The Way We Were

Aug. 3, 1922

The Wenonah, with A.M. Sobieralski commanding, was in port Saturday and Sunday. This is a Coast and Geodetic Survey vessel and has been in Southeast Alaska the past two months during which time a precise triangulation has been extended from the completed work in the vicinity of Zarembo Island south to Ship Island. The topography along the west shore of Ernest Sound has been extended to the entrance of Zimovia Strait, including Menefee Inlet, Southwest Cove, Canoe Passage and off-lying islands. Inshore hydrography on the south coast of Etolin Island, part of the east coast of Brownson Island and part of Canoe Passage have been completed. In addition, the ship has taken some soundings in the area covered by the wire drag in order to furnish additional information for the chart.

Aug. 1, 1947

Boy Scouts of Wrangell will have an opportunity for several camping opportunities under the leadership of Neil French, who is associated with the Wrangell Cedar Products Co., it was announced this week by Delbert Hanks, Scout official of the territory who was in Wrangell. Mr. Hanks said that Mr. French has expressed his willingness to help this summer in the absence of a scoutmaster. The Sea Scout ship will be used to transport the Scouts. Mr. French stated that the summer season is the biggest camping season for Scouts and he wanted to do what he could to make the summer experience available to boys.

Aug. 4, 1972

An estimated 650 students are expected to head back to classrooms at Wrangell elementary and high schools on opening day of the fall term Sept. 6. Classrooms were being readied and administrative machinery geared up this week at both schools. Most of the faculty of nearly 40 educators will be back this year. Grammar school pupils will be using a new $10,000 media center, installed this summer and including thousands of new volumes plus an electronic language arts program. New at Wrangell High School will be a coeducational home economics program including a wide choice of special nine-week courses in cooking, sewing and other homemaking skills. The class will be taught in a newly redone and re-equipped double classroom. Other new-this-year high school courses will include a work program in which students will gain experience in actual jobs with local merchants and craftsmen, expanded foreign language offerings and photography. The elementary school media center was financed largely by federal funds and includes recorders, tape machines and other devices to teach language arts.

July 31, 1997

Anyone going up the Stikine this summer will see two young men regularly working along the shore, clearing trails, repairing cabins and talking with visitors. Mike Whelean and Bruce Brenner are Forest technicians/wilderness rangers working for the U.S. Forest Service in a temporarily funded program. Both have winter jobs elsewhere, but enjoy spending their summers working in the woods and wilderness areas throughout the U.S. According to Brenner, the two are attempting to do a lot of public relations this summer, letting people know they are there, giving the public an opportunity to offer ideas or suggestions concerning the area facilities or upkeep. They are staying at the Forest Cabin on the river, and will be found maintaining the two hot tubs, picnic areas and the five cabins in the river area. They will be monitoring the river use, charters and personal- use boats and checking permits occasionally.