Sheldon Jackson
Dear Editor: Last week, on April 17, three parties and three beginning discussions were held on Founders Day of what became Sheldon Jackson School.
Of course, Sitka was a center of education long before 1878, and continues long after the closing of the college, June 29, 2007. Many citizens have personal experience with various aspects and different decades of the human learning processes on the SJ campus, and elsewhere in Sitka. Might we add to the discussions of history of Sitka as a center of education during this special year acknowledging the Treaty of Cessation in 1867?
One hundred years ago, 1917, the first high school at SJ began. In 1935, the school received accreditation. In 1944, two-year college courses were added. Fifty years ago, 1967, the high school closed; Sheldon Jackson College continued, officially under a Board of Trustees in 1972.
Other educational centers developed. The Bureau of Indian Affairs on Front Street (now Katlian Street), the territorial school at Lincoln and Baranof streets, (now Pacific High), Mt. Edgecumbe school in 1947, Community College, the Public Safety Academy, University of Alaska Southeast, the Sitka Sound Science Center, Sitka Native Education Center, and others yet to be identified.
What was especially fun at last week’s parties was the amazing range of connections to the Sheldon Jackson Campus:
A descendant of one of the first students. A member of the last High School class, a cook for 25 years, teachers from the early college years, coach, volunteers, high school students from the 1950s, the first Junior College students, staff, librarians, archivist, dean of students, and faculty who lived in different places during different decades. The discussions included other supports and neighbors and the amazing rescue of Allen Auditorium.
Also there were representatives of specific programs: the aquarium and the beginning fisheries program in the Sage Building, the international programs, the beginning of computers, the Learning Center, classes many adults from the community took (and miss), the Native Studies Program, the SJ Child Center first in Rasmuson, and the Radio Station.
If you haven’t been on campus for a while, take a stroll, see the renovations, the revitalization, and feel the energy. Think about education as an integral part of Sitka’s history, traditions, legacy.
Special thank you to all who attended, and to the gracious accommodations: Sandra Koval, manager of Swan Lake Senior Center, Skye Workman at the Pioneers Home, Maite Lorente at Sitka Public Library, and gunalcheesh for the fine emcee leadership of John Stein, who engaged everyone in great stories at the library. Finally, to Laura for decorating the cakes, adding the book, the basketball and music staff.
If I had my wits about me, I would have asked permission of each participant to use their names and association with SJ. Please let me know if you don’t mind. And come to the next SJ meeting, May 15 at 5:30 - 6:30 p.m., location to be announced later.
Nancy Yaw Davis, Sitka
City Thanks
Dear Editor: The City and Borough would like to say thank you to everyone who participated in the citywide cleanup efforts. The Sitka High track team, Rotary Club of Sitka, Sitka Community Hospital and AmeriCorps, along with countless other volunteers donated their time to beautifying our community. We appreciate your work and look forward to another cleanup next year.
City and Borough of Sitka
War Again
Dear Editor: As Day 99 dawned in TrumpLandia, a Reuters headline really caught my attention: “Israel Bombs Iranian Weapons in Damascus.”
This was after reading how we now have new American boots on the ground and/or on their way into Syria, Iraq (again), Afghanistan (again), Somalia (again), probably Yemen, and one can, again, only imagine where else. And that we have anti-missile missiles moving into South Korea and an aircraft carrier Task Force en route, however circuitously.
Along with recalling that we also have American ground forces within artillery range of Russian troops in Eastern Europe for the first time since the Cold War; and remembering the looming imbroglio with China over the South China Sea and whose lake it really is: I could only think of one thing to think.
All this in a mere 99 days.
And Israel is bombing Damascus, no doubt in close combat-zone air traffic – and tactical ground combat support – control contact with both the Russian and American authorities in the area. Or maybe it’s the Russians and the Americans who are staying in close touch with them.
Reflecting on all this, I was drawn back some 50 years ago to a place called Viet Nam when Armed Forces Radio Viet Nam would play, at least two, three times a day, Barry McGuire’s 1965 opus, “Eve of Destruction.”
On the other hand, all this could just simply be a very handy and effective way of diverting the American people’s attention away from what’s really going on up there in SwampLand. Mr Trump has demonstrated himself to be a past master of using the media to focus folks’ attention on what he wants them to focus on (i.e. what he is saying), rather than on what he is actually doing.
Just as one example one many: The Great Wall of the Americas is off, at least for the moment, but NAFTA is up. Even as we inflict a 20% tariff on American home builders and buyers who use NAFTA-partner Canada’s wood; and bat around a BAT (Border Adjustment Tax) against goods coming in particularly from our other NAFTA-compeer, Mexico, thereby raising the cost of those products to the American consumer: the question arises..... What IS he actually doing behind all that smoke and all those tweets? And on whose behalf is he doing it?
Another song AFRVN played regularly back in those days was Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.”
JG Moebus, Veterans
Against War (Sitka Platoon)
