The Daily Alaska Empire

MEMBERS GIVE FINE PROGRAM FOR ROTARY CLUB

Rotarians meeting for luncheon today in the Baranof Gold Room proved again that a member-program can be second to none. Had it been broadcast, it would have stood up well in competition with any forum-type program on the air.

Scarcely had Rotarians sat down before Harold Foss, Program Chairman, announced the plan. In observance of American Education Week, the six men at each table would choose a conversation topic on some aspect or problem of education, then select a spokesman to summarize their discussion.

As the speakers later complied, it was noted that there were as many approaches to the subject as there were tables.

DR. RYAN SPEAKS

To lead off, Dr. James C. Ryan, Territorial Commissioner of Education, gave a brief talk on the purpose of Education Week, relating the national picture to that of Alaska. He pointed out that one out of four persons in the nation attend some kind of school at the moment—in other words, between 35 and 40 million students.

"Thus," he commented, "education is not merely a family, city or state problem, but a national one."

He emphasized that conditions even in distant schools are related to Alaska, as future business and other leaders will come from many of them.

As to education in Alaska, where the Territorial Legislature has the chief responsibility, Dr. Ryan said that 13,000 children now attend public schools in elementary and secondary institutions, and 5,000 in parochial schools and the University of Alaska.

Salvation Army Major Eric Newbould spoke for the first luncheon group, saying their talk had been of the importance of vocational training as put to use through mental development.

BUILDING SITE NEEDED

Mayor Waino Hendrickson spoke next, reporting that his table was concerned with physical needs for the Juneau school system, and that they had once more gone over the problem of a desirable site for a new building, preferably in a center of population.

For his table, Attorney Howard D. Stabler pointed out the need for educating parents to teach children to help themselves, and for teachers to give their students values to counteract "love and murder" movies and the influence of certain so-called comic books.

THREE-WAY SERVICE

Maurice Powers, Chief Executive of the Boy Scouts here, used his three minutes for a well-organized talk which related Education Week to Rotary ideals of service: individually, as a club, and as citizens of the community. He cited Rotary sponsorship of the Soap Box Derby, especially, for its teaching sportsmanship and to work with one's hands.

Fred Eastaugh said his group believed that, in these times, one important contribution of the schools is to teach students to think through problems and to see through fallacies of 'isms such as socialism and communism. "In the face of the colossus of government."

William R. Hughes told of discussion at the Round Table on the need for standardizing high school courses of study and credits throughout the country, a problem which, Dr. Ryan interjected, is a "very live issue."

URGES VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

Henry Harmon, who took the position of Territorial Director of Public Welfare after a brilliant career as educator in the field of vocational training, stressed the part Rotarians and other adults can play in vocational guidance. "Each Rotarian can help both the teachers and children by becoming interested in individual youngsters' plans for the future, and for their ultimate success."

"Everyone knows," Hank said, voicing a perfect "tag-line" for a stimulating program, "everyone knows that a country goes forward on the feet of its children."

CIGARS FROM SUSAN

Speaking of children, the program got under way as dozens of men lighted cigars passed around by A. F. Ghiglione, celebrating the birth of his third daughter. The baby, born October 29, will be christened Susan Maria. The Ghiglione's other daughters are Ann, 10, and Kay, 8.

President Bob Akervick announced the concert of the Juneau City Band November 22, and the luncheon next Monday honoring Treasury Secretary John W. Snyder, to which Rotarians have been invited by the Lions Club.

COMMITTEES NAMED

He appointed Ellis Reynolds chairman; Vern Metcalfe, Ceci Casler and Eric Newbould as a committee to plan the annual party for children December 20, and Carson Lawrence and Ted Hyder to make arrangements for Rotarians' annual exchange of Christmas gifts at the December 27 meeting.

Guests were Hurff Saunders, now a civilian employee as civil engineer for the USCG District headquarters here, and Tom Hansen, of the Union Oil Company at Ketchikan, both Past Presidents of the Ketchikan Rotary Club; Russell Bond of Seattle, consulting engineer for Union Oil, and Bob Sommers, who was introduced as the Junior Rotarian for the month.