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LETTER
( Koto: the following letter has
been received from Mrs. I.M.Sand
vik for publication in the V/.LLEY
SETTLER. )
"Lear folks of the Valley:
Since the "isms’1, subject arose
a few weeks ago I have had an
inquiry along that line too. We
have become so accustomed to ARP.C
"isms" v/e just take those for
ranted and wonder what’s coming
next. It started in the States
with wild promises— how you couli
' work for standard Alaskan wages,
get a set of farm buildings'and
a fresh start for ,J)3200 etc.
Then one thin0 after another till
the one cow for two "isms". But
as I say the dictatorial ARRC
rulings have become so common we
just wonder what come3 next.
Some criticise but— with most of
us — we expect it but
Some time ago the ^atanuska
Valley voters elected a school
board— some who may perhaps,at
some time have criticised ARRC
dictatorial methods too. They
win in the election thru some
mysterious citizens committee
having rounded them up and appar
ently coerced certain promises
out of them. V.'ho this citizens
co:nmittee is no one seems to
know -- nor who a p ointed or elect?
ed them. The issues at stake were
certainly imperative as cars were
sent over the Valley to collect
thevoters.
Now we learn that this newly
elected school board has passed
a resolution that no farm resid
ing or owning teacher is to be
retained and what is more they
are using their influence in
keeping teachers from becoming
Colonists. Who lays down the law
to the school board? Surely it
can't be narrow-mindedness,
bigotism, or jealousy on the part
of the boardJ
This topic has been much discuss
ed and I take this means to learn
the fact. I have served on a
school hoard for several years
but wo were elected to servo the
• •
peo> lo. ,'henever anything as
important as that came Uj it was
voted on at the school mcetin0.
In removing our farm minded
teachers we’re taking away the
best our children get in school.
For who has a rural child so at
heart as a farm minded teacher?
A farmer’s experience and educa
tion must be so varied, and being
a resident and community builder
as well, make people of that
type double valuable in a school.
I’ve known many reasons for teach
ers being dismissed but being dis
missed for being a farmer- that’s
the latest i
A great number of hopeless farmers
have recently left the Valley,
why not let the Valley profit by
replacing them with some more
quality teachers/? We certainly
need more folks in the Valley
with more ability than most of
those recently departed have
shown-- people with interest in
the better things in life and the
ability to attend a meeting while
sober J
Some one argues—no fair to let
then live on those places and pay
no rent. Since when did the
ARRC fail to collect rent ?
And when you own a place you don’t
live there long (especially a farm)
before all you make goes into it.
Then too, if these teachers don’t
qualify as farmers the ARRC has
the power to evict then in 50
days, so what more do we want?
If I’m misinformed or have said
anything to hurt anyone, I humbly
apologize, I just wish to know
more of a much discussed topic,'1
Yours truly,
hrs,I.M.Sandvik
(Editors note: It seems that ars.
Sandvik’s letter voices the
I opular opinion of the Valley,
and is not expressed from any
personal angle, )