Publislbed once a week at Palmer, Alaska for tfhe Vatanuska Valley Farmers’
Cooperating Association for the purpose giving news of the Associations
work, problems and accomplishments.
THF: mOTOnilSKR VflLLFH FAIR
This is the time of year when everyone should stop the daily grind for a few days
and enter into the holiday spirit of the Fair Crowd, the crops are mostly matured
now and ready for harvest. To those of us who haven't had a vacation it will be
refreshing to pause for awhile before the serious duties of the harvesting season
are started. Take the children to the Fair and let them enjoy the amusements that
it affords. The few dollars that are spent for seemingly foolish amusements are
not entirely wasted for when the Fair is over t^ose who have participated in the
fun will feel refreshed and ready for the hard work that has to be done to finish
the seasons business.
Then again there is much that can be learned by viewing the exhibits and learning
how they were produced, educational features that will be useful to the average
farmer and his wife will be available to them in the program. Then a few good
laughs at the clowning in the sports program won't hurt anyone either. Don't watch
Dad too close when he starts down the midway for after all he is just living his
childhood over again and no one should begrudge him a little fun in the autumn of
his life. If Mother seems to be inclined to stop and talk to old friends and
neighbors too much for you, go on and don't bother her, remember she has spent many
days in her kitchen doing hard uninteresting work and that she needs some diverson.
Seriously speaking it appears that our Fair will be about the best ever this year,
crops are well matured and the exhibits should be better than previous years, Where
will be the largest aggregation of shows and rides that we have ever had, and the
sports program promises to be interesting and amusing. Participation by the Army
will be one of the big features, for they have some of the arms and equipment that
•we often read about but seldom have the opoortunity to see.
The Matanuska Valley Fair should and can be one of the best advertising methods to
promote the sale of our products raised in the Valley to the people of Anchorage and
the surrounding Territory. The old Chinese proverb "That one picture is worth a
thousand 7/ords" can be utilized in a big way, for usually "seeing is believing" so
lets show them what we can produce.
The dedication of the Airport in conjunction with the Fair will indicate the mile
stones that have passed in the progress of the Valley. Soon we should be shipping
lots of Valley products to the distant (but not so far either) parts of Alaska.
Those of us who remember the first Valley fair will recall that there was very little
housing available for the exhibits, in fact a small amount of soace was provided in
the school building and the midway was located at the school entrance. We had a
horse race too, that part of the program was announced by Johnny Osseward who stated
that "there will now be a horse race by Stew Campbell", and if we remember right
Stow fell off of his horse and lost. Now as we look back at the small beginnings we
slKuJd feel proud and grateful to the small group of people who have worked so hard
wir.hT.it financial renumeration were able to make the present Fair what it is.
Sper-.al mention should be made of the' work of the Father of Agriculture in the
Mav-ri-• ka Valley, M. D. Snodgrass, who led the way and did most of the work for so
many years.
CRR
NOTICE
For "POWER OFF".after office hours
Sundays and Holidays call either
Vernon Fridley
or
Ralph Moore
OFFICE CLOSES AT NOON ON SATURDAYS
Matanuska Electric Ass'n, Inc
Palmer, Alaska
There will be a prospective Mother's class
every Friday; on September 1 and Septem
ber 8, at the Health Center from 3 to
P. M. The first class will be con
ducted by Dr. C. C. Bailey. The classes
will consist of lectures, movies, and a
field trip.
Conscience warns us as a friend before
it punishes as a judge.