Micronesian Monthly 1952 V01 06
Micronesian Monthly 1952 V01 06. Micronesian Monthly (Report). Fort Ruger, O'ahu, HI: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. April 1952. p. 27.
- Has attachment: File:6NMW9CAL.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 April 1952 issue of Micronesian Monthly focused heavily on transportation reform, reporting on efforts to acquire a new vessel to supplement the Chicot and thereby establish a more reliable trans-Pacific steamer service. Executive officer Alfred M. Hurt returned from Washington after negotiations to secure a ship from the Department of Defense, with High Commissioner Elbert D. Thomas emphasizing that reducing reliance on Guam transshipment was key to the Territory’s development. The issue framed transportation not merely as logistics but as a cornerstone of economic stability and governance, linking remote districts more directly to global markets and supply chains. Alongside the transportation theme, the magazine offered district reports, health and education updates, and community highlights.
Notable articles detailed the specifications and purpose of the proposed sister ship to the Chicot, the Department of the Interior’s role in the negotiations, and the plan to eventually reduce the number of AKL cargo vessels by substituting schooners for inter-island transport. Other features included coverage of district hospitals and clinics, agricultural initiatives such as combating rhinoceros beetle infestations, and progress in public works projects. The issue also reported on the ongoing activities of Micronesian students in Fiji, scholarship opportunities, and district notes that captured daily life, including cultural festivities, school programs, and local governance. A recurring theme was the intersection of high-level negotiations in Washington and their impact on everyday life in the islands.
People and organizations mentioned included High Commissioner Elbert D. Thomas, Alfred M. Hurt (executive officer), and Deputy High Commissioner James A. McConnell. The Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior were central institutions in the transportation negotiations, while the Trust Territory Headquarters coordinated logistics and policy. District administrators, hospital staff, teachers, and agricultural officers also appeared in reports from Saipan, Truk, Ponape, Majuro, Koror, and Yap. Institutions such as the Central Medical School at Suva, local mission schools, and the South Pacific Commission were cited, reflecting the broad mix of U.S., international, and local actors shaping Micronesia in this period.
Volume One, Number Six (1952) Index:
Angaur 7
Canoes 15, 19 – 20
Church 5, 8, 10
Delegation 4
Economic 1, 4, 7 – 8, 10, 17, 25
Education 1 – 2, 4 – 6, 23, 25
Germany 13 – 15
Guam 1 – 2, 5 – 6, 14 – 15, 22 – 23, 25 – 26
Japan 6 – 8, 12 – 13
Japanese 7 – 8, 11 – 12, 14 – 15
Kapingamarangi 19
Kusaie (Kosrae) 8, 12, 14
Kwajalein 7
Leebrick 5
Majuro 5 – 7, 10, 20, 23
Marshall Islands 13
Nanyo 8
Naval 1 – 2, 12
Navigation 7, 23
Navy 1 – 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 17, 23
Ngatik (now "Sapwuahfik") 8, 19
Palau 12, 20, 24
Phosphate 7, 18
Pingelap 8, 19
Ponape (Ponhpei) 6, 8, 12, 14, 18 – 19, 23, 26
Protestant 8, 15
Spanish 8, 12 – 13, 19
Stone Money (Rai Stones) 25
Tamag 6, 10
Truk (Chuuk) 5 – 6, 8, 14 – 15, 26
UN 1 – 2
United Nations 3 – 4, 14
World War 14
Yap 6, 8, 10 – 12, 14, 24 – 25
Yapese 14, 24
