Pniioif,' 'Alaska'
Dorothy M, Bull, Editor
Published onco a nook at Pulnor, Alaska, for tho Mntanuska Valley IVar-ors' Coopcrating
Association for'tho purposo of giving ncrs of tho Associations rorlc, problems and
Ac conpl ishncnts,
SUBSCRIPTION RATE $1.75 per year $1.00 for six months 10?? a copy
HEEDED-- A RECREATIONAL CENTER FOR iHE YOUNG PEOPLE
A groat deal of discussion has been going on during the past for reeks regarding Teen
Age Recreation. There is no pj.ace in Palmer that tho Toon Agers efin call their orn <
or rhoro they can gather for a party. Adults have the Grange Hall, the Noose Hall
and a fen other places nhoro parties and othor functions can bo held, but there is no
place for the younger generation. •
You say that nhon you nore young no one norriod about your recreation. You just found
it and a good deal of tho recreation centered around the home. That is true--but t'~mos
have’ changed. Our neighborhoods have grom bigger duo to bettor means of transporta
tion. Even the adults do not engage in the same types of recreation that adults j.:.u.
during tho past century. T7herC are the old sloigh riding parties, taffy pulls,qu ’.1 •;
ing parties, ice cream socials, basket bocials etc. that used to bring out the vh-ue
family in one unit. Old and young mingled together at the different homos. There
uas space for the young people to bo somevhat to themselves, but:they rore part of a
big group. Nor there is a tendency for them to be in separate groups.
You have perhaps noticed that in neu connunitios too, recreation centers nore in tne
hones. As the connunity grows and‘developes recreational conterS tend to spring in
to boing. 'T' c whole fanily finds recreation outside of the hone, but hot in one group.
U"fortunatoly tho young people arc not in a position to provide their own rocrcational
centers and all too often tho adults forget about then.
This doesn't mean that tho young people will just sit back and let soneono else worry
about their problons. They just want help. They are perfectly willing to pitch in
and help thensolvos providing they can get soriething"to work on. T’oy are not in a
position to acquire property for a recreation center, but they can do a lot to getting
it in order once it is provided.
Getting tho place is only part of the problon. It is necessary to have adults who
are willing to sponsor projects of this kind and to act in the capacity of chaperones
at a Recreational Center. This is not a reflection on tho young people as adults
ofton have to havo polico at their dances too. Just kooping ordor is not the only
object. An older person is necessary to keep sorie unruly person fron disrupting a
' perfectly good evening of fun and recreation, and also to protoct the grpup fron nal
icious gossip that night otherwise bo started. Since it is not expected that young
people would be out every night of the week, it would not be necessary to have such a
center open all the tine.
How con wo get such a Recreational Center? It ’ill tako tho cooperation of all organ
izations in the Valley and the continued support of all those organizations once tho
place is provided. Gone very dofinito stops are being taken. Several interested
citizons havo offered suggestions and their services. Tho young’pcople thenselvos
are raising noney to help out if furnished a rocrcational center. So lot's rot lot
then down.
ANNUAL MEETING COMING UP.
The -tine for the Annual meeting has again 'boerT^ot by t'ho Board of Directors of th6
M7FCA, A: nuol meetings 'should bo a big events in tic life of a Co-op. This is the
-tine -rhon all the nanbero get together and discuss their problems. It is a tine ‘..hen
those nho have been hired to look after the Association's business r.ake their reports
to tiie numbers. It is the tine nher. members look back over the past years accomplish
ments and failures and resolve to do bettor during the coning year. Once the flans
and mistakes have been noted, horever, the greatest share of the tine should bo spent
in la ying plans for the future with the correction of past mistakes in mind of course.
The present Bo'ai'd has indicated, that they have been considering non and different
plans nhich they nill present. Other menbers,not $n the Board nay also have some
very good ideas too. This is the tine to let then bo knoun, *
Finally, nhon February 25,1949 rolls around, let’s be put to the meeting. Svery member
has one vote, and it is his duty a,s ne^.1 as his-privilege to use that vote-. This is
rihat makes a Democracy nork, Hon noil it norks, depends, upon the people in. that
Democracy, ' - - ' • ■
t7e nill be* seing you at the mooting—February 25, 1949, at 11:00 a.n.