The following interesting article
was compiled by L. D. Henderson, ter
ritorial commissioner of education,
and is published by the Alrska bureau
of publicity:
There are two distinct and separate
school systems in Alaska, as tollows:
(1) Schools for Alaska natives, which
are under the direction of the United
States bureau of education, through
its Alaska division. These schools
number approximately seventy-five,
and are situated all the way from
Point Barrow, in the Arctic ocean, to
Dixon entrance, in Southeastern
Alaska. Information regarding them
may be obtained from W. T. Lopp,
chief of the Alaska division. United
States bureau of education, 1223 L.
O. Smith building, Seattle, Wash.
(2) All other public schools in the
territory are under the direction of
the territorial department of educa
tion. with the commissioner of edu
cation, Juneau, Alaska, at its head.
They are maintained for white chil
dreen and children of mixed blood
leading a civilized life. The latter
class of children is practically negli
gible in number, especially in the
cities, although in some sections of
the territory there are small schools
in which pupils of mixed blood make
up a considerable part of the total
enrollment. It is the purpose of this
article to discuss only the schools tin
der the direction of the territory
through its department of education,
and for that reason no mention will
be made of schools for natives except
as above. Statistics set forth will
cover the work of the territorial pub
lic schools proper during the school
year 1 <117-18.
In presenting an informational arti
cle on the schools of Alaska, it is well
in the beginning to remove a few of
the misconceptions which are in the
mind of the average individual who
makes inquiries concerning them. A
general statement may well be made
to the effect that the subject taught,
the text books and courses of study
used, and the material equipment fur
nished are in general the same or com
pare favorably with what will be
found in the average school system in
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the States. The pupils are Americans
and possess all the traits of character
which that name implies. Among their
numbers will be found those who are
good and bad, rich and poor, mischiev
ous and meek, punctual and tardy, re
tarded and acceleratede, with and
without adenoids and similar ailments.
Many of them can talk to you intelli
gently about New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago, St. Paul, Denver, Dos An
geles, San Francisco or Seattle, for
they have been^ there.
Teachers who come to the South
eastern, Southwestern or Southern
coastal regions of Alaska will find win
ter temperatures which may reach as
low as zero degrees Fahrenheit. Those
going to the Seward peninsula or to
Interior points will find weather con
ditions mmore severe, it being no
uncommon thing for the mercury to
fall as low as 80 degrees Fahrenheit
during several days of each year in
the various towns and villages of the
former and as low as 50 degrees in
the latter. Dower temperatures are
occasionally recorded on rare occa
sions. The average during the win
ter months is, however, considerably
higher than the figures given.
No transportation is furnished to
teachers. Positions are secured by
making application to the clerk of
the school board in the various com
munities and presenting credentials
and photograph. The commissioner
of education is sometimes called upon
to recommend teachers for various po
sitions or to send teachers to fill po
sitions caused by vacancies occurring j
late in the summer or during the |
school year. Applications may. there
fore, be filed with the territorial de-1
partment of education at Juneau,
where formal application blanks may
be secured upon request. There is
not a scarcity of teachers in Alaska,
since under normal conditions many
hundreds of well-qualified teachers an
nually make applications for positions.
The majority of the schools are in
session during the perriod September
to May, inclusive. But three schools
hold summer sessions, these being sit
uated at Perseverance, near Juneau,
and Chatanika and Fox, near Fair
banks. In these schools the vacation
period occurs during the winter
months.
The social service feature of a
teacher’s work is no different in the
average Alaska community than in
the States. The large communities
contain churches, libraries and other
organizations devoted to social up
lift. There is, of course, always
room for this kind of service, but
there is nothing inherent in the na
ture of Alaskan communities or of
Alaskans which makes them any lower
in the scale of culture than those of
Washington or California. Many of
the smaller schools are located in
fishing or mining villages, where a
capable and energetic teacher does
have an opportunity to add much to
the life of the community, but this
is also true in many smaller communi
ties in the States.
Salaries of teachers range all the
way from $110 per month in some
schools of Southeastern Alaska to
$150 at some points to the westward
and $200 in the Interior. Superinten
dents and principals receive from $150
to $250 per month, the salary depend
ing upon the size of the school and
its location. The usual school term
is nine months in length. Two schools,
Skagway and Valdez, have a ten
months’ term. Hoard and room will
cost from $50 in Southern Alaska to
$75 in the Interior. Where teachers
desire to rent furnished rooms and do
their own cooking these figures may
be materially reduced, as is also the
case where two people occupy the
same room. Approximate transporta
tion and subsistence charges from Se
attle to the various points follow:
Skagway, $40; Cordova, ^50; Seward,
$50; Nome, $100; Fairbanks (via Cor
dova and automobile trail). $200, (via
Skagway and the river), $150. From a
consideration of these figures the ex
penses incident to a journey to other
cities may lie easily approximated.
Alaska certificates to teach ar# re
quired from all teachers, and are is
sued by the commissioner of education
to such persons only as obtain such
employment in the territory. A fee
of $2.50, payable to the commissioner
of education, is charged for each cer
tificate. Certificates are of three
classes:
(1) C ertificates by indorsement of
approved certificates from any of the
states, valid for a period equal to that
of the certificate presented for indorse
ment. An applicant for such certifi
cate must present satisfactory evi
dence that lie or she has been success
fully engaged in educational work
within two years prior to the present
ment of such a certificate.
(2) Certificates by indorsement of
diplomas of approved colleges or nor
mals, valid for three years.
(3) Certificates of first, second and
third grade upon examination, valid
for -five, three and one yeur, respect
ively.
Schools are of two classes—those
inside and those outside incorporated
towns and districts. The former re
ceive 75 tier cent of the total cost of
maintenance from territorial funds ap
propriated for that purpose, provision
being made liiat no school receive
during tiny one year more than $15,
000. The remaining 25 per cent is
raised by local taxation in the school
district. Schools outside incorporated
towns and districts are supported en
tirely by territorial appropriation and
from a federal refund on occupation
and trade licenses, collected in Alaska,
'['here is no local property tax in such
communities Expenditures for the
maintenance of the schools of the ter
| ritory during the year 1917-18 total
$272,901.‘.12. Following arc; the names
of school districts in the two classes
of schools. The figure placed after
each name indicates the number of
teachers employed. One - teacher
! schools are left, blank. Where not oth
erwise indicated the postoffice is the
same as the name of the school:
Schools inside incorporated' towns
and districts:
Anchorage. S; Cordova, 5; Douglas,
9; Eagle; Fairbanks, 8; Haines, 2;
Iditarod; Juneau, 14; Ketchikan, 10;
! Nenana, 2; Nome, 5; Petersburg, 4;
[ Seward, 4; Skagway, 5; Talkeetna;
Tanana; Valdez, 5; Wrangell, 4.
Schools outside incorporated towns
and districts:
Afognak, lllackburn (Kennecott
P. ().). Candle, Chatanika, Chichagof,
Chilkat Valley (Haines P. O ), Char
coal Point (Ketchikan P. O.J, Chitina,
Council, Craig. Deering, Dillingham,
Ellamar, Eagle River (Amalga P. O.),
Eska, Finger Lake (Matanuska P. O.),
Fortuna Ledge, Fox, Girdwood, Hay
cock, Hope, Kasaan, Katalla, Kenai,
2; Kiana; Kocliak, 4; Latouche, 2;
Longwood, 2 (Kodiak P. O.); laming,
McCarthy, Ninilchic, Nushagak, Otter
(Plat P. O.), Ouzinkie (Kodiak P. O.),
Perseverance ('1'hane P. o.t, Ituhy.
Sanak, St. Michael, Seldovia, Scow 1
Hay (IJoyhof P. O.t; Sitka, :i;
Suizer, Teller, Tenakee; Thane, 2;
Tofty; Treadwell, 2; Unga Peninsula 1
(Unga P. O.), Ward’s Cove (Ketchi- ■
kan P. O ), Wasiila.
The following schools offer four
years of high school work: Douglas,
Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan, Nome
and Valdez. Those giving three years
of work are: Anchorage, Cordova,
Seward, Skagway and Wrangell.
Those giving two years: Afognak,
Petersburg and Sitka. A few of the
one-teacher schools, in which all the
grades are not represented, present
high school subjects to advanced
pupils. Alaska high schools are ,n
general accredited to the leading state
universities.
There are 142 teachers in the
schools of Alaska, of which number
20 are men and 122 are women. Alaska
is especially fortunate in that it has
been able lo attract well qualified
teachers to her schools. The majority
of the teachers in Alaska have two
qualifications which make for success
ful school work. They are profes
sional training and experience. Two
thirds of the teachers of Alaska are
normal school or college graduates.
Eight-eight per cent of the high school
teachers are college graduates who
have in addition had advanced study.
The average teaching experience of
(Continued on Page Six)
r~" —i
NOTICE
The registration book of the town
)f Cordova will be open at my office,
n the corner store, Michelson & Cur
•ier building, First street, Cordova,
ivery day from 12 o'clock noon until
! p. m.
The registration book will be closed!
it 4 o'clock p. m. Saturday, March
!9, 1919.
C. H. DAMPREY, Registrar.
-»
Advertise in *he Dally Timeb.
Auntie Keating’s
Wee
Shop
has outgrown its original
location, and has removed
into the
WILLIAMS BUILDING
First Street
with a complete line of
Men’s, Women’s and Chil
dren’s Goods.
Come in and look my
stock over.
--
CHUTTER &
INGALLS
Producer*—Selling Agents '
Fresh, Frozen, Salt
and Mild--Cured
FISH
Correspondence and Consign
ments Solicited.
COLMAN BLDG. SEATTLE
I
TOKENS OF RESPECT
A well conducted funeral is a
token of respect to the deceased. 1
Our methods of conducting a
funeral have given us an oppor
tunity to serve you in a manner
that will command respect. We
are equipped to serve you sat
isfactorily.
K. E. HOLDEN PARLOR j
Second Street, between
A and B Ave. {
I
I
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••at*.»••••*
Cordova I
•
The City Beautiful !
Help to keep it so by using a !
Garbage Can. Plenty of them at !
•
_ •
CORDOVA l
SHEET METAL WORKS -
Phone 143 5
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••*
! OVER $30,000 STOCK NOW ON SALE|
1 “THE HOME OF GOOD CLOTHES”
i I
| Since war is over, merchandise began to drop, and we decided to do the same. Here is your chance to buy the highest
| grade of Clothing obtainable at a reduction of 25 to 35 per cent. It includes everything in the house except contract
| goods, such as Arrow collars, U. S. and Hippress paks.
| HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR ALLURING PRICES: 1
m p
F ______—-—---—----- --
| MEN'S SUITS
1 $25.00 Suits now.$15.00
35.00 Suits now.-. 26.75
40.00 Suits now.-. 30.00
jj 50.00 Suits now ..-. 37.50
I MACKINAWS
I $1 3.50 and $1 2.00 Coats now.$8.50
p 16.00 Coats now.-. 12.00
j logger shirts
1 $ 10.00 Shirts now.$7.50
8.00 Shirts now . 6.00
1 1 1.00 Leather Vests now. 8.75
$6.00 Men’s Moccasins now .$4.00
1 WOOL BLANKETS
| $15.00 Blankets now .$11.25
■ 20.00 Blankets now. 15.00
9.00 Blankets now . 6.75
I Twenty per cent off on all Suit Cases and Bags
sox
Over 5,000 pairs Woollen
Socks at followinig prices:
75c Sox now.$ .50
$1.00 Sox now.75
1.25 Sox now.00
1.50 Sox now. 1.15
BATTERIES
2- cell Batteries now . ,20c
3- cell Batteries now . ,30c
$2.00 and $1.75 Flash
lights, with batter
ies .$1.25
All Batteries New
50c Bee, Bicycle, Free
Lance Cards, 35c, or
three for .$1.00
75c Ties now.50c
20 Per Cent Off on All
Down Quilts
$4.00 Medlicott & Stan
field ’s Shirts and
Drawers now .... $3.00
MITTS
$2.00 Horsehide Mitts,
now.$1.50
75c Wool Mitss now. .55c
$3.00 Best Bib Overalls
now.$2.50
12-oz. Canvas Gloves,
per pair .20c
50c Leather - faced
Gloves, per pair . .. .40c
25 Per Cent Off on all
Felt Shoes
Men’s Rubbers now $1.25
Ladies’ Rubbers now 90c
$4.50 and $5.00 Men’s
Four-buckle Arctics
now.$3.65
$6.00 Parkas now .. $4.00
25 Per Cent Off on all Fur
and Cloth Caps
All Khaki Clothing
Reduced
All Union Suits Reduced,
including Silk and Wool
MEN’S SHIRTS
$3.00 Wool Shirts now. .$2.25
5.00 Wool Shirts now . . ... 3.75
6.00 Wool Shirts now . ." 4.50
5.00 and $6.00 Silk Shirts now. .. " 3.75
HATS
$3.50 Hats now. .$2.50 a
5.00 Hats now . .-.. . 4.00 I
6.0 and $7.00 Hats now.. 5.00 pf
SWEATERS I
$4.00 Sweaters now . $3.00 I
6.50 Sweaters now _ 4.75 1
8.00 Sweaters now . 6.00 gj
• *.*»*v* PANTS I
$ 3.00 Pants now .$2.25 1
5.00 Pants now. 3.75 ]
6.00 Pants now .. 4.50 H
10.00 Wool Riding Pants now. 7.50 S
I NOTICE.—No charges will be made for longer than thirty days. All or ders by mail filled promptly. j
LAURIE BROTHERS j