The Way We Were

July 10, 1919

It has always been the custom of Wrangell to celebrate the Fourth in a most joyous and enthusiastic manner, but our celebration this year had an added interest because of the presence of Governor and Mrs. Riggs who arrived Thursday noon on the Murre.

Everyone in town who could get away was at the wharf to welcome the distinguished guests. The Admiral Evans was in port and her passengers joined in the greetings, the Wrangell band playing gaily all the while.

While the reception for Mrs. Riggs was in progress Governor Riggs was being shown the various industries of the town, in each of which he took a keen interest. That evening he and Mrs. Riggs were dinner guests at the home of F. E. Bronson.

July 7, 1944

A large group of members and visitors of the Wrangell Civic Club and Library Association were entertained at the regular monthly

meeting Saturday afternoon, July 1, at 1:30 with a musical program of patriotic numbers sung by Mrs. E. R. Sharnbroich and Mrs. Orville Keeney.

The songs enjoyed were “This is Worth Fighting For,” “Your Land and My Land,” “Here Comes The Navy,” and “God Bless America.”

Mrs. John Coulter, reporting for the library board, stated that three dollars had been given to the library last month and the Association will make further announcement in this regard as soon as selection is made.

Mrs. Coulter also advised that the Presbyterian Ladies Aid were the first to subscribe to the Library Book Memorial. This organization has voted to place a book on the Memorial Shelf at the library in memory of Mr. Ludwig Berg. All books on the Memorial Shelf will have

attached a card showing the name of the organization or individual presenting the book and also the name of the person in whose memory it is placed on the shelf.

July 10, 1969

A committee of Alaska educators, school board members, representatives of professional education organizations, and State and local government agencies met in Juneau, in the Governor’s Conference Room to consider problems of State financial support to Alaska’s public schools. Committee members initiated planning for the proposed statewide school finance study.

The State of Alaska presently provides financial support to local school districts through a foundation program developed in 1961-62.

Subsequent legislative action at both the State and Federal levels has created a need for a comprehensive review of the school finance program in Alaska.

July 7, 1994

The USDA Forest Service announced a schedule to make 71 million board feet (MMBF) of timber available for bidding by independent sale operators between July and the end of September 1994 on Tongass National forest.

Regional Forester Phil Janik said the timber sale offerings were rescheduled to utilize some volume from the former Alaska Pulp Corporation long-term timber sale contract area. This timber is now available as a result of APC’s closure of the Sitka pulp mill and the subsequent termination of the long-term contract. This volume will be available for competitive bidding to supply the sawmills in Southeast Alaska. Several small sales are planned to make up the 71 MMBF scheduled for offering in the next three months. This brings the total independent sale offerings to 99 MMBF for the fiscal year.