October 29, 1962
The Frontiersman
DEAR EDITOR:
The proposed school bond
issue admittedly will be an
added expense to the burden
already carried by the residents
of this area. But not an un
necessary burden.
One of the foremost needs
of the Palmer schools is physi
cal training facilities and a
program for all students. This
need was brought out at t h e
October meeting of the Palmer
PTA. Action on a resolution
towards a better program and
facilities is pending. Minimum
standards from President Ken
nedy’s Council on Youth Fit
ness far exceed anything the
Palmer schools now offer. Tests
of the nation’s youth show the
effects of modern American
living and middle-aged coron
ary and orthopedic defects are
increasing, not to mention the
problem of flabbiness.
Schools of today should be
leaders, not only in mental ed
ucation but in physical educa
tion also. All students should
develop a perception and ap
preciation of physical fitness
during their youth, not only
for themselves but for the
good of their country. To im
ply that physical training fa
cilities, as well as the auditor
ium, is non-essential wrhen they
are practically non-existent in
Palmer, reveals a poor assess
ment of what is needed.
The swimming pool appears
to be the bone of contention.
Actually, this feature should
be near the head of the list of
needed items. True, we can
do without it, but what value
do we place on the lives of the
people who needlessly drown
each year? A few hours of in
struction when our children
are young will stay with them
throughout their lives. As a
community facility, available
to the public, nights and dur
ing the summer months, it
would become a treasured as
set. Swimming and running are
basic developmental activities
needed to keep our nation fit.
When I speak of fitness, this
means development, oi uie
whole person—mentally, mor
ally, spiritually and physically.
Trained instructors in each
field are necessary. Only in our
schools can each and every
child have qualified instruction
in health and physical fitness.
Is the proposed agricultural
shop necessary? Can the stu
dents not get their education
on the local farms? This argu
ment has been brought forth.
Again, qualified instruction in
up-to-date methods provides
the key; provides this nation
with better agriculturists to
produce the abundance many
countries lack. These instruct
ors, to do their best, require
adequate facilities.
A combination auditorium
gymnasium is used in many
small towns. This blending
of uses is at best a com
promise. A separate music
room is often necessary and
acoustics are forgotten. A port
able floor and portable chairs
have to be set up, removed and
stored each time a play, speak
er, community activity, et cet
era is held. The building has to
be enlarged to accomodate the
stage and dressing rooms.
There would be a saving in
It’s a waste of time to think
unless you are ready to act.
DO YOU OWE LETTERS?
Send a "letter home every month
-Give Alaska's magazine—
ALASKA SPORTSMAN
The perfect oi«l *5-00 a year—12
exciting, colorful issue*. Each month
something new and different. Each
month a sharing of Ufa on the last
frontier.
(and tell us how to sign gift card).
ALASKA SPORTSMAN,
Box 1271-F, Juneau
combining, but is it worth it?
Your saving of $400,000 is a
misleading exaggeration.
This cannot wait! Under pre
sent law, the Palmer Indepen
dent School District will be
taken over by the state on July
1st, 1963. If we do not acquire
these so called non-essentials
now, it is doubtful whether
our grandchildren will have
them.
Yes, taxpayers, there is a
problem. Evaluate the require
ments of our children and
grandchildren carefully. Re
member that a sound mind
needs a sound body to function
at its intellectual best.
Sincerely,
Guy A. Wrodimts
Strokes Held
For Risstll Smith
Funeral services were held
Friday, Oct. 26, at the Anchor
age Funeral Chapel for Russell
W. Smith, 57, a resident of Pal
mer for the past four years. He
died Saturday, October 20, in
Providence Hospital in Anchor
age after a prolonged illness.
Born in Wisconsin May 19,
1905, Smith had been a resi
dent of Alaska since 1941 and
was a carpenter by trade.
He is survived by his wife,
Winifred, of Fairbanks; two
daughters, Patricia K. Jensen
of Manitowoc. Wisconsin, and
Letrice Joy of Peoria, Illinois;
and a sister, Mrs. Beatrice Ro
sik of Lake Forest, Illinois.
The Rev. Hugh E. Rounds of
the Mountain View Chapel
officiated at the services. Bur
ial was in the Anchorage Cem
etery.
Oregon’s Multonomah Falls,
620 feet, are fifth highest in
Register for Bond Election
Confusion existing in some
voters’ minds concerning pre
-egistration for the general
election on Nov. 6 is further
complicated in the Palmer area,
.. _, it is not neces
sary to register for the general
election, it is necessary to reg
ister in order to vote in the
Palmer Independent School
District bond issue election to
be held on the same day and in
the same polling places. School
iiiect,on voters’ names must
also appear on the tax rolls.
Nationwide programs urge
people to register in order to
vote in the November elections,
since this is required in many
states, Mrs. Ruth Dodds, South
central District election super
visor, said this week. However,
she added, there is no provi- (
sion for pre-registratioh for
statewide elections in Alaska.
Therefore, any Alaskan resi
dent who has lived in the state
for one year and his election
district for 30 days may go to
the polls, in the precinct where
he resides, on Nov. 6 and cast
his ballots for candidates and
the other propositions to be de
cided. Whether or not he voted
in the Aug. 14, 1962, primary
election has no bearing on his
eligibility to vote at the elec
tion—he may still vote if he
meets the residence require
ments.
Or, Mrs. Dodd said, if he
finds he will be away on elec
tion day, he may cast an ab
sentee ballot by applying to a
magistrate in his own election
district or by writing to the sec
REAL PROS
Some fishermen work on the
theory that a good story is more
important than the truth
retary of state in Juneau.
Any persons having ques
tions to ask about the Novem
ber general election in Alaska
are urged to contact the elec
tion supervisor’s office, Room
31 of the Reed Building, 608
Fourth Ave., Anchorage. The
telephone number is BR 7-3001
or BR 4-5631.
TO SHOW FILM
The Willow fish and game
advisory board will meet Mon
day, Nov. 12, in the Willow
Community Hall at 8 p.m., Don
Aemisegger, member of the
board, announced this week.
A civil defense film will be
shown and an interesting pro
gram is being planned. Every
one is invited, Aemisegger
said.
Whitfield's Trucking
0 Coal Hauling
BY CONTRACT
and
FOR INDIVIDUALS
9 Coal Reject for fill for Driveways
Phone PI 5-2848
BUT IT
NEEDS
VOt/B
Pt/SH*
/COMMUNITY X&
COLLEGES ^
• Anchorage
• Juneau-Douglas
• Ketchikan
• Palmer
• Sitka
YEAR - 1960
ENROLLMENT 1073
VOTE
YES " ON
BONDING 1
'PROPOSITION No. P
Invest Wisely In The Future Of Alaska
for Yourself And Your Children
The students are there now. They ore going
to keep coming.
We must create educational opportunities
second to none.
Research grants and contracts provide a real
income and bring people to all of Alaska.
The problems of Alaska should be studied in
Alaska, not Outside.
THE GREAT UNO MUST HAVE A GREAT
Service
Throughout
Alaska
Agricultural
Experiment
Station
• Polmor
• Molanuika -■ ’*■
tsm • #rs
ir \
Educational
Programs at
Major Military
Bases in Alaska
Mining
Extension
and Mining
SJiort Courses
Douglas
Marine
Station
K
YEAR - 1955
ENROLLMENT 556
f YEAR - 1950
ENROLLMENT 354
/
r YEAR-1922
ENROLLMENT 5
/
Nanook-Your
University of Alaska
Polar Bear Mascot, says
"Grateful Alumni, who know
what the University of Alaska can
do, paid for this public service adver
tisement."
WHO SAYS THERE ARE NO
CHALLENGES LEFT IN ALASKA?
The need for classrooms and laboratories for the rapidly growing enrollment of
our sons and daughters in the main center of higher learning in the State is clear
enough, but there are other important issues, possibly at first sight less obvious.
Consider research and post-graduate studies. Currently about half of the total
operating expenditures of our university fall into this category, but only a fraction of this cost
is met by the State. It comes in the form of grants and contracts from federal agencies, founda
tions and industry. The total income of this kind—and it really is income to Alaska—in 1962/63
will amount to about $5 million. Such research activities are spread widely throughout the
State.
It is plain that industry cannot develop without modern technology, and the climate
and geography of Alaska demands special technology which can only be developed in the
North for the benefit of all of Alaska.
With the incredibly rapid growth of modern science, the pattern of outside support for
research in American universities is well established; indeed if is quite essential to the develop
ment of the Nation's knowledge and economy. Recently there hove been complaints that re
search and development spending by the Deportment of Defense has become concentrated in a
few centers on the East and West Coasts to the neglect of the mid-western states. The counter
argument was that this was justified; research investment must be made in those institutions
that have competence and have shown willingness through their own efforts to put the invest
ment to the best purpose.
The people of Alaska, through their University, have in the past given fine support to
research, but, to benefit further from the ever increasing availability of outside funds, contin
ued effort is required.
The University of Alaska eventually will be the Arctic and Sub-Arctic Research Center
of the Free world. But we cannot attract scientists to Alaska or accept new grants for research
programs without buildings to house them. Only recently the National Institutes of Health of
fered the University a grant of obout $1.5 million spread over seven years to permit two dis
tinguished newcomers to come to the campus to study the effect of the Arctic climate on warm
blooded animals. Acceptance was marginal. There was no free laboratory space in which they
could work. Finally a corner of a basement in an unfinished building was patched up on a very
temporary basis. The National Science Foundation has offered $100,000 towards construction
of facilities of the Institute of Marine Science providing the State will find an equivalent sum.
Without research the modern University cannot progress—and may not even survive.
Every country, state and city becomes more and more dependent on that talented fraction of
its population equipped with the education that only can be provided by an excellent univer
sity. Thus we Alaskans have two alternatives. We can halt the progress of our university until
it can only give our children preliminary training sufficient to equip them to go outside tp
finish their education. Or we can develop such excellence that our young people will stay and
we will attract the more talented youth from other States to Alaska.
The latter course is essential for our State's development—but it will tche buildings
and facilities to achieve it. By voting "yes" for Bonding Proposition No. 1 you will start 3
chain reaction for development of Alaska that you never have seen before.
V
I
FACTS ABOUT BONDING
PROPOSITION NO. 1
Question:
Answer
Question:
Answer :
Question:
Answer
Question:
Answer
What will we get if we vote
"yes" on Bonding Proposition
No. 1?
Classrooms for our children
fhrough expansion of a build*
ing started in 1958.
Cost: $1,700,000
Question
Answer :
Why do we need this?
Enrollment will continue going
up approximately 19 per cent
each year. Our present enroll*
ment will double in three years.
Question:
Answer :
What else will we get if w#
vote "yes?"
Construction will start on a re*
search complex which will be
come the center of Arctic and
Sub-Arctic Research and De
velopment for the Free World.
Cost: $3,500,000
What will this do for Alaska?
Alaska will become a center of
population. We must prepare
ourselves now for this respon
sibility and opportunity.
What else will we get if we vote
"yes?"
A fire protection facility. Alas
kans know that a frozen fire
engine can't protect their Uni
versity which already repre
sents an $11,000,000 asset con
taining irreplaceable material
in the laboratories and mu
seum. Cost: $150,000
Where would we be spending
the remaining $600,000?
Inadequate military surplus
and other warehousing dots the
campus. Some classroom space
is being used to store valuable
equipment. V o u r university
needs warehouses adequately
designed and placed to store
this material and release badly
needed classroom space.
.
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