Micronesian Reporter 1961 V09 02

Micronesian Reporter 1961 V09 02. Micronesian Reporter (Report). Hagåtña, Guam: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. March 1961. p. 32.

• Has attachment: File:IYZ3W4TC.pdf

Abstract: Beginning in 1951, the Headquarters for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) regularly published a magazine that detailed its work in the region. From 1951 through the first issue of 1956, the magazine was known as the Micronesian Monthly; from the second issue of 1956 through the end of the run in 1980, it was known as the Micronesian Reporter. From 1951 through December 1967, publication cycles varied: For the most part, the magazine was produced monthly, though certain issues cover two or more months. Starting in 1968, the magazine was formally shifted to a quarterly publication cycle, which continued through the first quarter of 1980, when publication ceased.

The issue covers the landmark first election under the new charter in Moen Municipality (now Weno) within Truk District. Held on October 25, 1961, it marked the introduction of a more structured electoral process, requiring candidates to secure nominating signatures, appear on ballots with both names and pictorial symbols for illiterate voters, and conduct voting through supervised election boards. Despite some inexperience, the process worked effectively, and five congressmen were elected to represent Moen in the First Truk District Congress.

A major feature is the Second Annual Micronesian Leaders’ Conference, held in Guam in October 1961 with representatives from all seven districts. Delegates discussed central issues such as copra production, the Copra Stabilization Board, trochus harvesting, fisheries protection, new cash crops, transportation, education, and public health. The conference affirmed the importance of Micronesian participation in decision-making, with resolutions on ensuring reef resources remain reserved for Micronesians, expanding medical training, and strengthening vocational programs such as boatbuilding in Palau and agricultural projects in Chuuk.

The broader themes of governance and development were also emphasized. Delegates pressed for clarity on land and underwater rights, sought more survey teams for land claims, and urged greater transparency in homesteading practices. Discussions extended to energy provision, transportation upgrades, and the role of scholarships in education. The issue reflects both the challenges and opportunities facing the Trust Territory in the early 1960s, as local leaders increasingly shaped political and economic decisions that would affect the future of the islands.

Volume Nine, Number Two (1961) Index:

Administration 1, 10, 15 Agriculture 1, 30 Angaur 1, 4, 6, 19 Anthropologist 4, 17 Canoes 7 Education 9, 21, 27, 29 Guam 5 – 6, 10, 20, 25, 29 Japan 19, 31 Japanese 18 – 19 Palau 1 – 2, 4, 12, 15 – 17, 24, 28 Ponape (Pohnpei) 1, 11, 14, 24, 29 – 31 Seddon 29 Stone Money (Rai Stones) 1 – 3, 18 Truk (Chuuk) 1, 13, 29 – 30 Typhoon 5 – 8, 20 Yap I – 3, 5, 15, 17 – 18, 21, 27 Yapese 1, 17 – 18, 22