548 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



Resolved, (1) That the president aud secretary of this association be requested to 

 prepare a paper asking the Government to make some provision for an industrial 

 training school at Sitka, the capital ; and for an appropriation to be expended by the 

 Commissioner of Education, under the direction of the honorable Secretary of the 

 Interior, for the establishment of schools at such points in Alaska as may be desig- 

 nated by the Commissioner of Education. 



(2) That copies of the paper so prepared, signed on behalf of this association by . 

 the president and secretary, shall be transmitted to the President of the Unitetl 

 States, the honoral>le Secretary of the Interior, and the Committees on Labor aud 

 Educatiou in the Senate and House of Representatives. 



Similar action has been taken by the department of superintoudeuce of the asso- 

 ciation, by the National Education Assembly, aud by the Massacliusetts, Vermont, 

 New Hampshire, and Connecticut State teachers' associations. 



In accordance with the above resolution of the association we have sent memo- 

 rials to the President, the Secretary of the Interior, United States Commissioner of 

 Education, and both Houses of Congress. 



Since then we are gratified to notice that the President in his annual message, aud 

 the Secretary of the Interior and Commissioner of Indian Affairs, in their annual 

 reports to Congress, have earnestly called the attention of that body to the needs of 

 Alaska. 



Further action is dependent upon Congress. But in the many interests claiming 

 the attention of Congress and the pressure of political matters preceding a Presi- 

 dential election, nothing will be done, unless the friends of educatiou ilood Congress 

 with petitions aslcing special attention to the urgent needs of schools in iVlaska. 



Please therefore talie the inclosed, or some similar petition, sign it yourself, offer 

 it to as many Iriends and neighbors as convenient, and then mail it at an early date 

 to your Representative in Congress, or to either of the Senators from your State, or 

 to the person named in the petition. 



THOMA8 W. BiCKNELL, Presidviil. 

 H. S. Tarhkll, Secrctarii. 



This paper was printed as a circular and sent by the thousand to tlie 

 public-scbool teacliers of the country. 



At the second annual meeting of the ^National Education Assembly, 

 held at Ocean Grove, N. J., August 9-12, 1883, upon motion of Gen. T. 

 J. Morgan, the following action was taken: 



Ihsolrcd, That we recognize with profound gratitude to God tlie cheering pi'og- 

 ress that marlvs the efforts to civilize the American Indians; that we see in this an 

 unanswerable argument in favor of the continuance on the part of the Government 

 of the so-called peace policy; that we urge upon Congress the enlargement of the 

 work already in progress, until adcfiuate provision shall be made for the systematic 

 education of all Indians of proper school age; that we speci.ally urge the importance 

 of appropriation of money for general educatiou in Alaska and for the establishnieutof 

 an industrial and normal school at Sitka; that wo pledge ourselves and call upon all 

 philanthropists not only to aid the Government in this great work, but to do all that 

 can be done, privately and publicly, to carry forward this great enterprise, until the 

 American Indians become American citizens, with individual I'ights of property and 

 suffrage and individual responsibilities and duties. 



On the 19th of October, 1883, the Connecticut State Teachers' Asso- 

 ciation, in session at I^ew Haven, took action as follows: 



Resolved, That we specially urge the importance of the appropriation of money 

 for genei'al education in Alaska and for the establishment of an industrial aud 

 normal school at Sitka; that we pledge ourselves and call upon .ill philanthropists 

 not only to aid the Government in this great work, but to do all that cau be done, 

 privately and publicly, to carry forward this great enterprise, until the American 

 Indians become American citizens, with individual rights of projierty and suffrage 

 and individual responsibilities and duties. 



They were followed by the Vermont State Teachers' Association, in 

 session at Montpelier October 25, 1883, who reported : 



The Vermont State Teachers' Association, in session at Montpelier October 24 to 

 27, 1883, learn with regret that since the transfer of Alaska from Russia to the 

 United States sixteen years have been allowed to pass without extending to the popu- 

 lation educational advantages. We feel ashamed as American citizens that any 

 section of our land should )je worse off under our control than under the control of 

 Russia, we having failed to continue the schools which for many years were sustained 

 by the Russian Government. We learn, therefore, with great pleasure that on 



