Daily Sitka Sentinel from Sitka, Alaska • Page 1

Member of the Associated I Wednesday, March 6, 1985 Alaska 35 of Two Parts: to Montgomery Search EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of a two-part series about the experience of one woman, Evelyn Conner, in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. By SUSAN FROETSCHEL Sentinel Staff Writer Twenty years ago this week, Evelyn Bonner turned on the television in a relative's Alabama and -saw state troopers on horses and armed with guns, clubs gas trampling and beating people kneeling on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. Bonner, who is now head of instructional resources at Sheldon Jackson College, remembers watching, holding her baby girl, and thinking "My God, isn't that She learned that the 500 peaceful, unarmed demonstrators had vbieeri trying to start a 50-mile SeIma to Alabama's capital in Montgomery, Bonner began part in, the next march. Later that month, she and hundreds of others joined the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

at Selma for another attempt to walk to Montgomery. the menacing armed were presentagam; and so were the cameras of 'television networks; The marchers made it to Montgomery that time, writing a dramatic chapter in the history of the civil moyemeiit in the "Even the strongest would have been uneased and unnerved," said who celebratecl her! 45th this week. "It was scary, I was pushed several times, but never knocked to the -ground. She remembers 4 a Da vita, before: child in the care of others for th6 duration of the march. "I guess 'that's I remember most, getting formulas," Bonner said.

Even before the bkby's birth, she badk, decided against breast feeding to keep the; child from; going hungry if Bonnetscivil rights activity should cause theni to beseparated. "I was always a social activist," she saidi "But I always left her fir good hands. "When: you left for that type of thing, you were laying your We on the line. You weren't saying 'Come get or anything like that, but you knew you might not come back. It did take great faith." Bonner participated in civil rights protests before' the Sehna march.

S.he been in jail, seen crosses bum-and been shot at. "How I got invblyed was sparked by a long line of injustices," she said. "Many thought it was primarily for voting But the discrimination was pervasive in all aspects of life, she recalls, telling of traveling for miles, needing to use a restroom, and being refused at public facilities reserved only for whites; of seeking in vain for a hotel that would house blacks; of finding the lunch counters closest Evelyn Bonner to her university closed to her because of her color. "It (the civil rights movement) was for justice and equality," Bonner continued. "To make life not just one of existence, but one with quality." At the time, Bonner's husband, David, was serving in the U.S.

Marines and based in Hawaii "That was the only reason he wasn't there marching, too," said Bonner. "But he didn't try and me. He was fully supportive." She concedes other relatives, but not her parents, "thought! had lost my mind." "It was something I had to do," she says simply. Bonner said her feelings of protest grew slowly. As a small child, she dutifully recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, and learned about the American revolution and the Constitution, not thinking about how they did not apply to her life.

But, she now wonders, were there other children in the classroom who were silent because the words had no meaning for them at all? From her experience as an educator, she said she now is aware that-it is hard to learn about such concepts when in practice, you have been excluded from their application. A time comes in every Bonner said, when a person asks, "What am I here for?" and "What is it all about?" As a young woman, she said she made her choices and decided she might as well put her life on the line. "The other thing that caused me to commit time and energy to this was a true relationship with-the Gospels she said. "They're an activist Gospel." She remembers listening, years ago, to a sermon in an Alabama Presbyterian church about love peace and justice for all. "And just the opposite was going on outside," she said.

"That's why I took to the streets, you might say." The second part end conclusion of this series on Thursday will focus on Bonner's other civil rights experiences and what she calls "the unfinished task." By ALLEN Sentinel Staff Writer Sitka schools have not only one of the best computer-to-student ratios in the United States, but also a better computer curriculum than most schools across the country. That was the report of a committee of administrators and teachers who presented a computer curriculum report to the Sitka School Board Tuesday night. Board members are to review the report, which outlines a program of computer education from elementary grades through high school, for adoption at a future meeting. Joe Beckford, district assistant- superintendent for business, is chairman of the committee, which is one of several formed to review and update teaching programs in nearly every subject taught in the school system. During the 1983-84 school year, the district nearly doubled the number of computers available to students, increasing from 47 to 93, said Beckford.

"As a result of computer prices going down, we were able to buy more units," he said. The district's initial cost for Apple II computers, said Beckford, was $1,700 each. In the most recent purchace, Apple II's "and, of course, the new ones are far more powerful than the old said. The September, 1984; issue of School Tech News reported South Dakota was the state with the best computer-to- student ratio in the nation, with one unit for every 43 students. In Sitka, computers are more than two times as accessible, because the ratio is 18 students per unit.

Beckford, ratios in Sitka schools are as follows: elementary schools, 37 to junior high, 13.7 to high school, 19.8 to 1. Just as computer technology and pricing are changing rapidly, said Beckford, changes in computer curriculum are also dramatic. He said the formal outline of the district's curriculum will probably change considerably in the next few years. Curriculum is an area where many schools run into problems, Beckford noted, citing "horror stories" of districts making large cash outlays for computers that are not used. One, which was reported in a Wall Street Journal story on computers in schools, concerned a Florida district that spent $2.1 million on computers that largely went unused because of a lack of instructors, and also because no funds had been allocated for software, the operating programs, necessary to make a computer do useful tasks.

Sitka has had no such problems Beckford told the school board. Enthusiasm for computers initially came from teachers in classrooms, some of whom already were "computer buffs." "Input didn't come down, it came up," Beckford said, lapsing into computer jargon. He said all software purchases were coordinated by the. committee, preventing waste and duplication. As a result, only 10 to 25 percent of software programs that were presented were purchased.

Committees reviewing various curriculum programs in the district have generally analyzed model programs in other schools. In the case of computer education, the only other district in Alaska with a formal computer program that the Sitka committee was aware of is Anchorage, said Beckford. "With what we had to work with--we were pretty much plowing new ground to put together a curriculum the committee did a pretty good job," said the assistant superintendent. Turning to other business, the board formally approved the vocational Sheffield to Draft Subsistence of Court Decision By BRUCE SCANDLING Associated Press Writer JUNEAU (AP)-- Lawmakers may be asked this session to rework Alaska's subsistence law in the wake of a ruling by the state's highest court that subsistence rights can't be limited to rural Alaskans. Key legislators, however, say the issue isn't likely to be resolved by a "quick-fix" solution that would have to be pieced together in the next two months.

Gov. Bill Sheffield said Tuesday he is drafting legislation in response to the Feb. 22 Alaska Supreme Court decision. "We need to get it in and dealt with so no fears are left hanging out there." said Sheffield- He said, he may introduce a bill Friday, In effect, the Supreme Court said more people urban or rural can qualify for subsistence fishing rights. That decision means subsistence fisheries can be expanded and could therefore face heavier use, said Larri Spengler; an assistant attorney general for the state.

If that heavier use poses a threat to fish runs in specific streams or rivers, commercial and sport fishing may have to be restricted or eliminated to protect the runs for subsistence use, Ms. Spengler said. That's if state law as drafted by the 1978 legislature stays the same and is applied under provisions of the recent Supreme Court ruling. Ms. Spengler said the ruling could likely be applied to game regulations as well, which would affect hunting seasons and bag limits throughout the state.

Tackling the complex and controversial subsistence issue this session is not an idea that's dear to the hearts of many iegisla tors. "Because of the 'timing of the decision, I think it would be very difficult for us to come up with a solution in the remainder of the 120 days," 'House Speaker Ben Grussendorf, Dr said Tuesday. nearing-thervhalf- way mark of a 120-day session Alaska voters ordered by ballot initiative last November. Grussendorf said it's clear the Supreme Court ruling could open the door for drastic change in state fishing arid hunting laws. "But at this point, I don't see a solution that is a quick fix," Grussendorf said.

vThe court's decision, in effect, means the state is violating the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, said Rep. Jack Fuller, D- Nome. That federal law says the state may manage its own fish and game resources, as long as rural Alaskans have first-use priority if fisheries or game populations begin to dwindle. While the state must protect the hunting and fishing rights of rural Alaskans, Fuller said, he doesn't want to see the legislature attempt a band-aid solution in the wake of the court ruling. "At this point, it does appear likely that the state may have to make statutory changes," said Fuller, who leads the legislature's bush caucus.

"However," he said, "we don't want to try to deal with such an important issue in a reactionary manner without careful consideration of the implications of our actions." Sen. Arliss Sturgulewski, R- Anchorage, said it's too early to interpret exactly what the Supreme Court ruling means, but lawmakers aren't likely to come up with easy solutions for such a complex problem. "We'll certainly work on the i a i Sturgulewski, who chairs the Senate Resources Committee. "But we'll have to be very careful to see we are helping, instead of hurting, the situation." The Supreme Court decision, drafted by Justice Daniel Moore reversed district and superior court rulings against residents who live along Cook Inlet and in Honier. The state fish board in 1981 limited subsistence fishing in those areas to three villages, even though other groups claimed they had relied on the subsistence fishery for years.

The board, in developing strict guidelines to enforce the subsistence law passed by lawmakers in 1978, actually took away subsistence fishing rights to groups the legislature was apparently trying to protect, Moore wrote. AH subsistence or rural, have a right to take fish before sport or commercial fishermen, the court said. Attendants Hired In Airline Strike ort education curriculum presented at its last meeting, and also received a brief progress report from a committee working on the physical education program. High school Spanish and English instructor Sue Riggs presented a report on the Southeast Alaska Foreign Language Festival, to be held at Sitka -High School this weekend. Students from the entire region will have a chance to take part in various mini sessions dealing with foreign languages.

Theme of the festival, said Riggs, will be "Foreign Languages: Steps to Success." Emphasis will be on how to receive education in foreign languages after high.school, and how to use foreign languages in careers. Keynote speaker for the event will be Dr. Bette Hirsch, head of the French department at Cabrillo College in Aptos, Calif. Board members also told Supt Art Woodhouse their wishes for the 1S85-86 school calendar. The superintendent and Suzanne Harris, administrative secretary, will prepare a proposed calendar to present to the board at their next meeting.

Informal consensus of board members and high school student council (Continued on Page 2) SEATTLE (AP) Alaska Airlines says it will begin hiring flight attendants to replace those who are refusing to work during a strike by mechanics and baggage hanpUers. But flight attendants honoring the picket lines will not be fired and will be called back to work as they are needed, airline spokesman Marc DeLaunay said Tuesday. "The expectation is for everyone to be.calted back to work as we expand," said DeLaunay. A training class began this and response to the announcement on hiring was "tremendous, "He said. Alaska's service was halted to Boise, Idaho, and cut by half to the three Pacific Coast states, but the airline maintained most service in Alaska and planned to expand gradually somet me after Wednesday, DeLaunay said.

More than 1,000 flight attendants, machinists and baggage handlers remained off the job today as the strike entered its third day with no end in sight, union officials said. The strike of mechanics, baggage -handlers service- workers began Monday. Between 650 and 700 members of the International Association of Machinists arid Aerospace Workers in Washington and Alaska halted work after negotiations failed to an agreement, said Gary Peterson, secretary-treasurer of Local 2202. All but a few of the airline's 500 flight attendants were refusing to cross picket lines, said John Gallant, spokesman for the Association of Flight Attendants. Gallant called the company's announcement that it would begin hiring replacement flight attendants "intimidation." "This is nothing new at all," Gallant said.

"They're hiring year 'round." Gallant estimated the airline would need about 150 new attendants by May for the busier summer season. Alaska spokesman Jim Johnson said "many" flight attendants were reporting to work. Gallant denied it. Alaska officials threatened to fire about 45 probationary workers who are not yet union members if they do not work, Gallant said. He said "eight or nine" were fired, and the union planned to take their cases to court.

Among issues unresolved between Rockslide Clean-Up To be Hard HARMON DEN, N.C. (AP) -Granite boulders the size of boxcars will have to be "blasted out piece by piece" to clear a tunnel on a major interstate highway between North Carolina and Tennessee, highway officials said. "I'd say there's upwards of 100,000 tons there," Department of Transportation district engineer Dim Parham said Tuesday. "That's a lot of rock to move." About 30,000 cubic yards of rock sheared off a cliff face Tuesday morning and crushed the westbound shaft of an Interstate 40 tunnel in the Great Smoky Mountains about four miles from the Tennessee line and 50 miles west of Asheville. Both lanes on the east end of the tunnel were blocked by the estimated 30,000 cubic yards of rock.

Damage was placed at $1 million. Clearing the eastbound lane was expected to take at least six weeks and clearing the westbound lane and repairing its tunnel about nine months, said Jim Sughrue, spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. About 11,000 vehicles pass through each lane every day, he said. Highway officials hope to use the eastbound lane for both directions after it is cleared. the union and management are cost-of- living adjustments and the length of time required to reach top pay.

Johnson said Alaska wants a tzo-tier pay scale with lower pay for new employees. The airline also wants to hire some part-time workers and have some employees to do a wider range of jobs. Sitka Faces Shortage of Perishables By Sentinel Staff Because of strike-hampered schedules, Alaska Airlines has announced an embargo on northbound perishable freight shipments from Seattle. In Sitka, restaurants are the primary users of the airline for shipping in produce arid perishable items, and they -are turning to the grocery -stores to meet their immediate needs. Although the largest grocery retailer in Sitka, the Hames brings most of its perishables up by refrigerator van, a spokesman said the demand caused by the cutoff of airlifted supplies to the restaurants poses the possibility of shortages of meat, milk and produce in Sitka stores by this weekend.

No progress was reported today toward resolving the strike called against the airline Monday by mechanics and ramp personnel. In Sitka pickets were still pacing in front of the airline terminal. The shortage of baggage and freight handlers throughout the system has forced a curtailment of flights, and the airline has had to place an embargo on the perishables headed north, said Pat Verney, 1 Alaska Airlines station manager in Sitka. "This puts us in a topsy-turvy state," said Mike Brennan, Sea Mart manager. He explained Sea Mart receives 98 percent of its goods by boat, but many restaurants and government agencies in Sitka routinely have their perishables shipped by air.

"By the weekend Sunday, Monday and Tuesday it's going to be difficult here in Sitka," Brennan said. "Hotels and other establishments that had air freight canceled are going to be putting pressure on the grocery stores." Brennan said Sea Mart plans to fill large orders for its regular wholesale customers only, with others having to buy from the produce racks in the store, like other customers. "And they are doing that," he said, adding he has seen restaurant vans in the Sea Mart parking lot several times a day. He noted one establishment tried to place an order for 1,000 pounds of produce. "I didn't have an extra 1,000 pounds of produce," he said.

Sitka stores should not have a problem supplying dry goods and non- perishables because most are stocked in local warehouses and arrive by surface transportation. "I encourage Sitkans to stock up on their perishables early," he said. Verney said U.S. mail has a priority on the airline, and that he had just unloaded three cart-loads of mail from the 12:10 southbound flight. "We are very busy," he said.

"The situation is the same, with only two flights on. But the flights are on time." The seven ramp personnel of the airline's 21 employees in Sitka are participating in the strike. No mechanics are based in Sitka. Despite the embargo on perishables from the south, Sitka and other communities in Alaska are being allowed to ship out perishables, such as fresh seafood, Verney said. Flights canceled are flight 65 northbound and flight 66 southbound, which flies on Monday, Wednesday Friday and Sunday..