SPRING BAND CONCERT
SCHOOL GYM
FRIDAY. APRIL 13 — 8 P.M.
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may here for sale,
rent or lease.
VOLUME 9. NUMBER 25
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. APRIL 12, 1956
PRICE TEN CENTS
MEA MEMBERSHIP MEETING, SAT. APRIL 14
^
VANDALS DAMAGE
NEW HIGH SCHOOL
ENTRANCE DOORS
Vandalism at the new Palmer
High School early Sunday morn
ing caused damages estimated
from $600 to $2,000, depending on
replacement costs, William T.
Zahradnicek, school superintend
ent said this week. Territorial
Police are investigating the inci
dent and are working on leads
obtained since the vandalism was
reported Sunday.
Damages were caused when a
vehicle was apparently rammed
again st the rear entrance d6ors,
breaking all panes of glass in
the two double doors. Metal door
frames were sprung and warped
out of shape and the entire sec
tion will have to be replaced. In
addition one section of the front
.entrant# door was also damaged
in a similar method. No apparent
attempt to gain entry to the
building was made.
The high school is located in a
section which the city is hoping
will be annexed by the voters.
At the present time it is located
outside city limits and not under
the jurisdiction of the city police
deparment.
This is the second time within
a few weeks that the high school
has been damaged. The first in
cident occured when a person or
persons forced their way into
the building and broke open files
located in the school office and
made off with a sizeable amount
of money.
Power Meeting
Praised by
These in Attendance
A number erf area residents at
tended a* power meeting held in
Anchorage last week and heard
general discussions on power
phases in industry, farming, and
homes. Attending from the Mat
anuska> Electric Association was
Cy Brewer, MEA manager. Geor
ge Shannon, Anchorage city
manager, spoke of Anchorage
power policies and how they op
erate; Warren George of the
Army Engineers reported on
plans and records being made;
and an interesting discussion on
steam generating potentials was
presented, during which it was
state that two and one half mill
power was possible from this type
generation.
Among those attending were
James Frey of the Butte, Jim
McDowell from Chugiak, Walter
Pippel and Dan Bell from. Eagle
River and a representative from
the Premier Mine. A representa
tive of the Juneau office of the
Bureau of Reclamation who had
planned to attend the meeting
was unable to do so because he
was weathered in in Juneau.
The meeting, which was spon
sored by the Anchorage Chamber
of Commerce was well comment
ed upon by those in attendance.
To Participate in
Non-Partisan Poll
A non-partisan poll will be
conducted in grades nine through
12 of the Palmer High School
sometime this week or early next
week, as an educational measure
to acquaint high school students
with voting procedures. The poll
is being sponsored by the Alas
kans for Eisenhower group of the
Palmer region, and will be con
ducted in accordance with regu
lar voting methods, complete
with sample ballots which are
being obtained from Anchorage
today right down to the clerks
and judges. Students will be in
vited to vote for their favorite
candidates in the primary elec
tion which will be held in Alaska
April 24, during this poll.
Due to Spring Break-up
conditions the following
hours will be observed
6:45 A.M. - 7:30 P.M
Sundays 9 A.M. - 7:30 P.M
CO-OP CAFE
Taking Appointments Now
For Prom and Commencement
Evening Appointments
VALLEY BEAUTY SHOP
Phone 3043
LAVONNE JOHNSON
I CITY SEEKING
DOG POUND
Anyone interested in fur
nishing board and room for
stray dogs is invited to offer
a bid to the City of Palmer. At
the present time there is no
City dog pound, and regula
tions call for a five-day hold
ing period for dogs picked up
by police. During that time
owners may claim their pets
after purchasing a license and
paying pound fees. During the
five-day period the dqgs will
be fed and housed. Police
Chief Bernard Bouwens this
week warned all dog owners
to keep their pets at home or
they will be picked up and
destroyed when found running
loose. A dog problem has de
veloped on the school grounds
and dog bite cases have been
reported. A dog license does
not allow the pet owner to per
mit his dog to run loose.
VALLEY GOP’S TO I
CAUCUS APRIL 19
Republicans of the Valley’s
two precincts will hold caucus
next Tuesday evening. April 19,
with Republicans of Precinct No.
1 (within city) meeting in the
Valley Theatre at 8 p.m., and
Republicans of Precinct No. 2,
(outside city) gathering at the
ME A meeting room at 8 p.m.
The caucus will be held for
the purpose of electing precinct
committeemen and committee
women and the election of dele
gates and alternates to the Re
publican Divisional Convention
which will be held in Anchorage
May 11 and 12.
PVecinct No. 1 is entitled to two
delegates and two alternates;
Prpgjnct No. 2 is entitled to three
delegates and three alternates.
STUDENTS WELCOME
5c MILK PROGRAM
Palmer students received the
trial fresh milk program with
surprising gusto, according to the
jumps in milk consumption. In
grades one through six at Swan
son School there was a 300 per
cent jump in milk consumption
and at Central School, grades one
through eight, a 100 percent in
crease was noted. A big increase
was experienced at the high
school, but no figure was avail
able.
The study is being made by the
Matanuska Valley Farmers Co
operating Association and the Al
aska Agricultural Experiment
Station to determine how much
fresh milk the students would
consume if it was made available
-to them at a very low cost. The
one half pints of fresh mjlk are
being made available for five
cents each throughout the Palmer
school system for the balance of
April. The study may lead to the
Territory’s inclusion in a federal
program, Special School Milk
Program, which is being conduct
ed in the 48 states and which
would benefit Alaska children,
school lunch programs, dairymen
and the public in general- The
Seward schools are conducting a
findings of the two sections will
similar study in that area and
be forwarded to Washington, D.C.
KIWANIS MINSTREL
MAKES BIG HIT IN
TWO-NIGHT STAND
Record attendance was noted at
the 1956 Palmer Kiwanis Minstrel
show, held in Palmer April 6 and
7, and all reports were voiced
somewhat alike—“The best show
they have ever done”.
It would be difficult to pick
out the most outstanding sections
of the show, for each specialty
presented was done in a fine, pro
fessional-like manner—and end
men and Mr. Interlocutor were
wonderful in their very impor
tant parts—and the local talent
was better than ever.
Many visitors from surround
ing areas were noted in the aud
iences, including several dele
gates to the Constitutional Con
vention, around which this years’
show was written. Orchids go to
the staff who wrote and directed
the show and to those hard-work
ing property and lights, hotr%ing
and ticket committee members.
Proceeds from this year’s show
will go toward the Palmer Ki
wanis Youth Activities Fund, as
they have in past years.
ARC Adds More
Road Restrictions
In Spring Break-Up
Reduced load and speed limits
were this week extended to in
clude the Palmer-Anchorage
highway (from Anchorage to
Mile 118), all roads in the An
chorage area, access roads, the
Sterling highway and all farm
roads of the Kenai section.
Reductions were already in ef
fect on all farm roads in the Ma
tanuska Valley and on the Pal
mer-Wasilla highway. Because of
the spring break-up, reductions
limit load capacity to 50 percent
of the axle load and speed limits
have been reduced to 35 miles per
hour.
Officials of the Alaska Road
Commission who announced the
restrictions requested coopera
tion of all truckers in observing
the load reductions. “These roads
we are trying to protect are
their own”, a spokesman said. “If
they will cooperate now by re
ducing their loads, the sooner
the roads will be in good condi
tion this spring”, he pointed out.
Territorial Police are watching
for violations and will issue cit
ations to those found violating
the reduced load and speed limits.
31 Area Residents
Complete Mining
Extension Course
Thirty-one area residents suc
cessfully completed the Mining
Extension Course which was
held in Palmer the past four
weeks under the direction of Ed
ward Barnes, University instruc
tor in Mining Extension. From
Palmer Barnes will be going to
Seward where he will conduct
his final session for this year and
then return to the University.
Area residents who completed
the course and will receive cer
tificates from the University, are:
Harvey L. Anderson, Billy C.
Bailey, Dorothy L. Batterton,
Melvin R. Bernke, Eugene J. Cog
hlan, Harvey E. Cooper, Arthur
C Erickson, Alfred W. Good,
George R. Harbeson, Homer D.
Hayes, Pat S. Hjellen, and Agnes
W. Isely.
Also, Bob Klem, Jessie M.
Klem, Albert P. Knoedler, Wen
dell L. Lewis, Jack R. Mastrude,
Frank M. Morton, John W. Plano,
George J. Roberson, John V
(Continued on page 8)
School Band Annual
Spring Concert Sol
For Friday Evening
Tickets to the Palmer High
School annual spring band con
cert are now available from all
band students or may be purchas
ed at the door, Lee Plumbley,
band master, said today The
concert will be presented in the
Central School gymnasium to
morrow evening, beginning at 8
p.m. Admission will be 50 cents
for everyone who occupies a
chair.
A varied, and entertaining pro
gram is planned, including mar
ches, concert selections, and the
presentation of the band num
bers the group will be perform
ing at the Music Festival in Fair
banks next week. There will also
be solo and ensemble presenta
tions; Muriel Hanks will present
a baton twirling solo as well as
a clarinet solo; Pat Shaefer a
flute solo; Karen Aklestad will
offer a baton twirling solo; a
| performance by the majorettes;
i a selection by the brass sextet;
| numbers by the ‘Pretzel Bend
ers” (German band); and Eliza
beth Shook will be student con
ductor and director of -one num
ber by the band.
The public is extended a cor
dial invitation to turn out and
hear the high school senior band
at their best. Proceeds from the
concert will go into their travel
fund to the Music Festival. This
will be their final benefit event
before they leave April 19 for
Fairbanks.
Absentee Ballots
Available in Palmer
Voters were once again remind
ed that they may use an absentee
ballot to vote in the Primary
election April 24—if they believe
they will be unavoidably away
from home—or live more than
two miles away from a voting
place. Application by mail for
absentee ballot must be made not
less than four days before an
election, April 20 in this case,
and ballot must be cast not later
than day of election. Ballots must
be cast in the presence of a U. S.
Commisisoner, Postmaster, or No
tary Public. Absentee ballots are
available from U. S. Commission
ers or from Postmasters through
out Alaska.
Council Notes
Correspondence read at the
April 10 meeting of the Palmer
City Council included a letter
from the Palmer Library board of
directors in which it was pointed
out that it has become more in
creasingly difficult for the few in
terested individuals to keep the
library open. The letter requested
the City of Palmer keep in mind
the possibility of some day tak
ing over the library responsibil
ities.
A written request to transfer
funds from the city tax fund into
the School District fund was ap
proved and action was taken on
a letter from the Matanuska Elec
tric Association which was writ
ten to the School Board, and a
copy of which was sent to the
Mayor. The letter requested that
permission be given MEA to hold
off payment of taxes until a
court opinion is made on whether
or not, the MEA, a cooperative,
is obliged to pay taxes. Members
of the finance committee, who
had met with members of the
school board in regards to the
letter, recommended the Council
take a joint stand with the School
Board and that a letter be writ
ten to MBA to instruct the asso
ciation that it will continue to
be carried on the tax roll and
treated as any other taxpayer . . .
i-e. if payments are not made, in
terest and penalties will be added.
The Territorial tax refund of
$5400 received by the City this
week was transferred from the
general fund to the water fund
in payment of a loan made to
the general fund.
Mayor Charles Wilson announc
ed the following citizens were
appointed to a committee to study
the existing and proposed liquor
ordinances which provide for
specific members of liquor dis
pensary licenses in, the City of
Palmer. Those named to the com
mittee were Harold Thuma, Ed
Smith, Carlos Driggars, Barbara
Skok Margaret Blum and Doro
thy Saxton.
The planning commitee an
nounced a meeting of the Palmer
Planning Commission will be
held Thursday evening, April 12,
(Continued on page 8)
Women"
ARE ADVISED TO STAY HOME APRIL 14.
THEREBY RELINQUISHING SEATS TO THE
MEN, WHO AFTER ALL ARE MORE QUALI
FIED TO DECIDE THE ISSUES.
* * TURN TO PAGE 7
Pd. Ad.
RARE, MEDIUM
WELL DONE?
\ Matanuska Electric Associa- !; ]
;! tion line crew this week Mon- ■
! day discovered the body of a ;
\ moose that had definitely not ;
]' survived his contact with 7200
;! volts of MEA electrical power ';
in the Butte region. The moose
; was not of the low-bush varie- ;
! ty, but rather, a full-grown ;
!; highnbush type. As reconstruc- ;
; ted by it’s finders, the animal ;
! had apparently attempted a ;
!; leap over an electric wire ;
!; which had been knocked down ;!
by a falling tree ... he was ;
/ not successful.
STAGE SHOW TO
BENEFIT HOSPITAL
Tickets go on sale within a few
days for a hospital benefit show
which will be held at the Valley
Theatre Thursday night, April
26. Proceeds will go toward the
hospital fund being raised to help
build up a revolving fund.
Whitey’s Western Swingsters,
and several other artists, will vol
unteer their talents for this show,
according to Neal Wright, com
mittee member. Several stars
from various Anchorage night
clubs are expected to make ap-«
Dearances on the program.
In addition to the big show, a
3-speed Hi-Fi record player will
be awarded during the evening.
Fair Association
Looking for
Advertising Salesman
The Matanuska Valley Fair As
sociation is seeking an advertis
ing salesman for the 1956 Valtey
Fair. The work will involve the
selling of advertising in the
Fair's annual premium book.
Sales will be made on a commis
sion basis, which in past years,
has average around 24 percent.
Fair officials this year are hoping
for a $8,000 total. The salesman
will adjust his own working
hours, with a deadline date to be
determined by the Fair Associa
tion Board. Interested persons are
to contact A1 Hagen, Association
Secretary, Box 1756, Palmer, prior
to Tuesday, April 17.
MTA CALLS FOR
CONSTRUCTION BIOS
The Matanuska Telephone As
sociation this week issued a call
for bid for the construction of the
central office building, to be lo
cated in Palmer; and for the un
attended stations to be located at
Chugiak, Wasilla, and Sutton.
The bid call appears elsewhere in
today’s issue of The Frontiers
man.
Robert Partridge, MTA manag
er, said this week that several in
dividuals have indicated their
interest in bidding for this work
and stated the Board of Directors
invites all interested individuals
I and firms to offer bids.
Bid opening has been set for
Wednesday, May 9 at 2 p m. in
the IMTA business office in the
Severn Building. All members of
the Association are invited to at
tend the bid openings.
Partridge reported that REA
approval of the Bonneville Con
struction Company bid for con
struction of the outside plant was
received in the Palmer office this
week and that the contract with
the Idaho firm will be signed. He
said that several persons have
contacted the MTA office seek
ing employment on this phase of
the MTA system construction.
“We shall be happy to take names
of workers, but all hiring will be
done by the Idaho firm. We will
recommend experience^ local
help”, he added. ~
RECORD TURN-OUT
OF MEMBERS
IS ANTICIPATED
All members of the Matanuska
Electric Association were this
week urged to attend in person
the annual membership meeting
of the Association which will be
held in the Central School gym
nasium Saturday evening. Reg
istration will begin at 7 p.m., and
the meeting at 8 p m. Members
are urged to get there early to
permit the meeting starting on
time. Several proposals will be
offered the membership for ap
proval or rejection- vacancies on
the Board of Directors will be
filled by election: and annual re
ports will be made.
Eight area residents were nom
inated for the Board of Directors
by the nominating committee.
Additional nominations may be
made from the floor at the meet
ing. Named by the committee
wered Mrs. Rivera Hiber of Eska
Mrs Justine Parks (incumbent)
and Rav Henricks of Chugiak: C.
Ivan Branton and Harold Thuma
of Palmer: r. b. Graham, (incum
bent) and James Hurley of Butte:
and Waldo Erickson of Wasilla.
Glenn Briggs of Chugiak declin
ed his nomination.
Seven propositions will be pre
sented to members in attendance
at the meeting in regards to chan
ges in the Articles of Incorpora
tion and the By-laws of the As
sociation. No. 1 refers to increas
ing the debt limit of the Asso
ciation : No. 2 to the change in
the number of Directors; No. 3
to compensation for Directors;
and propositions A and B refer to
number of Directors and Direc
tor’s compensation; No. C is being
proposed to bring capital credits
into accord with Territorial law.
No. D would limit directors (bor
rowing authority. Discussion on
the proposals will be hejik prior
to the voting. Because of a change
in wording of the Cooperative
Law as existing in the 1955 Ses
sion Laws, it appears, MEA of
ficials announced, that voting on
Amendments to the Articles of
Incorporation must be limited to
those “voting and present”. Prox
ies will vote on all questions ex
cept amendments to the Articles.
A number of Valuable prizes
have been obtained for the meet
ing and will be awarded during
the evening as door prizes. They
include: Two $50 cash prizes; a
set of steak knives; Westinghouse
steam iron; tool pouch; electric
toaster; two C02 home fire ex
tinguishers, and possibly addition
al prizes wil'l be added to the list.
Entertainment at the meeting
will be furnished by the Pioneer
Band of the Palmer High School,
under the direction of Lee Plumb
ley, bandmaster. Members of the
recently formed Valley Hospital
Auxiliary will serve refreshments
at the close of the meeting.
All members are urged to at
attend the meeting.
Drama Club to
Present “Alibi Bill”
The Dramatic Club of the Pal
mer High School will present a
play next Wednesday, April 18,
in the Central School gymnasium
at 8 p.m. The play, “Alibi Bill”
will have the one-knight showing
only and proceeds will go toward
the Band and Chorus fund. Tick
ets are now on sale and may be
purchased from any band or
chorus member for $1.00. This
will entitle the holder -to a seat
in the reserved section, on a first
come, first served basis.
CARPENTERS SPECIAL
MEETING
; Saturday April 14th, in base
; menl of Hall at 7:00 P.M.
Ratification or rejection of re- ;
cent Health and Welfare nego- ;
tialions
SACRIFICE
$3500 Equity in 3-Bedroom A.H.A. House for
$1500. Seeded front lawn, with fence. Stove,
refrigerator, stoker, hot water heater, basic
furniture. No waiting, could move right in. Low
heating cost. Assume $82.45 monthly pay
ments. (Without furniture, stove or refrigerator,
$1,000 cash). Inq. George Whetstone, U. S.
Geological Survey Office