I The frontprsman
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j , PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
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VOLUME 10, NUMBER 21 PALMER, ALASKA THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1957 PRICE TEN CENTS
Over $800 Realized by
Elks for March of Dimes
A total of $1,447.85 has been
contributed to the iMarch of Dim
*es to date, according to Ed Smith,
March of Dimes chairman. Of this
amount, $807.72 was realized by
the Palmer B.P.O. Elks last Sat
\irday at their dinner-dance.
Much planning and considerable
work was donated by members
of the Elks lodge to make this
event such a success. Smith ex
pressed his appreciation to the
Elks and the many, many resi
dents who turned out in support
of the event.
Other contributions this week
included another 60 cents from
Swanson School; $5 from the
Nugget Homemakers and $13
from the Happy Valley Home
makers. Collection cans realized
a total of $168.22/ This figure
went over last year’s total, Smith
reported. The collection can in
Bert’s Drug store and fountain
contained $38.55 and the can from
the Palmer Bar contained $30.87.
From the Alpine Inn, Alpine Ser
vice Station and the Jonesville
Miners came the sum of $36.55.
This Saturday members of the
Palmer Moose lodge are planning
a March of Dimes benefit dinner
dance and Smith said he believes
this will complete the campaign
in the valley. “Residents of the
entire valley are to be congratu
lated for the way they have
worked and contributed to the
3957 March of Dimes”, Smith
stated. “It is gratifying to see that
the valley people recognize the
need for continued support of the
March of Dimes”, he added.
MEMBERSHIP IN MEA
EXPLAINED IN AD
The attention of Matanuska
Electric Association members is
drawn to an advertisement that
appears in this week’s issue of
The Frontiersman. It is a notice
,to all members of a policy adopt
ed by MEA directors and a spec
ial meeting held March 6.
The notice states that a voting
member is one who has met the
following requirements: The pay
ment of a $5 membership fee;
agreeing to purchase electricity
from the Association; agreeing to
comply with and be bound by the
Articles of Incorporation the by
law and the rules of the associa
tion; being accepted for member
ship by the Board of Directors or
the membership.
Only one membership may be
held per person but a husband
and wife may jointly hold a
membership if both have signed
the membership application. In
the event that both have signed
either may vote, but not both.
Board directors have ordered
all duplicate membership fees
previously paid to be transferred
to meter deposits under the same
names.
The annual membership meet
ing will be held in Palmer on
Saturday, April 13.
• I COMFORTABLE jj
Steam Heated Rooms ;t
Low Weekly Rales
Hyland Hotel jl
<; 2 blocks from Post Office j!
I IF^ II^
CHINA :i
CHOICE IVORY, JADE, j!
HEMATITE jl
NATIVE ARTS & CRAFTS
TREASURE CHEST
Wasilla Rd. ;
TAX ASSESSMENT
NOTICES MAILED
IN AREA THIS WEEK
Assessment notices for real
and personal property have been
mailed from the assessor’s office,
it was announced this week.
These notices are not tax bills
and no money is payable until
the bills are sent out June 1, 1957.
However, said William Wake
land, tax assessor, these notices
should be checked carefully. Be
tween now and Board of Equal
ization meetings in late April
mistakes may be corrected by the
assesssor. After equalization is
completed, only the City Coun
cil and the School Board can
make changes on their respective
rolls.
“If you own property of any
kind and did not receive an as
sessment notice for each parcel,
call on the assessor and find out
why”, Wakeland urged this week.
“Your real property may be in
correctly listed, or your personal
property return may not have
been received.” The latter leaves
property owners open to a stiff
assessment that cannot be ap
pealed, Wakleland pointed out,
and incorrect listing might cost
a property owner his land at a
tax sale.
The assessor’s office has been
engaged nearly full time in map
ping and plotting preliminary to
re-assessment of the wfyole dis
trict; devising new tax roll forms
(Continued on Page 8)
NEW MYA MANAGER
NAMED BY BOARD
Max Clements, former em
ployee of the Kellogg Switch
board Co. of Chicago, has been
named new manager of the Mat
anuska Telephone Association,
Inc. The board of directors nam
ed Clements to the position at
a special meeting held last Thurs
day evening, pending approval of
the Rural Electrification Admin
istration.
Clements, who has been in Pal
mer the past six weeks installing
the Kellogg telephone equipment,
has been with that firm the past
year, as installer of central office
equipment. Prior to his affiliation
with the Kellogg company he was
with the Indiana Telephone Cor
poration for 10 years, five of
which were spent in ouside plant
vork and five years as central
office supervisor.
The new manager’s home was
in Monticello, Indiana. He is
married and the father of two
sons and one daughter. His family
will join him in Palmer at the
close of school. Clements is a vet
eran of World War II having
served in the U. S. Airforce from
1944-1946.
Hotel Designated
The Matanuska Hotel was de
signated as the point where oper
ator assist calls will be received
during the hours that the MTA
office is closed. Evening, week
end and holiday calls that have
to be made through the operator
will be received at the hotel when
the person making the call dials
“O”. Emergency numbers will be
printed in the telephone book in
a convenient spot and should be
used whenever possible. Toll
calls after hours will go direct
to Anchorage. A contract for the
arrangement will be drawn be
tween the MTA and the Valley
Hotel Corporation to handle this
L required service.
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE DINNER
March of Dimes Benefit
Moose Hail - March 16 - 6:30 P.M.
9
Hard-Times Dance will Follow
Public Invited
ADMISSION $1.50 _
Local Conservationist
Given Merit Award
In line with the- policy of the
Soil Conservation Service of the
Department of Agriculture to
give recognition to work improve
Clifford W. Marcus is pictured
above as he received the Certi
ficate of Merit from Charles W.
Wilson, territorial conservation
ist.
ment suggestions submitted by
employees, Clifford Marcus, work
unit conservationist, assisting the
Palmer, Anchorage and Chugiak,
Wasilla Subdistricts, was award
ed a Certificate of Merit and a
cash award for his suggestion.
Marcus occasionally uses two
by-two-inch slides to illustrate
technical material and has found
that quite often a simple drawing
or sketch is very effective in
bringing home a particular point.
To present these drawings or
sketches without interrupting the
lecture, Marcus makes these
drawings on a small pieces of cel
lulose acetate which is then
mounted in the regular Koda
chrome slide mount or a metal
slide mount, and the illustration
is put through the projector with
other slides. This permits the
technician to present the com
plete problem without interrupt
ing the lecture to make sketches
on a blackboard, and then pro
ceeding with the lecture.
Seeking Volunteers
For Ambulance Corps
Form letters will be mailed this
week to all first aid card holders
inviting them to a meeting to be
held by the Beta Sigma Phi
Council March 22. The meeting
is being planned to formulate a
larger ambulance crew. At the
present time there is an acute
need for additional drivers and
first aid workers. The meeting
will be held March 22 in the thea
tre basement at 8 p.m.
All persons qualified to work
with the sorority in manning this
important community service are
requested to attend the meeting,
or contact Joe or Virginia Gal
lant if unable to attend.
Members of the Flying Club
will meet at the home of Rene
Nielsen, Mile 73, Thursday eve
ning at 7 p.m.
7, .' \ • * '
I Co-Op Receiving Record Shipments
of Seed and Fertilizer for Area
TELEPHONE SERVICE
BEING DELAYED
DURING CHANGE OVER
Telephone service going through
the switchboard in Palmer is be
ing delayed and the cooperation
of all subscribers is requested, ac
cording to Lew Hanks, MTA
president.
“The delay is being caused be
cause part of the system is now
on dial service and part on the
old system. If a user calls a num
ber that is now on dial the opera
tor must first look up the num
ber then dial at the switchboard.
This is causing the major delays
in service and all telephone users
are requested to keep their calls
to a minimum, Hanks said. “This
inconvenience will be over in a
■short time and we will have the
entire system cut-over to the dial
system”, he added. Plans still call
for a system cut-over on March
23 and 24.
Because of the confusion in
part of the system being on dial
mimeographed copies of new tele
phone numbers are being print
ed and will be distributed among
telephone subscribers just as soon
as possible. Because a number of
changes in telephone numbers are
anticipated it was decided to hold
off the printing of the telephone
book for a few days.
To date the new system in
Wasilla and Sutton are nearly
complete and subscribers in those
two towns are now able to call
anyone on the system in their
exchange. Until the entire sys
tem is cut over they will not be
able- to call out or receive in-com
ing calls from other exchanges.
Part of the Palmer system is
on dial, and part on the old sys
tem, with the crews working as
last as possible to complete the
tie-ins on the two systems.
Women Planning
Spring Style Show
Plans are under way and a
tentative date has been set for
the Beta Sigma Phi’s annual
spring style show. This year’s
'' theme will feature home purchas
ed and home made clothing and
will include the new spring styles
being shown by local merchants
as well as clothing made from
materials purchased from local
shops. Entertainment is being
planned for intermission and the*
close of the show. Refreshments
will be served.
HEALTH COUNCIL
TO MEET MONDAY NIGHT
The Matanuska Valley Health
Council will meet at the Health
Center in the valley hospital next.
Monday at 7 p.m. All represen
tatives who are rriembers are urg
,„ed to attend the meeting.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE WEEK
*
WHEREAS the wise use of natural resources—soils waters, forests,
minerals and wildlife—is essential to the welfare and security
of the individual, community, state and nation, and
WHEREAS the sound management of natural resources cannot
be achieved without the guidance and support of an informed
and interested public, and
WHEREAS the week March 17 through 23 is being observed across
the nation ak National Wildlife Week, and as an expression of
national interest in conservation and a means of stimulating
greater public interest in the pressing problems of natural
resources management, and
WHEREAS nearly 40 species of wildlife in the United States are
dangerously near extinction and many others are suffering
from severe depletion because of destruction of the food and
cover found within their living areas and
WHEREAS many of the lands of our country are being used with
out regard to this destruction of wildlife, and fire, pollution,
drainage, poor faming and grazing methods wasteful logging
and building practices continue to take a heavy toll of produc
tive wildlife living areas
NOW, THEREFORE, the week of March 17 through 23, 1957 is
hereby proclaimed as National Wildlife Week in the City of
Palmer. All Citizens are urged to acquaint themselves with
natural resource problems and, in keeping with the national
theme, “Make a Place for Wildlife”, to give particular support
to programs providing for the protection and restoration of
wildlife living areas by encouraging the preservation and wise
management of natural coverts in our forest, grasslands, streams,
lakes and marshes, on arable lands, and within undeveloped
and wilderness areas to insure that these animals and the
esthetic and recreational benefits tht accrue from them will
be perpetuated for the America of tomorrow.
Signed: CHARLES W. WILSON, Mayor City of Palmer
«
Record shipments of seed and
fertilizer are arriving at the Ma
tanuska Valley Farmers Coopera
ting Association Warehouse, ac
cording to Virgil Eckert, man
ager. Approximately seven car
loads of seed have arrived and
are being picked up by area
I Organizations Meet
Monday to Formulate j
Beautify Palmer Plans :
A meeting to plan steps to ;
be taken in the Palmer Gar- j
den Club campaign to beautify ;
Palmer will be held in the Soil;
Conservation Service office in |
the Legion building at 8 p.m., \
Monday, March 18. Letters J
have been mailed to all organ- \
izations throughout the valley \
inviting their participation in 1
the meeting through a repre- !
sentative. It is the hope of!;
Garden club members that !;
each organization will send at!;
least one representative to the !;
meeting. In addition anyone <;
who is not affiliated with an !;
organization that is interested j;
in the proposed plan is urged <!
to attend the meeting. “This ;!
is not a campaign for one club j!
or organization”, a Garden;!
Club spokesman said, “but ;!
rather one in which the entire ;!
community is asked to partici- ;!
pate, from the youngest to the j!
oldest.” ]!
one in which the entire com- |!
munity is asked to participate, jj
from the youngest to the old- >
est.” :
Practice Starts
For Minstrel Show
Members of the Palmer Ki
wanis club are hard at work
preparing for their annual Min
strel show which this year will
be presented in Palmer on April
5 and 6.
The all-male chorus will have
their second practice session to
night in the music room at Cen
tral School at 8 p.m. Additional
male voices are needed for the
chorus and anyone interested in
singing with the group is asked
to turn out for the session tonight
or as soon as possible. Lee Plum
bley, school bandmaster, will di
rect the chorus.
End men for the 1957 presen
tation will be Charles (Chuck)
Logsdon, Jack Maze, Harold Ste
phan, and Rosco Taylor. Mrs
Olga Reiger will be pianist for
the show and a band, consisting
of several members of the PHS
Pioneer Band, will play with the
chorus numbers and some of the
specialty acts. Herb Lang, new
in the minstrel show field, wili
be Mr. Interlocutor.
Costumes have been ordered
Roscoe Taylor said this week anc
committees have started building
new props for the show.
METHODIST COLLEGE
P-TA SPEAKER'S TOPIC
The Methodist College, whicl
will be built in the Anchorage
area, will be the topic of a talk
to be given Tuesday night in the
high school cafeteria by Williarr
Reasonover, manager. Reason
over, who recently returned fron
a trip in Southeastern Alaska
where he spoke to a number oj
interested groups, will be gues
Speaker at the Palmer P-TA meet
ing and all members and others
interested in hearing of the pro
gress being made regarding th(
college are invited to attend.
Annual election of officers wil
be held.
fTT-rr-"-7
farmers. The shipments include
oats, peas, vetch and all type
grass seeds. About two-thirds of
the seed shipments have been
picked up by the farmers since
arriving last Thursday.
Two carloads of fertilizer,
along with the balance of the
seed shipment, are expected to
day. Fertilizer shipments will
continue for the next two weeks
until around 1500 tons have been
delivered. Eckert reqeusted that
farmers contact the Warehouse
for delivery dates of the fertil
izers. He also reminded farmers
that the shipments of premerge
and insecticides have arrived
and should be picked up as soon
as possible.
Although no date has been an
nounced, Bureau of Public Roads
officials have issued two remind
ers of impending road restrictions
and all heavy loads should be
transferred as soon as possible to
avoid conflicting with the road
restrictions that are expected to
be put on by at least the first of
April.
Moose to Hold
Public Dinner
And Dance Saturday
The Palmer Moose are ready
• for their corned beef and cabbage
dinner which will be served to
the public at Moose hall this Sat
urday night, starting at 6:30 p.m.
The main dishes will be prepar
ed by members of the lodge. Wo
men of the Moose will furnish
salad dishes and dessert. Admis
sion will be $1.50 per person, with
the March of Dimes to benefit
from all the proceeds.
Following the dinner, which
will be served until 7:30 p.m. a
“hard-times” dance will be held.
Those planning to attend are in
vited to go dressed “as they
please”. Irishmen are especially
invited to attend, lodge members
stated. “This comes just the day
before St. Patrick’s Day—and
everyone knows all good Irish
men love corned beef and cab
bage”.
Tickets may be purchased at
the door. Those unable to attend
the dinner are invited to drop
in later for dancing.
The Matanuska Valley Minis
terial Association will meet March
18 at 8 p.m. at St. John’s Luther
an Church.
«A^WWWWWV>^WVS^VW%/WNA/VVVV*
(Support the March of Dimes |!
Attend the Moose Hard \\
Times Dance |!
MAUD'S FLOWER SHOP j
Theatre Bldg. Phone 3601 j;
■ \ CHRISTIAN^SCIENCE {
• j| SERVICES J;
; Sunday School_10:30 |>
;! Church Service_11:00 jj
jl nursery j!
I; CARPENTERS HALL
jj ALL CLEANING j!
: 1 for the 4
: ;j L price of I
; j| ON LIKE GARMENTS
Cash and Carry
>|| BROWN’S CLEANERS jj
—
GOLD RUSH DAYS....
WASILLA GRANGE FOLLIES
Friday and Saturday - March 15 & 16
Wasilla School -8:30 p.m.
FUN FOR ALL — MANY NEW AND VERY
ENTERTAINING ACTS
Public Invited