REPORT OTI A TRIP

TO AL.4SKA, APRIL I 9 6 6 by

E l f r i e d e F . Hoeber

The immediate o c c a s i o n of the t r i p was the d e d i c a t i o n of the v i l l a g e of G r a y l i n g which was b u i l t w i t h the a i d o f a F e d e r a l lowincome housing demonstration grant under S e c t i o n 207 o f the Housing Act of 1961. The a d d i t i o n a l purpose of the t r i p was the i n s p e c t i o n

of the houses a t G r a y l i n g , an experimental house i n B e t h e l f o r use by Eskimos l i v i n g i n the t r e e l e s s t;indra, and the i n s p e c t i o n o f the mutual-help housing i n M e t l a k a t l a i n the s o u t h e a s t e r n p a r t of A l a s k a . One might ask i f a v i l l a g e of 23 h o u s e s , one experimental house, and a group of mutual-help houses are worth the t i m e , and e f f o r t , and c o s t i n v o l v e d i n sending a F e d e r a l o f f i c i a l over the n e a r l y miles distance.

5,000

I t turned out to be worthwhile i n d e e d , i n terms of

having a b a s i s f o r e v a l u a t i n g r e p o r t s submitted by the sponsor, the A l a s k a S t a t e Housing A u t h o r i t y , developing c o n c l u s i o n s r e g a r d i n g means of p r o v i d i n g housing i n the north c o u n t r y , i n terms of the s a t i s f a c t i o n to the I n d i a n s and other Alaskans i n seeing somebody from Washington t a k i n g the t r o u b l e to v i s i t them, and, l a s t , i n terms of the education r e c e i v e d by the v i s i t o r . A l a s k a i s d i f f e r e n t indeed. from, s a y , the r u r a l South. I t s problems of poverty are d i f f e r e n t

The s c a l e of the c o u n t r y , the c l i m a t e ,

the expense of g e t t i n g around and of s h i p p i n g goods add a d d i t i o n a l dimensions to the problems c r e a t e d by outdated technology and a i tenuous economic b a s e . .

One

example may i l l u s t r a t e j u s t ono c o s t a s p e c t .

I n advance o f

the o f f i c i a l d e d i c a t i o n p a r t y of about 25 persons f l y i n g t o G r a y l i n g , the A l a s k a S t a t e Housing A u t h o r i t y had a i r f r e i g h t e d g r o c e r i e s i n t o ^ Grayling. The s h i p p i n g c o s t s almost e q u a l l e d t h e b a s i c c o s t . Each

p a r t i c i p a n t was asked t o pay $24 to-v.-ard t h e g r o c e r i e s , about t h e most expensive though not t h e b e s t meal t h i s r e p o r t e r ever a t e . And t h e

mainstay of the meal, moose meat l o a f , was c o n t r i b u t e d by t h e n a t i v e s themselves. The term " n a t i v e " and "bush" do not c a r r y any derogatory corinotations. tho The n a t i v e uses t h e term f r e e l y as a p p l y i n g t o h i m s e l f and scheduJ-o l i s t s "bush" r o u t e s . The term " n a t i v e " a p p l i e s

airline

t o I n d i a n s , Eskiwcs and A l e u t s , but not t o persons born i n A l a s k a o f European or s t a t e s i d e o r i g i n . latter. There do not seem t o be many o f t h e

Nearly everybody i s from so.Tiouhero.

On tho d i r o c t f l i g h t from Chicago to Anchcrago the f r o z e n w h i t e l a n d begins a t t h i s ti;.:e o f t h e y e a r an hou:f out o f Chicago. ments a r c fevror and fewer. noxchere and t o go nov.'here. Settle-

The o c c a s i o n a l roads seem t o co:.:e from A l l i s b l a c k and w h i t e . V.Tiite r i v e r o and

l a k e s and open a r e a s , and b l a c k t r e e s .

Hearing Anchorage ( a f t e r many

hours o f confincr.cnt t o a s e a t too narrov; f o r comfort and i r i t h l e g space too short t o pw-rnit change o f p o s i t i o n ) drsmatic nountairs

appear. Fxin--'^ \.'.'lli:::3 Soui-id i s c r o s s e d and Anchorage i s rs.-ched a t 2 p.m. Alaska tir.o, 7 p.m. VJashington t i m e . I t ' s a busy a i r p o r t indeed

served by KIK, A i r F r a n c e , Japan A i r l i n e s , Morthv:ost O r i e n t , and innume

them. about

The reason f o r t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l l i n o s to be t h e r e i s t h a t i t i s

2,000 m i l e s s h o r t e r from Washington t o Tokyo v i a Anchorage than

KLM o f f e r s Alaskans a two-week t r i p t^o

v i a San F r a n c i s c o and IIav:aii. Europe from Anchorage f o r

$572. I was t o l d t h a t i t c o s t s $50 e x t r a

York v i a London than v i a the d i r e c t r o u t e .

t o go from Anchorage to New

Anchorage, as f a r north as H e l s i n k i and n e a r l y as f a r west as H a w a i i , resembles medium-sized western c i t i e s . quake are r a p i d l y d i s a p p e a r i n g . The s i g n s of the e a r t h -

A s t r e t c h dovmtown has been c l e a r e d Another s t r e t c h along the

and awaits r e b u i l d i n g v i a urban renewal.

shoro where the l a n d caved i n t o the bay and vihich i s a tumble of t r e e s , r o c k s , and d i r t T-iill be p r e s e r v e d i n t h i s c o n d i t i o n . are shooting up. New New skyscrapers

shopping c e n t e r s a r e being b u i l t and houses t c o .

I t i s a l l a p l e a s a n t enough p l a c e w i t h the mountains i n the c a s t and the bay i n the w e s t , but a b i t u j i f i n i s h e d . .

One t h i n g t h a t s t r i k e s tho v i s i t o r i s the i n c e s s a n t , neverending concern of Alaskans about l o c a l and s t a t e p o l i t i c s . You s i t

down at a t a b l e w i t h a s t r a j i g e r a^id vrliere i n other p a r t s the- t a l k vrould be about vreather here the t a l k i s about p o l i t i c s . remarkable enough to t a l k about. v i s i t o r from " o u t s i d e . " And the v/eather i s

Perhaps i t i s remarkable only to the I n the innuiner

But the p o l i t i c s i s a l l l o c a l .

able conversations during my week up t h e r e Vietn?-m d i d not come up once The papers wi.ll devote much more space to the q u e s t i o n s of whether Anchorage should have a zoo, or t o tho d e d i c a t i o n of 23 houses i n G r a y l i n g than to the r a i l r o a d s t r i k e or tho l o s t H-bomb.

4 T r i p to Graylinp; The t r i p to G r a y l i n g was A u t h o r i t y and conducted by Mr. "

arranged by' the A l a s k a S t a t e Housing ^ Charles B l o m f i e l d , the Authority's

a s s i s t a n t d i r e c t o r i n charge of a l l housing programs i n the S t a t e , and my c h e e r f u l e s c o r t throughout tho trip.

Departure of the c h a r t e r plane to G r a y l i n g v:as a t seven i n tho morning on a c l o u d l e s s sunny Saturday ( A p r i l

2, I966).

The p a r t y of

23 persons c o n s i s t e d of r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of ASM

( A l a s k a S t a t e Housing

A u t h o r i t y ) , BIA, P u b l i c Health S e r v i c e , S a l v a t i o n Army (reason f o r h i s presence remains unknov:n), tho Governor's o f f i c e , Senator B a r l o t t ' s o f f i c e , V i s t a , the p r e s s , some o t h e r s , and your r e p o r t e r , a l l more or l e s s violl equipped f o r a t r i p to tho v : i l d s . Northern Consolidated flevr the p a r t y to A n i a k , a c r o s s r o a d s installation. of

.about 100 people w i t h an FAA

I n Ajiiak tho v i s i t o r s wore

d i v i d e d i n t o throe groups t o f l y the remaining d i s t a n c e i n s e v e n - s e a t e r noisy Porter planes. Ono v i l l a g e . Holy C r o s s , v;as n o t i c e d along tho

vray; everything e l s e V7as f r o z e n , empty l a n d w i t h streaiTis and l a k o s , spruce and willows and the b i g f r o z e n Yukon. M a j e s t i c i s tho vrord.

The planes landed on the Yukon vrhero the v i l l a g e r s were >,-aiting vrith s l e d s . The s l e d s were attached to Snow T r a v e l e r s , the r.odcrn ter-ms. The Snov; T r a v e l e r i s a k i n d of s c o o t e r

s u c c e s s o r s to tho dog

running on rubber t r e a d s .

I t c o s t s about $500 and the number i n t]\-? A snow t r a v e l e r needs t o bo fueled Dog

v i l l a g e of G r a y l i n g i s i n c r e a s i n g . only wlien i n u s e .

Dogs need food whether they are working or n o t . '

teens ar= p i c t u r e , qv::: t u t r l r o r;c:;ry.

I vras depositod a t the door of Plarry Gochenauer, the p r e s i d e n t of tho v i l l a g e c o u n c i l . A shy p r e t t y voman vdth f i n e f e a t u r e s and her

f i v e c h i l d r e n velconed me f o r a l i m c h of soup and cheese sandvrichesl The soup and sand^d.ches probably came from tho s p e c i a l grocery s u p p l y . Normally they vjould be homemade, and not w i t h f a c t o r y b r e a d . But the

" v i l l a g e r s were not persuaded t h a t t h e i r v i s i t o r s would have p r e f e r r e d the homemade v a r i e t y . G r a y l i n g i s one r e s u l t o f the Lov;-Income Housing grant to the A l a s k a S t a t e Housing A u t h o r i t y . by the occupants t h e m s e l v e s . Demonstration

The houses v;ere b u i l t

Tho grant provided f o r piircliaso of

m a t e r i a l s , f o r equipment and t o o l s , f o r p l a n n i n g and s u p e r v i s i o n . With a l l tho help provided through the grant and the cooperation o f a number of a g e n c i e s , i n c l u d i n g BIA and PES, G r a y l i n g i s predominantly the r e s u l t of tho v i l l a g e r ' s own e f f o r t s . They f e l l e d the t r e e s up

r i v e r , r a f t e d them to the t o . T i s i t e and savjed them i n t o b u i l d i n g lumb e r , and then b u i l t the houses. The c o s t o f m a t e r i a l s and equipment provided by the grant amounts t o about

$2500 per house.

I t incD.uded k i t c h a n equipment, d o o r s , v.-indovjs

linoleum., p a i n t , hardware, e t c . The econor-y of the remote v i l l a g e i s tenuous a t b e s t . Scr.e summer

enploraent i s a v a i l a b l e i n c a n n e r i e s , c c c a s i o n s l l y l a s t i n g l o n g enough t o q u a l i f y tho workers f o r v>iiemploy;\ont compensation; animals a r e

trapped f o r t h o i r f u r s ; f i s h a r e caught f o r home consumption and m.oose i s shot f o r meat. I t i s a b a r e s u b s i s t e n c e economy.

The tenuous economy i s one reason vhy i t took t h r e e y e a r s to comp l e t e the houses. ViTiile t r e e s could be f e l l e d during the v a n t e r , '

b u i l d i n g had to w a i t f o r tho s h o r t p e r i o d of v;armer v e a t h e r , p r e c i s e l y the time v;hen employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s are a v a i l a b l e . The n a t i v e For

cannot forego these o p p o r t u n i t i e s and the houses have t o v a i t .

t h e s e reasons the A l a s k a Housing A u t h o r i t y i s convinced t h a t s e l f - h e l p and mutual help c o n s t r u c t i o n i s not the method of c h o i c e i n remote a r e a s . ASHA b e l i e v e s t h a t the f u t u r e occupants should bo p a i d , and t h a t cons t r u c t i o n e f f i c i e n c y vjould be higher i f the workers were p a i d . remains tho q u e s t i o n how There

houses can be f i n a n c e d f o r f a n i i l i e s of v e r y

low and xmcertain income, Tho brand-nev.' v i l l a g e of 23 f a m i l i e s and about 125 people i s l o c a t e d on t h e r i g l i t bank of the Yukon, v i l l a g e r s when i n 19^3 was flooded every y e a r . The s i t e V7as s e l e c t e d by the

they decided to move ai;ay from Holikachuk whicli V'ith the exception of one or two houses t r a j i s -

ported from Holikachul':, the houses were b u i l t w i t h the a s s i s t a n c o of t l i o lK)V7-Income Housing Demonstration Prograjn. The Bureau of Land Management T r a n s f e r of t i t l e

made the l a n d a v a i l a b l e ajid l a i d out the to-,;nsite. t o the l a n d to the occupaJits i s pending.

The nev7 houses a r e i r r e g u l a r l y s e t among the b i r c h e s v;ith enough o f the t r e e s c l e a r e d t o give the sun a c c e s s t o the houses. I n addition

t o the houses t h e r e a r c a f a i r number of other b u i l d i n g s , outhouses, s t o r a g e sheds ( c a l l e d c a c h e s ) and Harry 's vrorksliop. Harry has the

l a r g e s t house and i s q u i t e a c r a f t s m a n , ovming a remarkable s e t of S e a r s

Roebuck power t o o l s s e t i n r.otion by e l e c t r i c i t y from h i s v h i c h a l s o provides l i g h t f o r h i s house. from Coleman lamps.

generator, light ^

Most houses hovrover get

At t h i s time of the y e a r the r o a d s , s a i d t o be 30 t o 60 f e e t vn.de, are i n v i s i b l e . houses. E v e r y t h i n g i s under snow. Narrow paths connect the

I t i s b e t t e r p a r t of VJisdom not t o s t r a y from the paths or

one f i n d s o n e s e l f knee-deep i n snow out of which i t i s d i f f i c u l t to extricate oneself. Tho houses are w e l l s i t e d w i t h d i f f e r e n t setbacks Each f a m i l y decided v;here i t vranted _ .

and d i f f e r e n t angles t o the r o a d . i t s house.

Though there vras one b a s i c p l a n f o r tho houses (except f o r an abbreviated v e r s i o n v:hich v;as to s e r v e s i n g l e p e r s o n s ) i n d i v i d u a l vdshes p r e v a i l e d ajid v a r i a t i o n r e s u l t e d . house i s ingenious and f u n c t i o n r l : The b a s i c p l a n f o r the 63O s q . foot

a c e n t r a l k i t c h e n - l i v i n g room, t h r e e

s m a l l bodrocms, space f o r a bathroom, and an enclosed e n t r y porch to preserve heat. S i n c e the I n d i a n i n the remote v i l l a g e s , g e n e r a l l y , e l s e f o r t h a t matter, space that

does not oirn much f u r n i t t i r e , or anything i s reasonably adequate. Tne

f l o o r s e.re linoleujn ( o r so.T.ething board.

looks l i k e i t ) and the w a l l s a r e gayly p a i n t e d \;s.ll

Tho k i t c h e n - l i v i n g rooms have mostly an o i l - f e d cookwStove, a have gas stoves u s i n g b o t t l e d gas, and a s i n k - c a b i n e t u n i t . t h e r e i s a s o f a , a t a b l e , and a n-ambor of c h a i r s . Keat i s p r c v i c e d by a "Yukon Stove," an j.ngenxous and cont.raption.

few

Usually

efficient

The b?-sic i n g r e d i e n t i s an o i l drum f i s h e d out o f the

river.

I t i s s e t h o r i z o n t a l l y on a metal s t a n d .

A f i r e door and damA collar lines Tho f i r e door and I n most houses '

per i s i n s e r t e d i n one of the f l a t s i d e s of t h e drum. a hole i n the top i n which a stove pipe i s i n s e r t e d .

c o l l a r are made and obtained comjTiercially f o r about $20.

t h i s h e a t e r i s i n the l i v i n g room keeping the a d j a c e n t bedrooms, which have no doors, warm* as w e l l . Some f a m i l i e s have excavated a basement

or p a r t basement and keep the h e a t e r t h e r e vjith ducts t r a n s m i t t i n g heat t o the rocm.s. B i r c h wood s e r v e s as f u e l . Harry keeps a l a r g o covered I t i s f i l l e d from

No house as y e t has running w a t e r .

garbage can as h i s water r e s e r v o i r i n tho k i t c h e n . G r a y l i n g Creek i n the back of h i s house.

BIA i s e x p l o r i n g the p o s s i b i l i t

of d i g g i n g a ccTJaunity w e l l , running the viator through a h e a t e r and c i r c u l a t i n g i t to the h o u s e s . T h i s i s permafrost country and customary

methods of p i p i n g water cannot be u s e d .

BIA vjould run the p i p e s to the The bathroom nov; has Toilet facili

houses and the r e s i d e n t s vjould tako i t from there..

i t s name from i t s f u t u r e r a t h e r than from i t s p r e s e n t u s e . t i e s of the more primiitive k i n d are l o c a t e d i n outhouses.

I n the absence to the

of p i p e d - i n water the v i l l a g e r s seem t o p r e f e r t h i s arrangement chemical t o i l e t .

I t i s not u n l i k e l y t h a t mcdern f a c i l i t i e s w i l l r e p l a c e the p r i m i t i v e ones once running vjater i s a v a i l a b l e . E l e c t r i c i t y i s now a v a i l a b l e t o

tho fcv; who have a g e n e r a t o r or access to a neighbor's c u r r e n t . There i s s t i l l some f i n i s h i n g to do. Front s t e p s are on o c c a s i o n

raissing and some rooms may have only one coat of p a i n t or none a t a l l .

I n the hour-OS t h e r e i s an evident e f f o r t to improvQ and b e a u t i f y . None have vhole now s o t s of f u r n i t u r e , but an occasionaJ. new Plj-srood has b u i l t r.any t a b l e s . s o f a or Genera

b r e a k f a s t s o t can been s e e n .

the k i t c h e n c a b i n e t s are tho most elegant p i e c e s of f u r n i t u r e . The K a j o r unsolved problem i s condensation. Because t h e houses a r e

t i g h t l y b u i l t , moisture generated by people and cocking cannot escape and condenses on tho c o l d outside w a l l , r u i n i n g p a i n t and plyv;ood. Some

people have mads s m a l l h o l e s through the ; ; a l l s f o r the vapors t o e s c a p e . Heat escapes t h i s way, Dedication of coui'se, t o o . '

The evening d e d i c a t i o n f e s t i v i t i e s i n G r a y l i n g took p l a c e i n the schoolhouss b u i l t i n 1964 by tho BIA. I t i n c l u d e s two classrooms as

v?ell as tho l i v i n g q u a r t e r s of the t e a c h e r c o u p l e .

They slo^ii fro:ri North

C a r o l i n a , have served p r e v i o u s l y i n Er.kimo cominunities i n tho Tundra. They are f i d l of enthusiasm, b e l i e v e t h a t the q u a l i t y of the houses i s r e f l e c t e d in the h e a l t h and l e a r n i n g c a p a c i t y of tho c h i l d r e n i n cont r a s t to the Tundra childi-en l i v i n g i n h o v e l s . The t e a c h e r s have tho

o n l y modern bathroom i n the co^j-iunity, the u::e of vjhich they hospj.tably o f f e r e d to the. l a d i e s of the p a r t y . Tho school has now grade. Oregon. about 40 childix-n from f i r s t through eighth

C h i l d r e n vrho i-.-ant to go on are sent to BIA boarding school i n The school r e p r e s e n t s an investment of about $250,000 a:id i s Tho p a r t i t i o n s between the classrooms are movable The s c h o o l v:as l a r g e l y b u i l t by

more than a s c h o o l .

t o c r e a t e a l a r g e room f o r meetings.

10 l o c a l l a b o r and c o n t r i b u t o d t o t h e delay i n b u i l d i n g t h e houses. The ^

I n d i a n s could not and v;ould not forego tho p a i d l a b o r , For tho o c c a s i o n o f t h e d e d i c a t i o n t a b l e s had been b u i l t v?ith plyv;ood s o t on h o r s e s , a l l c o l o r f u l l y decorated \ ; i t h crepe paper, spruce c e n t e r p i e c e s and c a n d l e s .

A f t e r t h e proper i n v o c a t i o n s and

i n t r o d u c t i o n s we p i c k e d up our r.eal c o n s i s t i n g o f mooso neat l o a f (not a gourmet t r e a t ) , c o l e s l a w , baked patato and - b e s t o f a l l - homemade rolls, Jello for dessert. The moose was c o n t r i b u t e d , b y t h e v i l l a g e r s , T h i s i s not a group used t o g e t t i n g

who had made a l l t h e p r e p a r a t i o n s .

up church suppors, but they had done ever;>-thing n i c e l y and o b v i o u s l y worked v e r y hard f o r t h e i r "honored g u e s t s . " T h i s w i l l be an important

o c c a s i o n , long t o bo remembered and s e t t i n g an example o f what t h e group can do, -

For the a f t e r - d i n n e r prograr,i I fou_nd m y s e l f b i l l e d as t h e keynote speaker. S i n c e about 10 other spor.!:er3 preceded me I made t h e kej-note

speech s h o r t and c u t t h e ribbori - s y m b o l i c a l l y s t r e t c h e d between tvro s c a l e models - vdth duo ceremony and flashJ-ights f3 a s h i n g . Native dances were performed by a gro\ip o f IndiajiS and entertainment followed. organ. T h i s v:as by an imported s i n g e r acccmpanied cn tho t e a c h e r ' s

Tho l o w - c u t , long r e d d r e s s , r h i n s s t o n o shoulders t r a p s , and an The e n t i r e

immense hairdo made up i n looks \rhat t h e r e vras not i n v o i c e .

v i l l a g e , babes-in-ai-ms, c h i l d i - e n , p a r e n t s , grandparents, had turned out f o r tho occasionc I t w e l l v?arrantcd t h e front-page coverage ajnd fu3-l~

page p i c t u r e spro-.d which v-as given to, the f e s t i v i t i e s by t h e At^chorago

11
Returning t o t h e house o f my hosts f o r t h e n i g h t I found a bed made up i n the c o l o r s o f A l a s k a ; nev; yellov; sheets and a new b l u e b l a n k e t . ^

The s l e e p i n g bag went back t o V/ashington unused,

Sujiday morning was spent w i t h more v i s i t i n g a t v a r i o u s houses, and t a l k i n g to tho v i l l a g e r s v;ho by t h i s time were l o s i n g t h e i r shj>Ti9ss. Church b e l l s rang. The v i l l a g e has two m i n i s t e r s , e p i s c o p a l and a r c t n c Thore

m i s s i o n , which seems a l o t o f c l e r g y f o r l e s s than 30 f a j n i l i e s ,

i s no church y e t , only a room i n tho m i s s i o n which a l s o s e r v e s as t h e public librai'y. new The l i b r a r y has a b a s i c s t o c k o f 100 books, Tvronty

ones a r c sent i n from time t o time and tv/enty others a r e r e t u r n e d .

Some magazines and t h e m i s s i o n ' s own s t o c k of books com.plete tho i n v e n tory. A l i g h t r a i n had s t a r t e d tho evening before t h r e a t e n i n g s o f t e n e d snow i n v/hich no plane could l.ar^d or take o f f . and v . ' e cou3.d depart as p l a n n e d . I t V7as a memorable o c c a s i o n indeed. Grayling. Three y e a r s ago t h e r e vras no cortmiunity. I t stopped soon enough

Today i t i s a p r L m i t i v e but promising

^Q.'^jlgj-.y'^^-^/\P^-9Al'-'v" .^^''^ Eskimo Co\i-"it.ry VJo flevr - s t i l l on tlie c h a r t e r arrajigement - under a b l u e s k y t o Aniak, Here most o f t h e p a r t y continued on the c h a r t e r t o Anchorage I t seemed B e t h e l

w h i l e I-i'. B l o m f i e l d and I planned t o go cn t o B e t h e l . was off, c l o s e d by snow.

The snov; d i s s i p a t e d and t h e smiall s e v e n - s e a t e r took V.'hiteout i s a s t a t e o f a f f a i r s This

t o run i n t o ;>now and "whiteout,"

where horizon and s k y r i e l t i n t o one impenetrable mass of vrhite.

i s vhat ono impossible.

i s not supposed to h i t because o r i e n t a t i o n i s w h o l l y But by t h i s time we were n e a r B e t h e l and guided by radio

we soon saw the m.ost welcome b r i g h t l i g h t s of tho a i r s t r i p . and was j u s t n a s t y and vjindy.

I t snowed NCA

Somebody drove us i n t o town vrith a

s t a t i o n wagon and d e p o s i t e d us i n f r o n t of the "Tundra ShacV:," a h o t e l l i v i n g ^^p to i t s name. Tho h o t e l produced two rooms. The ono s e l e c t e d f o r me had A no switch

means of l o c k i n g the door which v/ould not c l o s e i n any c a s e .

of roomys r e s u l t e d i n l o c k a b l e accommodations, a bed v/ith c l e a n l i n e n , an upturned c r a t e f o r a n i g h t desk, and e l e c t r i c i n s t a l l a t i o n v/hich would pass nobody's i n s p e c t i o n . I s l e p t w e l l , took a b a t h i n f o u r

inches of vrator i n a tub which together vrith a c h e m i c a l t o i l e t cons t i t u t e d the s a n i t a r y f a c i l i t i e s . There had been some c o n v e r s a t i o n Bethel parton

the higli p r i c e of v/tvtor and I had an opportunity to v i s i t the vratervrorks, time mayor.

Thoy are o\mcd p r i v a t e l y by E r . A r t N i c h o l s o n , tho He has a vrell next to h i s house.

D r i l l i n g tha-cugh about Tho water i s

400 f e e t of porriiafrost he h i t a sand l a y e r and vrater. pumped i n t o two

l a r g e tanlrs i n h i s basement vrhore i t i s c h l o r i n a t e d . J hovischolds.

pipe leads to a tank t r u c k which d e l i v e r s the irater to tho Tho p r i c e depends on q u a n t i t y

coni;umed and range.^ from 6^ a g a l l o n f o r the

s m a l l q u a n t i t i e s , dovm to 2^ a g a l l o n f o r l a r g e consumers, sucl: as ovrner of the "l\u-.dra Shack." own K r . Nicholson has

i n h i s basement a l s o h

sewage d i s p o s a l p l a n t , c o n s i s t i n g of an a e r a t i o n tank ar,d a s t c r a g r on i n t o a s l o u g h , or

tank from vrhich the e f f l u e n t i s r e l c a s c f i o f f and

13
d i s p o s a l i n s t a l l a t i o n v;hich s e r v e s M r . Nicholson's own l i v i n g q u a r t e r s '

and another apartment c o s t s about $4,000, (Four t h o u s a n d ) . The foregoing i s a l i t t l e i l l u s t r a t i o n of tho problems of prov i d i n g water and sewage d i s p o s a l i n t h e Tundra, The Tundra i s f l a t

l a n d w i t h no t r e e s or b u s h e s , c r i s s c r b s s e d by r i v e r s and l a l c e s , l a r g e and. s m a l l . At t h i s time they are p r a c t i c a l l y i n d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e beEven on t h i s sunny day i t was

cause e v e r y t h i n g i s covered vrith snow.

b l e a k and b a r r e n , an enormous ^vhite expajise. B e t h e l on t h e l a r g e Kuskovrin R i v e r vdth a popu].ation of about 1,600, i s tho t r a d i n g c e n t e r f o r 40 Eskimo v i l l a g e s . There ar^- a f a i r nvuuber

of vrell-equipped s t o r e s , warehouses, and s e v e r a l o u t f i t s p r o v i d i n g c h a r t e r a i r s e r v i c e t o t h e v i l l a g e s i n f o u r - s e a t e r , one-engine Cessna planes. evidence. The Eskimo p o p u l a t i o n l i v e s i n m i s e r a b l e , makeshift s h a c k s , wholly inadequate under any circumstances and most p i t i f u l i n t h e c o l d c l i m a t e . T h i s fourth of A p r i l s t a r t e d out with 4 above z e r o . ing the day. I t warmed up dui'The government ( h o s p i t a l , BIA, PHS, N a t i o n a l Guard) i s q u i t e i n

On m.any d a y s , hovrover, t h e r e i s no sun t o vrarm t h e a i r .

I t i s amazing t h a t anybody can as much as s u r v i v e t h e w i n t e r vrith tempera t u r e s o f 40 below and c o l d e r . b e a u t i f u l parkas and f u r b o o t s . This i s Eskimo c o u n t r y . V.bmer. wear

Many vroar over tlie parka the f u l l - l e n g t h

kashpak, a s o r t o f cotton s l i p cover which p r o t e c t s t h e f u r but vrhich a l s o gives t h e wsarer a heavy s h a p e l e s s form.

14 The main purpose of the v i s i t to B e t h e l vas the i n s p e c t i o n of the p r e f a b r i c a t e d domonstration house f o r the t r e e l e s s Tvmdra, (the second aspect of the d e m o n s t r a t i o n ) . I t vras shipped i n from S e a t t l e aiid I t i s not a f u l l success. ^

e r e c t e d on the o u t s k i r t s of tov .Ti.

ASKA had chosen a p r e f a b r i c a t e d frame house which p o t e n t i a l l y could be reproduced i n A l a s k a , u s i n g upstream lumber r e s o u r c e s t h a t could r a f t e d down the r i v e r s . bo

The m a t e r i a l package c o s t $2,500; s h i p p i n g by boat added $2,200 to the c o s t ; l o c a l m a t e r i a l s , i n c l u d i n g a $400 s t o v e , added another $1,000, The house vras e r e c t e d by Youth Corps and p r i s o n l a b o r . . The b a s i c p l a n i s s i m i l a r t o t h a t of the G r a y l i n g house. Ilovjsvor,

the second c r t h i r d grade q u a l i t y of plj-v70od on the i n s i d o vralls i s l o s s s a t i s f a c t o r y than the vrall board i n G r a y l i n g . Apparently the components

d i d not alvrays f i t p r e c i s e l y and had to bo f o r c e d i n t o p l a c e . Tho o i l stove i n the k i t c h e n - l i v i n g room uses $13 worth of o i l a I n other vrords, heatoccuexces-

week i n the c o l d season, novr about h a l f as much.

i n g the house c o s t s much more than the $15 r e n t which the present pants are p a y i n g . sive. The house was occupied by a f a m i l y on w e l f a r e v;hich had But the o i l b i l l o b v i o u s l y vras not regarded as

literally bed

no f u r n i t u r e . A makeshift t a b l e , c r a t e s t o s i t o n , a cot and one were the extent o f i t . was

I n t h e absence of c l o s e t s and c h e s t s , c l o t h i n g Tlie c o n t r a s t t o the houses In

p i l e d i n a f i l t h y mess on tho f l o o r .

of even the poorest and l e a s t educated i n G r a y l i n g vras s t a r t l i n g .

15
G r a y l i n g Khero most houses do not havo c l o s e t s e i t h e r c l o t h i n g v:as hung up or tucked av;ay. I f any o f our p a r t y had been i n v i t e d t o s t a y vriLth '

the occupants of t h i s B e t h e l house i t i s not l i k e l y t h a t anyone woulid have a v a i l e d h i m s e l f of t h e o p p o r t u n i t y . Nunapichuk v:as reached by ono-engine p i a n o . With a I96O p o p u l a t i o n

of 327, i t i s a pictui'e o f unmitigated m i s e r y , o f makeshift h o v e l s aLuost completely covered by snow. Some entrances t o houses a r e v i a t u n n e l s .

They s a y t h e r e a r c boardv;alks connecting t h e c l o s e l y huddled houses. I f t h e r e a r e i t w i l l be a long time before t h s y a r e v i s i b l e a g a i n . s l e d s c r o s s over t h e t u n d r i i j Dog

one could not s a y i f i t i s l a n d o r w a t e r . Airfroightcd into

I n Nunapichui: the snow t r a v e l e r i s r a r e i n d e e d , B e t h e l i t c o s t $795.

There i s one b r i g h t spot i n tho e n t i r e p i c t u r e : by BIA. Apparently many o t h e r v i l l a g e s have one. f u t u r e avray from t h e v i l l a g e .

the school b u i l t

I t may bo t h e b r i d g e t o

a brighter

The plane o f Jimmix A i r S e r -

v i c e took us back t o B e t h e l , a r e s p e c t a b l e s m a l l j e t prop t o Anchorago and t h e c i v i l i z a t i o n o f a modern w e l l appointed h o t e l . roughing i t . deed. To Jujioau and M e t l a k a t l a Departure from /anchorage v;as scheduled f o r 10 a.m. on Cordova But something was f c j n d v.Tong vrith tho p l a n e as i t V.'aiting. V.nile I don't rnAnd

But tho r e t u r n t o r e l i a b l y rujining water i s p l e a s a n t i n -

A i r l i n e s , A p r i l 6.

was r a c i n g dovm t h e runvray f o r t a k o o f f . Deplaning.

wo were vraiting up comes Mr. N o t t i , owner of S t , Mary's C h a r t e r S e r v i c e

16
and t e l l s t h a t ho i s g e t t i n g ready to f l y a p a r t y from the Econonic Development A d m i n i s t r a t i o n a l l over A l a s k a . international airport. Anchorage i s t r u l y an

F l i g h t s a r e anno;mced t o Hamburg, t o Copenhagen

and O s l o , - or t o Tokyo, as v e i l as to innumerable p l a c e s t h a t the nonAlaskan has never heard o f . F i n a l l y , at 1 p.m. , a nevr plane vas brought i n - a DC 3 v-ith much of the s e a t i n g space taken up by c a r g o . j u s t i f y i n g the f i r s t c l a s s c h a r g e . Cha.mpagne vas the only t h i n g

Tho box l u n c h vras s t r i c t l y economy. On the vay i s some of the to the r i g h t the P a c i f i c ,

I t ' s 650 m i l e s from Anchorage to Juneau. most dram.atic scenery anyv-.'here i n the world: to

the l e f t the snow-covored mountains r i s i n g up t o 18,000 f e e t s h a r p l y

from the soa and sending dovrn t o tho water's edge ono g l a c i e r a f t e r another. p.m.

V.'ith tv:o stops and a t\.'0-hour time d i f f e r e n c e i t t/as p a s t 7 when v;e a r r i v e d i n Juneau.

There i s o n l y ono p l a n e a day t o Arjiette I t had departed hours ago.

I s l a n d , tho a i r p o r t f o r M e t l a k a t l a .

At dinner i n Junoau, we v.'ore j o i n e d by Senator Yule K i l c h o r vrho stems from S o l o t h u r n , SwitzorD.and, and homesteads on tho Kenai F s n i n i ^ u l a , He had once s t u d i e d i n B e r l i n about tho same time I had, reason enough i n A l a s k a to boccms f r i e n d s . The p a r t y adjourned from tho s t a i d Baranof Here

Hotel to the not-so-st?.id Red Dog S a l o o n , a must f o r any o u t s i d e r .

ve were j o i n e d by R e p r e s e n t a t i v e Moran, an I r i s h m a n v:ho i s German counsul i n Anchorage. The gentlemen i n s i s t e d t h a t I be i n t r o d u c e d to the l o g i s And so I vas tY^e next r.orning, amdd a c t i o n on regul-itio;:! un-'or vrhich i t v i l l net

l a t u r o , now i n s e s s i o n .

a r o s o l u t i c ; ; o b j c c l A n ^ to Flfil^'s

17
accept mortgages over $15 ,000. At Alaska's p r i c e l e v e l , i t i s main? s a y i n g tllat

tain.-5Q, no houses could be b u i l t here i f the r u l e s t a n d s . Senator K i l c h o r got a b i t confused on i n t r o d u c i n g me, ve had attended tho same u n i v e r s i t y before World V.'ar I . c e p t i o n and

I took ex-

another S e n a t o r , to tho great d e l i g h t of everyone, moved Such

t h a t the r e f e r e n c e t o l.W I be r e p l a c e d i n the r e c o r d by V.vJ I I .

are the events i n A l a s k a ' s c a p i t a l A . ' h e n a plane schedule goes avn-y. The plane from Junoau t o Annette I s l a n d i s supposed to l e a v e at 12:35* arrived. To nobody's s u r p r i s e i t d i d n o t . Reason: Tho enon.ious J e t had not even I t v;ou3.d be one hoiu'

a f l a t t i r e at i t s l a s t s t o p .

l a t e ve vere t o l d .

R e s u l t , a d r i v e f o r Ivmcheon at Mendenhall G l a c i e r ,

a b e a u t i f u l i c e f a l l i n t u r q u o i s e blue c o l o r , and a charming v i s i t o r s ' c e n t e r put at i t s foot by the N a t i o n a l F o r e s t S e r v i c e . a s p e c i a l mer.tion f o r vrhat i t d i d h'-x-a). yet. (NFS deserves plane

Ea.ck t o tho a i r p o r t , no

But i t f i n a l l y a r r i v e d and took o f f f o r the 40-minute f l i g h t to Here vre vrero met by "ayor Henry S, L i t t l o f i e l d , J r . ,

Annette I s l a n d . of M e t l a k a t l a . Alaska.

Annette I s l a n d i s tho only I n d i a n R e s e r v a t i o n i n

The j o t a i r p o r t i s cn l a n d l e a s e d from tho I n d i a n s , as are the

Coast Guard and other m i l i t a r y i n s t a l l a t i o n s . I f G r a y l i n g aiid Nunapichuk vero examples o f n a t i v e groups only on the t h r e s h o l d of modorn age, M e t l a k a t l a v i t h a I96O population of 8CS, i n c o n t r a s t , i s a modern cooperative ccm-iunity vrith cor.munity ov-ned cannery, a savr m.ill, povror p l a n t , v a t c r system, a nuraber of l a r g e churches PHA

and the q u i t e re:;ently occupied r.utual-holp houses, b u i l t under the

18 mutual program. The e v a l u a t i o n of t h i s h o u s i n g , by the U n i v e r s i t y of

A l a s k a , i s the t h i r d aspect of the low-income housing demonstration. The houses, a l l i d e n t i c a l , are s c a t t e r e d among the e x i s t i n g houses wherever there was a vacant l o t . The prograjn has been so s u c c e s s f u l Obviously t h e r e i s a long I n a d d i t i o n to tho by

t h a t the v i l l a g e has a p p l i e d f o r JO more. t r a d i t i o n here of cooperation

and community a c t i o n .

cannery run by the community t h e r e i s a l a r g e community c e n t e r b u i l t the v i l l a g e r s some y e a r s ago.

Mayor L i t t l e f i e l d has i n h i s o f f i c e i n tho C o u n c i l Chamber b u i l d i n g a whole l i b r a r y of i n f o r m a t i o n a l m a t e r i a l on F e d e r a l program^s t h a t can be of a s s i s t a n c e t o the comm.unity, from the GEO guidebooks, so e a s i l y

recognized by t h o i r c o l o r f u l c o v e r s , to the d i r e c t o r y of the A c c e l e r a t e d P u b l i c V.'orks Progra^m (tho l a t t e r provided money f o r much needed r o a d s ) . Tho houses v.'hich appear to be vrell b u i l t heve l i v i n g room, d i n i n g a r e a , modern k i t c h e n , b a t h , t h r e e bedrooms. Because e l e c t r i c i t y vrhich

comes from a vrater-povrered, community ovmed p l a n t i s cheap, h e a t , hot w a t e r , and cooking are a l l e l e c t r i c . The monthIl.y p&yvients and final

c o s t f i g u r e s havo not y e t boon determined. VJhile the a e s t h e t i c s of the o u t s i d e of the houses l e a v e something to be d e s i r e d , the houses appear as s u b s t a n t i a l as many t h a t '.rould bo found i n C a l i f c i - n i a s u b d i v i s i o n s . Emp3.oyiiicnt i s s e a s o n a l . The occupants soem w e l l s a t i s f i e d . c a r r i e d out when peoplo

C o n s t r u c t i o n was

had timo to spare and i n t e r r u p t e d vrhon the salt-.on f i s h i n g season began. S t i l l the houses wore f i n i s h e d vrithin about a y e a r . I t should bo inter-

19
d i f f e r e n c e s - p h y s i c a l , economic, t e c h j i o l o g i c a l - between G r a y l i n g and Metlakatla. Tho tiro p l a c e s a r e worlds a p a r t .

A f l i g h t i n a 4 - s e a t e r seaplane t a k e s t h e v i s i t o r t o K e t c h i k a n j 20 m i l e s away, t h e only p l a c o v a t h overnight accommodations. the southernmost ond o f A l a s k a , probably one thousand m i l e s of Anchorage. This i s southeast

VJith green f o r e s t s of rod cedar and pine i t resembles There was a garden v.dth

nearby B r i t i s h Columbia more than i c y A l a s k a . i crocuses and t h e w i l l o w s wore s p r o u t i n g . revrarding t r i p .

T h i s was a l s o t h e ond o f a ,

SunTmsr;/
Tho roughly I5OO m i l e s o f A l a s k a which I saw, from B e t h e l i n tho vjost t o M a t l a k a t l a i n tho s o u t h e a s t , a r c s t i l l only a s m a l l p a r t of t h i imaionse s t a t e . I saw some o f the b l e a k e s t country, tha tundra, and so;" s c e n e r y along t h e P a c i f i c c o a s t . I mot people

of t h e m.ost magnificent

l i v i n g i n the most p r i m i t i v e m i s e r y , t h e Eskim.os o f Nunapichuk; I n d i a n s t a k i n g a g i a n t s t e p toward adaptation t o modern l i v i n g , oven i f f a r from a c h i e v i n g i t y e t , i n G r a y l i n g ; aaid I n d i a n s f u l l y a p a r t o f t h e modern economy even i f handicapped by seasonable emploj^Tnent and t h e

u n c e r t a i n v a g a r i e s o f t h e salmon r u n , i n M e t l a k a t l a . Alaskans seem i n a quandry about tho best ajjproaehes t o s o l v i n g th problems of tho n a t i v e p o p u l a t i o n . Housing i s paramount, but there i s

a l s o groat concern about p r o v i d i n g houses whore there i s an adequate economic b a s e . At p r e s e n t e f f o r t s a r e underway t o build r e g i o n a l voca-

t i o n a l high schools (vritli EDA funds) and d o r r d t o r y f a c i l i t i e s f o r tho

20
young people v;ho can get a high school education only avay from hone. The expectation seem^s to bo t h a t once the young people have b e t t e r s k i l l s they can f i n d emplojnient o u t s i d e the remote v i l l a g e s . ^

I t becomes obvious t h a t housing improvement i n the remote v i l l a g e s cannot bo achieved under the conventional e x i s t i n g programs. The

house m.ust be s m a l l i f i t i s t o be warm; running v:ater i d l l o f t e n not be a v a i l a b l e ; t o i l e t f a c i l i t i e s w i l l bo p r i m i t i v e . Customiary long-

term f i n a n c i n g i s out of the q u e s t i o n f o r houses vrhich are o u t s i d e a housing market, vrhich a r e of v a l u e to tho occupants only and vrhich m^ay l o s e t h o i r value i f v i l l a g e people d e s e r t the v i l l a g e s f o r t h e b e t t e r employment o p p o r t i m i t i e s of the l a r g e r c e n t e r s (a l i k e l y but certain trend). not

Yet a r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l investment, as i n G r a y l i n g , step

v i l l produce an immense improvement and riay vrell be tho f i r s t toward adaption to the 20th centiary.

" ; Throughout the t r i p K r . B l o m f i e l d of ASIIA vras a p l e a s a n t aa;d inventive escort, Ee vras concerned f o r tho vrelfare of h i s charge and

anxious f o r her not t o mdss anv-thing of s i g n i f i c a n c e , i n c l u d i n g i n t r o ductions to people a l l o v e r , arranging f o r a dinner a t h i s house, a k i n g crab p a r t y at the o f f i c e r ' s club a t a m.ilitary base near Anchorage, persuading tho p i l o t of a bush plane t o f i n d moose, p r o c u r i n g meals and

q u a r t e r s , f i n d i n g other e s c o r t s vrhen ho h i m s e l f vras busy. "Checchako," tho A l a s k a e q u i v a l e n t of a dude.

I arrived a

I l e f t vrith some under-

standing of the oconomic, clim.atic and p o l i t i c a l c o : ; d i t i c n 3 . Housing is so c l o s e l y t i e d to t h e s e t h a t the understanding of tho l a r g e r i s s i i o s

21 I was much impressed -vrith t h e q u a l i t y o f ASHA s t a f f . There i s ' j e x i s t i n g programs. I t i s e v i d e n t , hovrever, t h a t imder t h e q u i t e spatial

d r i v e , i n v e n t i v e n e s s , i m a g i n a t i o n , and r e s o u r c e f u l n e s s i n u t i l i z i n g

conditions of Alaska d i f f e r e n t standards, are r e q u i r e d , p r a f e r a b l y with th? capitaJL inv^sstrcent w r i t t e n o f f to' a l a r g e degree i n s t e a d c f u s i n g t h e

c i b s i d y dovici'. I n niumb&rs tho problem c f housing A l a s k a n n a t i v e s i s not l a r g e , perhaps 10,000 households. I n urgency i t i s tremendous. Completion o f Demonstration

The ASHA has on hand time and c o s t data on tlie b u i l d i n g o f t h e structures i n Grayling. They a r e n o t wholly co:cplete, but d e t a i l e d

data was recorded on v a r i o u s phases t o permit c o n c l u s i o n s a s t o what i t takes t o do a self-ho3.p house. The p r o f e s s o r a t A l a s k a S t a t e , M i t c h e l l Eerk-un, who vjas i n charge of the e v a l u a t i o n , had departed f o r Q u i n n i p i a c College i n Connecticut. Upon Mr.

He promises d e l i v e r y o f h i s p a r t a t the end o f t h e su.:a-.-ier.

B l o m f i e l d ' s urging him - v i a phone - t o produce a d e t a i l e d o u t l i n o w i t h i n two v,'oeks he agreed t o prepare one by May 1. Simultaneously the ASHA Mr.

v i l l prepare an o u t l i n e o f t h e e n t i r e r e p o r t f o r our reviev;. B l o m f i e l d v.'ill d r a f t h i s p a r t , but the puttir.g together

end e d i t i n g

of t h e e n t i r e r e p o r t i - 7 i l l bo dene by K r . K e i t h A r n o l d , p u b l i c i t y man on the A u t h o r i t y ' s staff.

For the s o c i o l o g i c a l and p s y c h o l o g i c a l a s p e c t s ASILA. i s dependent on P r o f e s s o r Ber]:un. adequate docuinont. P r e s s u r e must be teinpored i f ASIL*i i s t o get an .


K e i t h Arnold appears competent f o r doing the j o b . format, and agreed t h a t v:e woiild aim f o r a readable V'o d i s c u s s e d

22

document of abovjt

100 t o 125 p r i n t e d pages, or 40,000 words, vdth the t e x t i n c o r p o r a t i n g only the f i g u r e s n e c e s s a r y f o r an understanding of the b a s i c demonstration. An appendix w i l l c o n t a i n tho d e t a i l e d d a t a .

The r e s u l t s of the G r a y l i n g demonstration w i l l d i f f e r from those t h a t were o r i g i n a l l y a n t i c i p a t e d . I t i s not r e a l l y a t e c h n o l o g i c a l conventional

demonstration because c o n s t r u c t i o n methods were 'rather and no p a r t i c u l a r t e s t i n g of m.ethods took p l a c e . are now

Such t e c h n i c a l t e s t s

a v a i l a b l e i n a P u b l i c Koalth S e r v i c e p u b l i c a t i o n which d e s c r i b e s T e s t s wore conducted f o r ox-

four t e s t liOUses and t h e i r performances.

ar;ple on heat l o s s a t v a r i o u s temperatures and vrind v e l o c i t i e s . Tho mutual-help s i t u a t i o n i n G r a y l i n g d i f f e r e d from what v:ould bo .a normal s e l f - h e l p u n d e r t a k i n g . a house, t h e y a l l needed ono. V H . e n c o n s t r u c t i o n s t a r t e d nobody had Nobody could be f i r e d f o r non-performance

There could be no advance p r e p a r a t i o n of tho p a r t i c i p a n t s , becauso of the desperate need to b u i l d . There was no way t o i n s t i l l m.otivation.

I f the p a r t i c i p a n t thovight i t m.orc important to do something e l s e , say f i s h i n g , nothdng could prevent bin elements i n t h e porformaiico from doing s o . Y e t , t h e r e are m.-ny

vrhich v d l l be of great i n t e r e s t to othor

Alaskan areas as w e l l as to such other p a r t s of the country where people l i v e on tho f r i n g e s or o u t s i d e of a modorn economy. Metla!:atla was i n s&.-o ways a b e t t e r t o s t s e t t i n g . Theyicould The p a r t i c i p a n t

had houses, i f - i n n d e q u s t e ones.

bo f i r e d and were f i r e d when

23
Tho problem o f repayment o f t h e grant money used f o r m a t e r i a l s and equipment s t i l l has t o be s o l v e d . O r i g i n a l l y , when i t vas thought the I houses could become p a r t o f t h e FHA m.utual-help program, the people had been given t o understand t h a t they vould pay $10 a month f o r t e n y e a r s . I f they vould pay d i r e c t l y t o tlie goverrjn^at (iO-; t h a t PiLA. i s no loiigor i n tho p i c t u r e ) and i f everj'^body p a i d , the t o t a l r e t u r n s v o u l d bo about $27,000, minus c o l l e c t i o n expenses, roughly h a l f o f t h e p a r t of t h e

grant monoy t h a t vont t o m a t e r i a l s and equipment. S a l e o f the houses i s out o f the q u e s t i o n beca.uso t h e r e i s no market. Tho question t o be decided i s , vhothor e f f o r t s should be made

t o c o l l e c t vhat i s c o l l e c t a b l e or t o forego c o l l e c t i o n because the occupants provided tho b u i l d i n g lumbor as v e i l as a l l l a b o r i n e r e c t i n g the houses. A f a c t o r t h a t many enter i n t o t h e d e c i s i o n i s vhethor i t

vould bo p r e f e r a b l e froia tho I n d i a n s ' p o i n t o f v i e v i f they p a i d , at l e a s t i n p a r t , f o r vrhat they g e t . I t v a s decided t h a t ASIL4 v ; i l l -.rrite t o LIIiDP proposing a c o n t r a c t amendnent, vrhich v r i l l bo n e c e s s a r y i n any c a s e , and o u t l i n e p o s s i b l e alternatives. The report.should be a v a i l a b l e by l a t e surr -:er. Obviously ASK/,

has tho c a p a c i t y t o do an adequate Job i f the U n i v e r s i t y of Alaska can bo p r e v a i l e d upon t o produce i t s p a r t . Tho Alaska Housing A u t h o r i t y ' s request t o engage Chai -los Abrams for an o v e r - a l l e v a l u a t i o n i n a d d i t i o n t o the d a t a provided by t h e

A u t h o r i t y and t h e e v a l u a t i o n of t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f A l a s k a has s V i b s t r n t i a l

24 nerit. Neither the A u t h o r i t y nor the U n i v e r s i t y can put t h o i r f i n d i n g s An out-

i n the"same terms o f p o l i c y t h a t an outside e v a l u a t o r c o u l d .

s i d e expert vrho vould observe e x i s t i n g housing c o n d i t i o n s , the economic c o n t e x t , and the approaches made i n G r a y l i n g , B e t h e l , and M e t l a k a t l a , could make observations and recommendations r e g a r d i n g s t a n d a r d s , t h e m e r i t s and l i m i t s of the s e l f - h e l p approach, t h e r u l a t i o n s h i p of housing t o economic development; he could drav; c o n c l u s i o n s regarding program a l t e r n a t i v e s more o b j e c t i v e l y than could t h e d i r e c t l y i n v o l v e d p a r t i e s . The f i n d i n g s vrould i n p a r t be a p p l i c a b l e t o e f f o r t s f o r p r o v i d i n g improved housing i n ir.-:poverished r u r a l areas throughout t h e country, Vvhile no others have t h e same g r i n c l i i n a t c , other f a c t o r s may v ^ l l be comparable.