Neither
do we see that it’s going to be particularly beneficial to the native
children.
We're especially sure that 500 children poured into Palmer School
will create the "Palmer Indian School " rather than the school's absorbing
the native element, as ANS theorists hope it will. We don't think those
children, many of them drawn from remote native villages in the Inte
rior, are ready to be absorbed.
We feel that the problems they create in Palmer will be legion. ANS
spokesmen say only children "below high school age" will be accepted.
However, native children do not have all the school facilities they need,
and below high school age still may include a gioup of children up to 18
years of age. Palmer’s attraction for Fort Richardson soldiers is consid
erable at present. It wouid become a mecca for the worst elements of
that Post if teen-age native girls, in any considerable numbers, were to
be quartered here.
We thought the purpose of the training planned for these children
was to provide a good vocational background. Certainly there will be
little time for that in a public school, where all the regulations of the
educational curriculum of the Territory of Alaska must be observed. In
a school of their own. the emphasis could be on vocational rather than
academic training.
We still think a vocational type of school, located three or four miles
from Palmer in the Matanuska Valley, on good farm land, would do more
to train these native children for a useful lutuie life than tunneling
them into Palmer School can ever do. The argument of those who eye
the school's pocket-money and the staff payroll will be just as strong
five miles out as it is six blocks distant.
Too, a school located that far away wouldn’t be stealing 100 acres
of valuable land which is certain to be included in the city of Palmer
some day. We don’t think we have any right to give away those acres
of taxable land, when the city of Palmer is so near an actuality.
We believe in the education of Alaska's natives. We know they are
our responsibility, and that we must seek some way of lifting their low
standard of living. But we don't think that standard can be changed over
night. Neither do we think it will be any service to the natives to at
tempt to raise them to new standards without giving them the back
ground they need to continue on the upper level. Vocational training
they need, and must have.
Other training they must have as they become fitted fo- it. We don't
take a kindergartener and shove him into Latin classes. Neither must
we take a native from his primitive surroundings in his own village and
shove him into a new environment with instructions to meet the demands
of that environment. He m’ust shed his background by degrees, and by
degrees acquire new standards to fit the new background.
And to every one of you who are preparing to tell me that I'm short
sighted when I oppose higher education for natives, let me a-k you to
re-read this editorial. I challenge you to lind one sentence that says I’m
opposed to more education for natives. I just want them to have the
education that will best fit hem — that will make a finer native of a
hoy or girl, and will help him to make his own home village a finer
place in which to live. Thats the way his happiness and*future well
being lie.
HOLLYWOOD? — "S'LL
TAKE PALMER"— Lavo^i
Stardust is somewhat tarnished
since Lavon Roetman. queen of
the Matanuska Valley Fair, who
returned from Hollywood last
weekend, found Actor Alan Ladd
‘ isn't even as tall as I am." But
other than her slight disappoint
ment that "movie actors and ac
tresses don't even seem like rea’
people." Lavon found California
all to her liking .
She saw four movies, attended
two radio shows, had dinner at
the Brown Derby, lived at the
Ambassador Hotel, and met a num
ber of stage a.id screen stars dur
ing her stay.
While in Hollywood, she was
the guest of Bing Crosby Enter
prises. She visited Paramount and
Walt Disney studios. In the latter
place, she was the special guest
of the Sound department.
Sight-seeing, shopping in Los
Angeles, swimming and sunning
on California beaches, dining in
Chinatown and Mexican quarter
restaurants and attending a foot
ball game more than filled in the
hours of the allotted week.
Lavon voiced her gratitude, this
week, to all who helped make the
trip possible, and particularly to
her sponsors. Palmer Cold Storage
and Palmer Photo Art.
Returning through Seattle. La
von was met by Miles Brandon.
Dillingham youth who won the
Fair's talent contest and who was
sent to New York. She reports
that he auditioned for the Godfrey
show, and sang for Ezio Pinza.
Metropolitan Opera star, during
his trip. Upon his return to Seat
tle. Miles was given the tenor lead
I
doctors' Clinic
Gets New Nurse
Miss Janice Brady, formerly a
member of the staff of Doctors’
Clinic in Anchorage, is now em
ployed in the Valley branch of the
Doctors’ Clinic. Miss Borghild
Kennedy, who has been on duty
here since the local office opened,
returns to Anchorage tomorrow.
She has been working in the Val
ley on temporary duty only, until
a permanent nurse was assigned.
Miss Bra ly will make her home
at the Matanuska Valley Lodge
after October 1.
SCHOOL KIDS SEE SHOW
Children of the Palmer grade
school enjoyed a movie, first of
the year, last Tuesday afternoon.
They were gue.ts at a showing in
the Gymnasium of "Dance of the
Wooden Soldiers."
in "Figaro" with the Seattle Civic
Opera Company.
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