FRONTIERSMAN
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLE"?
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 20 PALMER. ALASKA THURSDAY, MARCH 8. 1956 PRICE TEN CENTS
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may have for sale,
rent or lease.
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
MEET MARCH 21
8:00 P.M.
Dairy Management
Short Course Set
The Extension Short Course m
Dairy Management will start at
1:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 13 at
the Extension Service office in
Palmer. Classes will be under the
direction of William Sweetman,
animal husbandman of the Ex
periment Station.
Classes have been scheduled as
follows: March 13: Breeding and
general dairy management. March
15: Feeding dairy cows. March 20:
Raising dairy heifers. March 22:
Pasture management. March 27:
Forage production. March 29:
Housing.
Classes will start at 1:30 p.m.
and last until about 3:30 p.m.
Dew E. Hanks, district agricultur
al agent of the University of Al
aska Extension Service said, “If
you are interested in dairy and
can attend one or more of these
classes, we want you to come.”
PALMER MOOSE
TO MEET FAIRBANKS
TONIGHT IN TOURNEY
The Palmer Moose will play
basketball again tonight when
they will again meet the Railbelt
champions, the Fairbanks Male
mutes. Tonight’s game will see
the two teams that opened the
tournament, pitted against one
another.
On Monday night the Palmer
lads went down to defeat in the
last half of the game with the,
Malemutes and the following
night defeated the Seward Sea
hawks. With two defeats against
them, the Seahawks were elim
inated from play. Anchorage won
over the Kodiak City team and
met the Malemutes on Wednes
day, defeating them. The local
five came out on the top of the
total score in their game against
Kodiak City last night and will
now meet the far-north team.
The winner of tonight’s game
will play Anchorage tomorrow
night, at which time the tour
nament will conclude. The Pal
mer blue and white team will be
supported tonight by the Palmer
band and many basketball fans
who plan to make the trip
SPACE AVAILABLE
ON CORDOVA FLIGHT
A few seats are still available
on the two Cordova Airlines DC
3’s that will be making the filght
from Palmer to Cordova this
week-end. The planes are sched
uled to leave the Palmer Airport
at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Friday
morning. Those wishing to make
reservations are asked to contact
Harold Dunn or Clare Stock im
mediately so that the passenger
list may be completed as early as
possible.
Stock said this week there will
be room for 64 pasesngers. Twen
ty-four members of the Elks wo
men’s and men’s teams are slat
(Continued on page 8)
WE CATER DINNERS
AND BANQUETS
Open Week Days 7 A.M. lo
7:30 P.M.
SUNDAYS 2 - 7:30 P. M.
CO-OP CAFE
Claudia Wilson, Manager
The shop will be closed
Fri., Sat., Mar. 9 & 10
Open Monday
VALLEY BEAUTY SHOP
Phone 3301
LAVONNE JOHNSON
Get Your Tickets on Our
UMBRELLA GIRL QUILT
•'Help the Sorority to Help
the Community"
Quilt to be awarded at Beta
Sigma Phi style show in
April
I HIGH SCHOOL DEED
TURNED OVER TO
SCHOOL DISTRICT
As of this morning, the Pal
mer Independent School Dis
trict now holds the deed to
the new Palmer High School.
In ceremonies held this morn
ing at the school, the deed
was turned over to members
of the School Board by Attor
ney John Madison, who re
presented the Alaska Public
Works. The first payment, $42,
350, was presented to the APW
•representative by the Board.
Complete details will be re
ported in next week’s issue of
The Frontiersman.
Members Urged
To Attend Annual
Libiary Meeting
The annual membership meet
ing of the Palmer Public Library
Association will be held Wednes
day night, March 21, at 8 p.m.,
according to an announcement
made this week. All -adult card
holders are members of the asso
ciation and are urged to attend
the meeting, The trustees will
be named to the Board and of
ficers for the coming year will
be elected.
Because of poor attendance the
past three years at annual meet
ings, offiufcrs have had to contin
ue on in -their respective offices.
All members of the association
are strongly urged to attend the
meeting.
A shortage of librarian help is
still evident, a spokesman said
this week. “Anyone who can vol
unteer a little time would be most
welcome", she said. Because
members of the Board take care
of the purchasing, filing of books,
and the more intricate work of
the library, all the volunteers
need do is sell library cards, re
ceive and give out the books. Ex
perience is not necesary, it was
pointed out.
In the early days of the Painter
Library there were enough vol
unteers to keep the library open
each afternoon and evning of the
week, except Saturday and Sun
day. The list of volunteers has
now dropped to where, with the
exception of only one worker, the
library duties are falling entirely
on the shoulders of the hard
working officers. They are keep
ing the library open three after
noons and two evenings a week,
with the aid of the one mention
ed volunteer. “There is a possi
bility that the library will have
to be closed if we can’t find vol
(Continued on page 8)
DELAY IN THIRD
POLIO VACCINATION
Because of the present shortage
of Salk vaccine, the Alaska Polio
Advisory Board recommended at
its recent meeting that third vac
cinations, or “booster shots”
: should be delayed. Dr. Charles R.
Hayman, acting commissioner of
health, reported the polio board’s
decision upon his return to Jun
eau last week after attending a
meeting of the advisory group in
Anchorage.
"The board feels it is more im
portant to use the available vac-,
cine for first and second vaccina
tions to eligible children who
have not yet received this protec
tion,” Dr. Hayman said.
Members of the Polio Advisory
Board are: Dr. Milo Fritz, Dr.
Robert Wilkins and Francis Bow
den, pharmacist, of Anchorage;
Mrs. Kenneth Parker of Spenard
and Mrs. Jack Hutchinson of
Juneau, Parent-Teacher associa
tion representatives; and Monte
Grisham, pharacist, of Juneau.
COUNCIL REJECTS
FINAL PAPERS ON
APW WATER SYSTEM
At a special meeting of the
City Council members and the
Mayor, final papers were offered
the City of Palmer by the Alaska
Public Works in regards to fin
alization of the water system
purchase.
Objections to completing nego
tiations at this time were voiced
by council members on the basis
of unsatisfactory work on the
water system; and no answ'er to
a previous request that the pay
ment period of 20 years be ex
tended to a 30-year period.
The motion that was off;red
following the discussion would
have given Mayor Charles W.
Wilson authorization to sign
bonding papers which in effect
would have meant the final ac
ceptance of the water system un
der the 20-year payment plan.
The motion failed to pass by a 2-3
vote. An amendment to the mo
tion, providing for a 30-year pay
ment period had failed to pass
by a 3-2 vote. A third and final
motion, that a letter be written to
APW requesting the 30-year pay
ment period, pased by unanimous
vote.
Attorney Charles L. Madison
of Juneau, APW representative at
the meeting, said today that the
City’s request for the 30-year per
iod will be discussed in Juneau
and negotiations with the City
of Palmer continued at a later
date.
LOZIER AND ASSOCIATES
SUCCESSFUL BIDDERS
Irving Lozier and Associates of
Palmer have ben announced as
low bidders for the Alaska Agri
culture Experiment Station util
ity building. The bid was $32,
876.0Q. Final details will be work
ed out within the next 10 days,
with work to start as soon as
weather conditions permit, ac
cording to Emil Ganschow, con
tracting officer at the Station.
The new building will adjoin
and connect the present green
house which is located across the
street from the Station lab and
office building.
A total of six bids were re
ceived.
KELLOGG BID
APPROVED BY
REA OFFICIALS
Robert Partridge, MTA manag
er, said this week the Matanus
ka Telephone Association has re
ceived word from the Washing
ton office of REA that the Kel
logg Switchboard and Supply
Co. bid to furnish telephone equ
ipment for the new system has
been approved. Contracts are now
in the hands of the Washington
office and Kellogg officials equ
ipment will soon be on the way
to Palmer.
Partridge added that the As
sociation also received authoriza
tion to purchase an additional
600 telephone instruments. This
will bring the total to 900 in
struments; 300 of which are now
in shipment. These instruments
will be installed in homes of
members who are now receiving
service and who have completed
equity payments. Those mem
bers who have paid up their
equity, but who are not now re
ceiving service, will not get
phones until the outside plant
and telephone lines are installed
so that service may be extended
to them.
The site of the Chugiak un
attended dial station was purch
ased this week from the Bureau
of Land Management for $170.40,
Partridge said. The site involves
about one acre and includes a
high hill that in time will no
doubt be the site of a tower, he
added. The joint-use pole agree
ment with the Matanuska Eleq^,
trie Association and the pole
agreement with the Alaska Rail
road that leads from Palmer to
Sutton, will be executed at the
Board of Directors meeting this
week, he added.
Mining Course
Opens March 13
Registration for the University
of Alaska Mining Extension Cour
se will beign at 7:30 p.m. in the
Science room at Central School.
All persons interested in taking
the tuition-free course in the
fundamentals of mineral identifi
cation and prospecting are invit
ed to attend. The course, of four
weeks duration, will be instruct
ed by Edward T. Barnes. There
are no educational requirements.
HUNDREDS ATTEND SECOND ANNUAL
TERRITORIAL FARM FORUM
me becona r arm J? orum which j
was held in Palmer on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday past, was
declared the most successful in
every way. Newest trends in
agriculture, dairy management,
gardens ad green houses, were
but a few of the subjects dealt
with extensively by specialists
and scientists who appeared on
the programs as speakers and
who participated in the many
panel discussions.
The three-day Forum was
opened Friday afternoon with
words of greeting from Mayor
Charles W. Wilson who pointed
out that Palmer and the Valley
live by and through cooperatives.
“We have a farmers co-op, an
electric coop, a telephone coop, a
school district and the city. All
of these handle their day to day
activities through a board of di
rectors under one name or an
other,” he said.
He pointed out that although
the Boards handle the business,
the real leaders are the members
of the organizations and all have
a responsibility. He added that
living in an organized and free
society requires some public ser
vice from all.
James Hurley, ARRC director,
told the audience of farmers
problems in obtaining loans. He
pointed out that statistics show
that the established farmer is the
best risk; the part-time farmer
the next best; and the homestead
er, or beginner, the poorest. In
summing up his talk he advised
would-be farmers to "Be sure you
want to farm. Be sure the land
you select is good. Be sure there
is a market for your product
and get acquainted with your
banker, get him on your side by
telling him the truth about your
financqp.”
James W. Wilson, commission
er of agriculture told the farmers
that the potential market for
agriculture products has not been
reached. He pointed out the in
creases over the past five years
and indicated the future growth
that is possible.
“The farmer is in the minor
ity,” said Dr. George Scarseth,
director of research of the Ameri
can Farm Research Association.
He urged the farmers to talk
problems through: talk to your
Experiment Station men—diag
nose your rural-urban problems—
get your own organzation, and
federate at a National level.”
Stewart Durrant. general man
ager of the Matanuska Valley
Farmers Cooperating Association
spoke on the family consumer
and brought out changes in eat
ing habits that have taken place
the past few years. “Over 6,000
varieties of food are available to
the housewife today. Eating hab
its have changed from meat,
gravy and potatoes, to salads
and fruits. Vegetables are now
grown to fit the small family
size. At the present time 33 per
cent of the families consist of
two members; 25 percent of
three: 21 percent of four; and 21
percent of five or more members.
(Continued on Page 5)
Chamber Planning
Buy-at-Home Campaign
$600-$700 STOLEN
IN BREAK AT
NEW HIGH SCHOOL
Territorial Police are today
i \ following up clues on a break
: \ in at the high school that is be
\ lieved to have happened some
i\ time after 11:30 p.m. Wednes
\ day night. Between $600 and
I;! $700 was taken from file cab
;! mets located in the offices of
the school principal and secre
> tary, according to William
I ;j Zahradnicek, school superin
!!' tendent. Officials believe the
/ break-in was gained through
i ; the boiler room door, where a
!' window was broken. Also
: broken was a window in the
r office door.
Specialty Ads
Planned fcr
’56 Minstrel Shsw
“Are we going to have spec
ialty acts!’’ exclained Dave Por
ter, director of the 1956 Palmer
Kiwanis Minstrel Show which
will be present April 6 and 7 in
Palmer.
“We are holding rehearsals
every Monday and Thursday,
with several Tuesdays and Wed
nesdays thrown in for good mea
sure—in addition, many of the
special acts are rehearsing at
their own convenience, as well
as following the entire cast sch
edule”, he said.
Some of the acts being plan
ned for this year’s 9how are en
tirely new—never presented be
fore. One of the featured acts
i will be the Beauty Shop Quar
tet, and as their title might imply,
their presentation will not in
clude the handle-bar mustaches
and deep male voices. A harmon
ica quartet will present several
numbers; there will be tap danc
ing specialists; and Annebelle
Kelleigh who made such a hit
in the show two years ago, is
busy working on a new routine
for the Minstrel of ’56. A five
piece orchestra will furnish sev
eral interesting numbers and for
mer Minstrel Show favorites, the
Niemans and Mel Munson will
appear on the program.
A special act will be presented
by Lu Sandvik and Marj Brewer
and the Palmer Kiwanians are
coming up with a quartet that
sounds real professional. These—
the end men — the “keynote
speaker”—Mr. Interlocter, and
many other acts sound like Chuck
Logsdon, manager, has put to
I gether an outstanding show.
Tickets will go on sale through
out Anchorage and Palmer very
soon. Those planning to attend
on Saturday are reminded of the
many times there has ben a turn
away audience show up. To avoid
disappointment, reserved seats
should be purchased as soon as j
possible, it was suggested. |
io promote interest in the Ma
tanuska Valley Chamber of Com
merce and in the city of Palmer
itself, members of a Chamber
committee are working on plans
for a city-wide merchant partic
ipation campaign whereby all
merchants will cooperate in pro
moting a program of “Buy at
Home.” The plans were announ
ced at the March 7 meeting of
the Palmer Chamber, and would
include a special night in Pal
mer, at which time a cash prize,
be awarded once a week on that
of a substantial amount, would
special date. Participating mer
chants would contribute to the
prize and in addition would offer
the public special purchases. “By
spending more money at home,
more jobs are created and the
money circulates over a greater
local area”, a committee spokes
man pointed out.
An educational program is be
ing planned to point out the
benefits of the city sales tax; its
uses, and benefits to not only city
residents, but those living in the
rural areas.
Not only merchants will be in
vited to participate, but produc
ers in the valley as well, it was
stated. “Shop in Palmer” will
soon be the by-word in this area
Members of the Chamber went
on record in support of an at
tempt to get maintenance work
on the Palmer Airport. A joint
meeting of representatives of the
City of Palmer, Valley Chamber
of Commerce, and the Airmens
Association, will be held to work
out proposals. It was brought out
that the only maintenance work
dtone on the airport during the
past three years has been done
by the Airmen. The Department
of Aviation will be contacted at
the conclusion of the meeting.
M. D. Snodgrass proposed that
the Chamber think about pro
moting and supporting an All
Alaska 4-H Fair in Palmer by re
questing the offer of the Fair
grounds to the 4-H Fair’s spon
soring agent and to support an
All-iState Fair in Palmer.
Road Restrictions
Due Within Few Weeks
In an effort to minimize the
loss suffered by highway users
as the result of load restrictions
during the annual spring breakup
period, the Alaska Road Commis
sion desires to remind all ship
pers and all persons concerned
with truck transportation that
restrictions may be in effect
within the next 30 days.
Experience in prior years in
dicates that starting date of re
strictions on the Glenn, Seward
Anchorage, and Sterling High
ways may be expected at Imy
time between April 1 and April
13, and on the Richardson and
Alaska Highways between April
13 and April 27. Restrictions nor
mally are in effect from three to
six weeks, depending upon wea
(Continued on page 8)
RESIDENTS OF PALMER SCHOOL DISTRICT
AND CITY OF PALMER
The law slates that each of you owning tangible personal
property must file a tax return. If you own only clothing you
must, and should, file a return for your own protection.
Your right to file, or to amend the assessor's filing, is
legally forfeited after February 1, 1956. However, this year
the assessor will not file an arbitrary return for anyone filing
before March 23, 1S56.
The amount filed by the assessor is, under territorial
statute, not subject to appeal or equalization by the school
board or city council, unless they so desire.
If you need help, forms, or information: or if you have a
complaint relative to delinquent taxes, please call at the
assessor's office over the bank. Our goal is to distribute the tax
burden equitably in proportion to property owned. Buildings
and land will be reviewed later this year.
WM. WAKELAND
Tax Assessor