LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which  distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

State's Transportation Plan Gets Federal OK
28 Mar 2024 15:06

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Federal officials on Wednesday approved most of Alaska’s four-y [ ... ]

New Funding Plan Ahead for Visit Sitka?
28 Mar 2024 15:02

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    At an hour-long work session with the Assembly Tuesda [ ... ]

Sitka 'Frankenstein' Puts Classic Tale in New Ligh...
28 Mar 2024 15:01

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    The story behind a classic, though often misunderstoo [ ... ]

State May Los Millions Over Ed Dept. Missteps
28 Mar 2024 14:59

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    The state government risks losing millions of dollars in feder [ ... ]

Gov Signs Bill On Internet In State Schools
28 Mar 2024 14:57

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday signed a bill that promise [ ... ]

Capitol Christmas Tree to Come from Tongass
28 Mar 2024 14:56

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, known for its steep mountains [ ... ]

City League Games Thursday
28 Mar 2024 14:52

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing Wednesday in competitive division City League volleyball matches, Ca [ ... ]

March 28, 2024, Police Blotter
28 Mar 2024 14:50

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 27
At 2:36 p.m. a dead  [ ... ]

March 28, 2024, Community Happenings
28 Mar 2024 14:48

This Week in Girls on the Run By Sitkans Against Family Violence
and The Pathways Coalition
During th [ ... ]

New RFP Sought For Managing PAC
27 Mar 2024 14:48

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]

Seiners Get Second Day with 2 Areas to Fish
27 Mar 2024 14:46

By Sentinel Staff
    The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]

Braves Take Second in Last Minute Upset
27 Mar 2024 12:41

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]

Tuesday City League Volleyball
27 Mar 2024 12:39

By Sentinel Staff
    The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]

Kodiak Alutiiq Museum Getting New Attention
27 Mar 2024 12:37

By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
    A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]

House Hearing on Inmate Deaths Halted
27 Mar 2024 12:35

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in  [ ... ]

Nominee to Bering Sea Council: Not a Trawler
27 Mar 2024 12:34

By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
    Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Police Blotter
27 Mar 2024 12:26

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Community Happenings
27 Mar 2024 12:25

Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]

Reassessments Raise Tax Bills for Sitkans
26 Mar 2024 15:22

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]

Two Areas Opened in Herring Fishery Today
26 Mar 2024 15:21

By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]

Lady Wolves Rally to Take Fourth at State
26 Mar 2024 15:16

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]

Edgecumbe Girls Close Out Season Up North
26 Mar 2024 14:58

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
    Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]

City League Monday
26 Mar 2024 14:55

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]

House Votes to Broaden Rules For Review Panel Memb...
26 Mar 2024 14:52

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday  [ ... ]

Other Articles

Daily Sitka Sentinel

Pure Sole: Debatable

By KLAS STOLPE
PURE SOLE
    I lost the first debate I engaged in.
    Granted, I was pinned in a cloth swaddling, had drool on my chin, and my flailing arms and legs were just a pudgy precursor of the appendages years down the aging process.
    At that time my passionate discourse on what I perceived as unfair feeding and sleeping schedules was easily debunked by the application of another’s warm skin against my cheek and the rhythmic circular pattern lightly played upon my heaving shoulders.
    I lost more debates throughout my growth... extra dessert portions, distribution of chores, extended twilight visitations with friends, unchaperoned dates, room cleanliness...
    I also won a few, including the prestigious removal of garbage oration that has become Stolpe family lore, and of which I proudly recited daily as I placed smelly goods into city receptacles on our street. Yes, of course I had been duped by the initial smooth speeches of my brother as he argued for his own passion and skill for sanitation, and my competitive nature had blurred the reality that sometimes, even when you win, you lose.
    In eighth grade I learned that being argumentative was actually a sport.
    God bless English teacher Eli Ribich for attempting to organize the hormonal brain seepage of my mates and myself in a variety of graded encounters.
    Standing in front of Norwegian lads and lasses I preached, backed by scientific facts mind you, that lutefisk was not a snack absentmindedly left behind by aliens who picnicked on our planet.
    However, I did lose that debate when my opponent Lars, the son of Christen (Christenson to those of you unfamiliar with the Scandinavian naming process), brought in grainy photos of his family dancing on a hillside, and a variety of his friends who spoke of seeing the snacking extraterrestrials.
    Yes, it was outlandish propaganda, but the lesson learned was that belief is easily earned when fantastical, and accepted as fact among the uneducated, downtrodden, or bored... something most of my mates, who turned away from my political view on the subject, were at that time. It should also be noted that Lars’ sister Helga, the photo of whom should be included next to Webster’s definition of “beauty,” stood next to him throughout the entirety of our discourse, using wild gesticulations that enamored the majority of the classroom, sans the loyalty of my one attending cousin.
    Over the years I have come to appreciate a good debate.
    Not participating in one, heaven’s no! I am still reeling from the extended loss of driving privileges when I explained my parallel parking attempt would have been acceptable in other countries.
    No, today I appreciate watching a good debate.
    As we all should, and speaking of which, today is a great day to start by observing the high school Drama, Debate and Forensic tournament at Mt. Edgecumbe High School. Events begin with a welcoming ceremony at the MEHS activities center, beginning at 3:15 p.m., and classrooms in the academic building (past the gym) will be used for the orations and expos.
    Grab a Saturday morning coffee and continue watching the best youth deliberations from across Southeast as they resume a variety of rounds at 10:30 a.m., leading up to final debates in the library and finishing with commands at 7 p.m. in the activities center. In between are duets, mimes, more orations and expos, readers theater, solos, duos, and the daunting event that exploited my youthful shortcomings - the extemporaneous speaking. Sigh, darn old research and original analysis.
    In today’s world of shocking presentation, social media blitzes, news based on unsubstantiated facts cultivated from opinion, and leadership that demoralizes cultures and divides nationalities, the attempts at discourse instead lead to anger.
    Today and Saturday we can forget all that.
    We can just watch a collection of good old classic debates from wellmannered and educated students that will provide a glimpse of our future leadership.
    Because sometimes all we really need is to be held softly and patted on the back.

You have no rights to post comments

Login Form

 

20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.

50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.

Calendar

Local Events

Instagram

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Instagram!

Facebook

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Facebook!