FAIRBANKS -- When the question was asked of the audience, "How many of you have had a chance to meet Senator Stevens?" virtually every hand shot up.
About 75 people were in attendance at Schaible Auditorium on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus Thursday evening for the first community gathering of what is planned as an annual get-together to discuss Stevens' place in Alaska history.
Interest is piqued by the massive collection of the late senator's papers more than 4,700 boxes collected and partially archived during his 40-year career, and what they may or may not contain.
The papers are currently stored in a Fairbanks warehouse where the task of organizing, cataloging and archiving has begun.
The first goal, said newly hired archivist Mary Anne Hamblen, is to get intellectual and physical control of the papers, which are stored 20 feet high on steel shelving.
Although the collection appears to be in good physical condition, it will be scrutinized for pests, mold and water damage.
"It's an honor and humbling to document U.S. history and Alaska's heritage," Hamblen said, adding that she wants to hear from Alaskans to help with the process of assembling the late senator's papers and their perspectives.
Stevens died in an August plane crash in Southwest.
The talk was led by two UAF professors, a Native leader and a journalist, each of whom had personal interactions with Stevens. Individually they touched upon highlights of his career, his "ferocious work ethic," his reputation and of course his well known temper.
"He (Stevens) was many different people," said Michael Carey, journalist and host of KAKM-TV's "Anchorage Edition." "He played many different roles through time, and not many played the stage as long as he did."
Although Carey was on the receiving end of Stevens' temper during his tenure at the Anchorage Daily News, he said he learned not to take it personally. Carey recalled meeting Stevens for a breakfast interview and never got a word in.
"People started lining up for just a little word with the senator to tell him about something really important. His aide would take notes. It was like being in the presence of a frontier fertility god," Carey said.
Native leader William Hensley recalled describing Stevens in a college paper he wrote years ago as "a pugnacious political papa." Later, in both their political careers, they often crossed paths.
"He always had an open door for me as a Democrat," Hensley said. "He was wonderful to work with and his mind was always working to find ways to help Alaskans."
Hensley said Stevens was one of the few men in Alaska who knew and understood the substance of the land claims issues and he fought hard for the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
On the issue of tribal sovereignty, Hensley said, "No non-Native politician was supportive, but Stevens worked effectively to work with important Native programs as well as nonprofits." Hensley ran down a long list of Stevens accomplishments during his four decades in office from hospitals to the Alaska pipeline, to bypass mail and universal services for communications.
"Stevens understood the colonial nature of Alaska. We had very little. There is not an arena of life that has not been affected by Senator Stevens," said Hensley, wryly describing him as a "whirling dervish of an appropriator."
A half-dozen or more people gave personal accounts of the late senator and his staff responding positively and quickly to serious matters relating to large scientific and cultural projects to personal dealings with obstinate bureacracy.
Jennifer Schmidt said she appreciated how Stevens spoke to children and hopes that some things from the Senate collection could be incorporated into elementary and high school curriculums.
"I hope the collection will reflect how he interacted with young people," she said.
------
Information from: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com
By MARY BETH SMETZER
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner