Thought of the Week:
When you think you are
right, go ahead; if you are
wrong, you’ll find it out soon
enough.
VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
WESTERN ALASKA
CHAMPIONSHIP TRACK
MEET
CENTRAL SCHOOL
SATURDAY, OCT. 6—1:30 p.m
PALMER, ALASKA. THURSDAY, OCT. 4, 1962
TWELVE PAGES
PRICE 15 CENT#
Welcome State Moose
School Bond Issue
To Go To Voters
Voters of the Palmer Inde
pendent School District will be
asked to approve a $1,322,000
bond issue for Palmer school
construction in the Nov. 6 elec
tions, superintendent of schools
William T, Zahradnicek an
nounced this week.
It is estimated that passage
of the bond issue would raise
the school district tax levy
from 14 mills to 17 or 17^
mills, the superintendent sajdi
Reporters—
Notebook
Mrs. Walter Briggs won the
hamper of linens raffled off at
the 1962 Emblem Club style
show, “Autumn Fantasy,” held
last Saturday evening at the
Elks hall. Door prize winners
were Mrs. Martin Kalwies,
Mrs. Hal Loomis, and Mrs. Dick
Giles.
A sizeable crowd watched
the parade of fall styles, which
included the latest in hair
stylings. Sally Worledge’s
hair was done by Bonita, Mar
ziah Miller’s by Marie Guffy of
Bonita’s shop, and Suzii Mof
fitt’s by Barbara Lacher of
Bessie’s Beauty. Bar. Maud’s
Fowers donated a table arran
gement of large and button
chrysanthemums in fall colors.
* • *’
Carol Anne Covich of Palmer
has returned to Wheaton Col
lege. Illinois, as a sophomore
for the 1962-63 school year. She
is a graduate of Palmer high
school. A liberal arts college of
high academic standards,
Wheaton enjoys a distinctive
Christian emphasis in all of its
activities. .It is rated Class A
by the University of Illinois, is
a member of Nprth Central as
sociation, and is on the approv
ed list of the Association of
American Universities. Its en
rollment is limited to 1600 full
time undergraduate and 100*
graduate students.
* * *
Dorothy Woods left Sunday
for Atlantic City, New jersey,
to attend the Emblem Club con
vention as a delegate of the
Palmer Emblem Club. After at
tending the convention, she
will spend some time in New
York, then go on to Seattle on
business for Woods Insurance
Agency before returning home.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Logs
don and children, Chuck, On
nalie, and John, returned to
Palmer from Drobak, Norway
on Friday, Sept. 21. The family
spent nearly a year in Norway,
where Mr. Logsdon was doing
research at the Microbiology
Institute on the organism that
causes potato scab.
Palmer city residents also pay
a six-mill property tax, plus a
two per cent sales tax.
The funds would be used td
construct a 12-classroom addi
tion to Swanson elementary
school, and additions to the
high school which would house
classrooms, office space, agri
culture shop space, gymnasium
(with swimming pool if funds
arc available), auditorium, and
chorus room, according to
Zahradnicek.
The $1,322,000 figure is with
in the legal bonding capacity
of the Palmer Independent
School District, the superinten
dent said. The number of im
provements would depend on
how construction bids run, he
pointed out. If enough funds
are not available, some items
will have to be eliminated, he
said, citing the swimming pool
as optional. Its construction
cost is estimated at $200,000.
One or more public hearings
will be held to acquaint the
voters with all facets of the
issue, Zahradnicek said.
Only persons whose names
are on the tax rolls may vote
in the bond election, according
to a legal notice appearing
elsewhere in this issue of the
Frontiersman. Man and wife
are advised to find out wheth
er both names appear on the
tax rolls, and to make the
change before registration
deadline. To be eligible to vote I
in the bond election, voters
must register at the tax office
in the Wright buildirig before
6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, 1962,
The only other bond issue of
the district has been for Swan
son school, Zahradnicek said.
$235,000 remain to be paid of
the $300,000 bond, he stated,
adding that $72,000 more will
have been paid by the time the
new bonds' would be let. The
high school was built under
the Alaska Public Works pro
gram, and is' being paid off by
tobacco tax funds, the super
intendent said.
Three Local Men Help
In Astronaut Rescue
Three young men from the
Matanuska Valley were among
the navy personnel aboard the
aircraft carrier Kearsage- who
helped pluck astronaut Walter
Schirra from the Atlantic Oc
ean yesterday after his six-or
bital flight.
They are Jimmy Peterson,
son of Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Pet
erson of Knik, Clarence Mich
aelson, whose mother is Mrs.
Clara Fitzgibbons of the Fair
view area, and Don Jones, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Dick Jones of
Pamer.
237 Vote In Palmer City Election
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, past experience Has demonstrated the
value of public fire prevention programs in combat
ing the rising tide of fire losses which our nation is ex
periencing; and
WHEREAS, most of the loss of life and property
which this State experiences each year as the result of
fire could be prevented if the people of Alaska were
better informed on fire safety precautions, and took
the necessary steps to eliminate fire hazards from their
homes and places of business:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM A. EGAN, Gover- '
nor of the State of Alaska, do hereby designate the
week of October 7-13, 1962, as
FIRE PREVENTION WEEK IN ALASKA
and I ask all Alaskans, through their social and civic
organizations,, and as individuals, to support the efforts
of their community fire departments to promote the ob
servance of safe and sane fire prevention practices. I
also direct the appropriate State agencies to assist iri
this program to reduce the loss of life and waste of pro
perty which occurs as the result of preventable rires.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand and caused the Seal of Alaska to be affixed, this
thirteenth day of September in the year of Our Lord
nineteen hundred and sixty-two.
/s/ William A. Egan
Governor
ATTEST: Is/ Hugh J, Wade
Secretary of State
Parents, Public Invited To PEA
Workshop, “What’s New In Education”
Parent participation is invit
ed in a Palmer Education Asso
ciation workshop on Saturday,
Oct. 13, in the multipurpose
room at Swanson school from
1 to 3 p.m., according to Mrs.
Alrna Blunck, association presi
dent.
Mrs. Pearl Shockley, Nation
al Education Association direc
tor from Alaska, who will have
returned from a Washington,
D. C. conference only the week
before, will be guest speaker.
The theme of the workshop
will be “What’s New in Educa
tion”, with Dale Bryant as host
and Clifford Salisbury and Le
Roy Nord as coordinators.
A filmstrip, “Focus on
Change,” made up as a result
of g study by the National As
sociation of Secondary School
Principals, will be shown with
comments by LeRoy Nord.
The title of Mrs. Shockley’s
address will be “Teach for the
Future.” She will also report
on NEA news direct from
Washington, D. C.
“What’s New in Building and
Equipment” will be presented
by board members Lew Hanks
and Joyce Kerttula, both of
whom attended the national
convention of school boards in
St. Louis last spring.
Bergie Hecker, teacher at
Swanson, will discuss teaching
machines and program learn
ing. A demonstration of teach
ing machines will be presented
by a representative of Ameri
cana Encyclopedia. .
After a coffee break served
by the PTA, four discussion
groups will be formed. Nord
will head the high school group,
Katherine Steele the junior
high group, and Ralph Burnette
the intermediate group. Ada
Boyd and Pearl Moyer will be
co-chairman for the primary
group. Eat'h section will formu
late one or more ideas-which
might be incorporated into an
action program for the Palmer
schools, Mrs. Blurtck said.
The Palmer PTA has been in
vited to attend the workshop,
which is also open -to the pub
lic. This is a child-centered
session, the president pointed
Out, and parents are particular
ly urged to take part in the dis
cussion, which could eventually
lead to school policy.
REV. MARSHALL ACCEPTS
SUTTON PASTORATE
The Rev. John Marshall of
Palmer has accepted the pas
torate of Sutton Community
Church, it was announced this
week. Sunday school and wor
ship services will be held each
Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Rutt Discusses Military
Ties With Civilian Economy
The curent U. S. military in
vestment in Alaska aproaches
two and a half billion dollars,
Capt. Jim Rutt, USAF, told the
Matanuska Valley Chamber of
Commerce luncheon meeting
yesterday, Capt. Rutt, aide to
Maj. Gen. Wendell W. Bow
man, is also his pilot.
The annual maintenance and
operating cost of the Alaska
military is about $290 million.
Rutt said.
“About one third of Alaska’s
population consists of military,
military dependents, or em
ployees,” he stated. “The econ
omy of the state is greatly in
fluenced by federal expendit
ures, which are primarily mili
tary. With so much of the pop
ulation federally oriented from
an economy standpoint, team
work and cooperation between
military and state officials ha*v
been essential, and we have
found Alaskan leaders more
than willing to join us in areas
of mutual interest.”
Rutt pointed out the diffi
culties, such as great distances,
ruggedness of the terrain, and
the severity of the winter wea
ther, in establishing, operating,
and maintaining military bases
here, but said that to a great
degree these problems have
been solved with the help of
Alaskans.
The air force captain discuss
ed the proximity of the Siber
ian Peninsula to Alaska, which,
he said, is of primary concern
to the military in this area.
. “U.S. territory is only three
miles from Russian territory in
the Bering Straits. The Chu
kotsk Peninsula is separated
from Alaska by only 55 miles.
Air fields located in this area
are nearly one thousand miles
closer to t h e'Uhicago-Detroit
industrial complex and the
western states than other So
viet areas. In any naval, air or
missile attack on North Ame
rica, it could play a major role
and one with which we in Al
aska would be vitally con
cerned,” he stated.
He described the Alaskan
military stronghold as being
made up of three components
—United States Army Alaska,
the Alaskan sea frontier with
headquarters at Kodiak, and
the Alaskan air command with
the responsibility of the a i r
defense of Alaska.
AAC’s aircraft control and
warning tasks are accomplish
ed by two bands of radar sites,
he said, the outboard band
consisting of the Alaskan seg
ment of the Dew Line exten
sion along the Arctic Ocean,
connecting with early warning
sites ranging down the Chukchi
and Bering coasts which, in
turn, link with the Dew Line
Extension in the Aleutian Is
lands chain. Situated inland,
the second band is formed by
the radars of ground-controlled
intercept sites. The collected
data is fed into four direction
centers, where it is evaluated
and forwarded by a combat
operations center directly to
NORAD.
Alaskan skies are patrolled
by Elmendorf based all-weath
er fighter-interceptors, he said.
In closing, he quoted the
words of General Billy Mitch
ell, who told the House Mili
tary Affairs Committee in 1935,
almost 27 years ago, “Alaska is
the most important strategic
place in the world.”
POLICE SPONSOR
SCHOOL PATROL
New equipment for the
school boy Safety Patrol at the
Palmer schools has been order
ed as the result of a drive for
funds by the Palmer Police De
partment, Chief Louis Bencar
dino said this W’eek. The pa
trol is now being sponsored by
the police department.
Palmer business places who
contributed funds for the new
equipment were Thrifty Var
iety, Betty’s, the Palmer Bar,
the Matanuska Valley Bann,
Johnny's Barber Shop, Auto
motive Parts and Equipment,
the Frontier Cafe, Totem Land
Realty, Kirk’s Sales and Ser
vice. Bert’s Drug, Dr. C C.
Bailey, Hartley Motors, the Ma
tanuska Hotel, and the Fron
tiersman.
New raincoats, safety pat-ol
belts, and badges have been
ordered for the boys.
On Sept. 27, members of the
police department met with
Central school principal Nor
man Rousey and the boys who
are trying for the seven patrol
posts to discuss the responsib
ilities of being a member of the
Safety Patrol.
Police personnel plan mon
thly meetings with the boys,
Bencardino said. At the end of
; the year, the department will
present a trophy to the Patrol
Boy of the Year.
Road Relocation
Is Now Complete
The Clafk-Wolverine-Hunt
ley road relocation project i:
now complete district construc
tion engineer Warren Wild an
nounced yesterday. The new
road replaces the old Lazy
Mountain road, which has been
abandoned due to the.reloca
tion of the entrance to the Ma
tanuska Bridge on the Glenn
Highway. •
The Glenn Highway portion,
of the relocation project will
be paved next year. Wild said.
The contractors, Rivers and
Prestwood of Anchorage, had
originally planned to complete
all phases of the project this
season, but lost their stockpile
of crushed rock intended .fftr
the paving work during the
Matanuska River flood.
Joe Massey is • construction ■
superintendent, and Larry
Byrd, from the office of Roy
Jenkins, district highway en
gineer, w'as project engineer.
Total, funds alloted for com
pletion of the contract amount
ed to $144,364. This is a federal
aid contract. Wild said, finan
ced by about 95 per cent fed
eral funds and fire per cent
state funds.
FIRE DESTROYS
GOAT CREEK MILL
Totally destroyed by fire Fri
day afternoon, Sept. 28, was
the Freeman Lumber Com
pany’s Goat Creek mill.
Although an attempt was
made to call the Butte Fire de
partment at the time the fire
broke out, about 3:30 p.m., ac
tual contact Was not made un
til 5 p.m., probably through
failure of a telephone circuit
to the William Barnhardt home
where the fire siren is installed.
Although Mrs. Barnhardt was
at home throughout the after
noon, no call came through.
Mrs. Barnhardt said that if
for any reason a fire call does
not go through, she could be.
alerted on her personal tele
phone to sound the siren. Re
sponse to the siren is very
rapid, she said, pointing out
that within a very few minutes
after she had sounded it bn
Friday afternoon firemen were
manning the truck. .
Origin of the fire has not
been determined. It is believed
to have started under the mill,
which has not been in opera
tion for some weeks.
Most Ballots Cast
For Hermann, Frank
Although William Hermann
and Darell Frank took strong
leads in the Oct. 2 Palmer city
election, competition was keen
among the other five candidates
for the remaining two city
council posts. A total of 237
ballots were counted, with two
voided.
In the contest for the two
three-year terms, William Her
mann was elected with a total
of 176 votes, while Willard
Johnson took the second post
with 98. The other two candi
dates, E. J, Blom and Bernard
Bouwens, polled 85 votes
apiece
Darrell Frank’s 181 votes, the
highest number cast for a single
candidates in the election, as
Jim Ruft To
Auction for CIC
Jim Rutt has volunteered his
services as auctioneer for the
auction being sponsored by the
local Capital Information Com
mittee, which will be held
Oct. 13 at 2 p.m.
The auction will take place
on Valley Street in front of the
vacant building next to th^
Tropical Gardens, or, in case o1
inclement weather, at ths
Moose hall.
Proceeds will go to thi
“Move the Capital” fund. Any
qne who has donations for th
Suction is asked to leave ther
at the auction building Wed
nesday, Thursday, and Frida,
afternoons next week,-arid alsi
! Saturday morning.
DEMOCRATS SLATE
CAMPAIGN KICKOFF
j Valley Democrats have plan
ned a no-host luncheon foi
Monday noon. Oct. 8, at the
Frontier .Cafe in Palmer, it
was announced this week.
Guest of honor will be Sen.
Ernest Gruening.
sured him ot one of the one
year terms, the other going to
incumbent Jack Maze who re
ceived 119 votes. Close behind
'in the race was M. C. "Doc”
Puddicombe, with 116 votes.
The total count of 237 ballots
represented a considerably bet
ter turnout than in the 1961
city election when only 180
voters went to the polls. 239
voted in the 1960 election.
The new council members
will be sworn in Monday, Oct.
8, and during their first week
in office must, according to the
city charter, chose from the
seven-man council a mayor
pro tempore, who will act in
the absence of Mayor Billy R.
Miller. '■
Under the new city manager
form of government, the coun-.
cil acts as a policy-setting body,
with the city manager and his
staff carrying out the mechan
I ics of c;ty government.
Few Cow Moose
Taken In Valley
Although 6,700 permits were
issued for Area “C” (the Matan
uska Valley), hunters have had
little success, with a total of
658 anterless moose taken in
that area by- the end of last
; week, the Alaska Department
- of Fish and Game has reported.
; The special registered antler
n less moose hunt ended Sept. 30.
Registration for anterless
v i moose hunts in Game Manage
) .1 men't Units 7, 14. 15, and 16 be
gan Monday, Oct. 1. Alaska De
! partment of Fish and Game of
j fices in Anchorage, • Palmer,
j Kenai, Seward, and Homer will
! accept registrants during office
hours through Oct'. 26, 1962.
Anterless. moose registration
hunts- will run from Nov. 1
through Nov. 7, 1962, except for
Unit 16 (Lower Siisitna), which
will run from Nov. 1 through
Nov. 3Q. 1962.
Moose Convene Here
For Five-Day Session
Larry Vasanoja, governor
of the Palmer Moose lodge, and
Winston Gilchrist, city mana
ger, welcomed delegates from
Palmer. Anchorage. Sitka, Pe
tersburg, Juneau and Cordova
to- the Alaska Moose Associa
tion annual convention in the
Palmer Moose hall yesterday
at 1:30 p.m.
The Rev. William Miller of
the Church of God gave th e f
convocation. The color guard I
was made up of members of
the CAP Squadron.
Honor guest at the five-day i
convention is R. Maurice Coop
er, Spokane attorney and Chief
Justice of the Supreme Lodge.
Murray LaCour, state presir
dent, is presiding over all ses
sions for the men. Also repre
senting the Supreme Lodge is
District Deputy Supreme Gov
ernor Sam Greene of Anchor
age.
Special guest of the ladies in
the joint session is Patricia
Green, Deputy Grand Regent,
of Anchorage. Fanny Wirtanen
of Palmer, past Deputy Grand
and College of Regents mem
ber, is presiding over the wo
men’s sessions.
Approximately 75 new mem
bers from Palmer.and Anchor
age were enrolled in the lodge
in a Wednesday evening cere
mony.
The Antlers dinner for Ant
ler members and their ladies
will be held tonight at 8:30.
Dancing will follow at the
lodge.
A crab dinner, sponsored by
the Mt. McKinley Legion, is an
ticipated by convention, goers
tomorrow evening from 6:30 to
8:30. There will again be dan
cing to live music at the lodge
hall, with skits presented by
members!
A highlight for the ladies to
morrow evening at 8:30 will be
the Coronation Pageant at
Swanson school.
On Saturday morning the
men will elect officers, and the
ladies will attend the College
of Regents breakfast. Climax
ing the convention will be the
Saturday evening banquet,
honoring outgoing officers of
the Alaska Moose Association,
It will be followed by the Pres
ident’s Ball at 10 p.m.
Attendance at the convention
is estimated at well over 100.
State officers for the past
year have been Murray La
Cour, Sitka, president; Lloyd
Hall, Anchorage, vice presi
dent, N.W. District; J. Ray
Roady, Ketchikan, vice presi
dent, SE. District; and Ralph.
C. Moore, Palmer, secretary
treasurer.
Trustees are Jerry Hoskin
son, Sitka; Lloyd Brice, Anch
orage; Fred Williams, Juneau;
Louis Burcher, Palmer; Bruce
Anderson, Ketchikan; Dole
Trail, Craig; and Paul LeRoy,
Petersburg.
State Committee chairmen
are Robert Sapp, Louis Burch
er, Jack Freitag, Jerry Boiler,
Harold Zenger, Leonard Evans,
Everett Drussell, and Cliff
Anderson.