LIBRARY
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
VOLUME 10. NUMBER 41
PALMER. ALASKA THURSDAY. AUGUST 1. 1957
PRICE TEN CENTS
FIRST ANNUAL
MTA MEMBERSHIP
MEETING SATURDAY
The first annual membership
meeting of the Matanuska Tele
phone Association, Inc. will be
held this Saturday evening in the
Central School gymnasium. Elec
tion of a five-man board of di
rectors is the main topic of busi
ness and annual reports from
the various officers will be heard.
. Registration will begin at 6
pirn, and members who plan to
vote are reminded they must be
reg/stered to receive a ballot. The
meeting will begin promptly at
v .7 p m., with Lew Hanks, associa
tion president, to preside.
. Members who are unable to at
tend the meeting may give their
proxy to another bonefide mem
ber who may vote it for him.
Qualified members may vote no
more than three proxies. Blanks
are available at the business of
fice in Palmer, and must be dat
ed and signed by the member
assigning his voting privilege to
another member.
CO-OP ANNUAL MEET
SET FOR AUGUST 10 :
■ The annual membership meet
ing of the Matanuska Valley
Farmers Cooperating Association
will be held in the Central School
gymnasium on August 10, it was
announced this week by Stewart
Fhirrant, Co-Op general manager.
The meeting will get under way
at 10:30 am., with a dinner to
fee served at noon. Keith Brock
of the Palmer Cafe and Fountain
will cater the dinner.
A number of valuable door
prizes will be awarded during
the meeting .with the first to be
given away at 10:30 a.m.
All producing members are
eligible to vote at the meeting.
Annual reports will be made
and three members will be nam
ed to the board of directors; two
to come from the valley area, and
one from the Fairbanks area. The
terms of board members Hugh
Adams and Joe Kircher of Pal
mer and Robert Johnson of Fair
banks will expire at the meeting.
Other members of the board of
directors are Don Parks, presi
dent; Clair Patton, vice presi
dent; William Hecker, secretary,
and George McNeese, all of the
valley.
Equity certificates for the past
year will be distributed at the
meeting.
A new mercury vapor lamp is
being installed at the back of
Central School this week. The
Tamp was secured through funds
donated by the Palmer P-TA.
I SUPPORT YOUR ANNUAL
GARDEN SHOW
If you can't participate you \
can attend. <;
Telegraph Delivery Service
MAUD'S FLOWER SHOP :
Theatre Bldg. Phone,3601 j;
if ATTENTmiTI
CERTAIN GARMENTS
j| 1 for the 4
i; L price of I
ON LIKE GABiMENTS
Gash and Carry
I BROWN’S CLEANERS
Local Kiwaniaits
To Atfend Peace
Dedication Ceremony
On August 4 at the Alaska-Yu
kon border a Kiwanis Boundary
Peace Tablet will be presented.
Attending from Palmer will be
Marvin Slaughter, president of
the Palmer Kiwanis Club, and
possibly other members of the lo
cal club.
The peace marker was erected
as a token of the good will ex
isting between the people of the
United States and the Dominion
of Canada by the Kiwanis Clubs
of Alaska and the Yukon.
The tablet carries the follow
ing legend: "This unfortified
boundary line between the Do
minion of Canada and the United
States of America should quick
en the remembrance of the more
than a century old friendship be
tween these countries. A lesson
of peace to all nations. Erected
August 4 1957 Kiwanis Interna
tional”.
Melvin B. Dennis, of Puyallup,
Washington, governor of the Pac
ific Northwest Kiwanis District,
will present the tablet which will
be accepted for the Dominion of
Canada by Fred H. Collins, com-,
■missioner of Yukon Territory, and
by Waino E. Hendrickson, secre
tary of Alaska, for the United
States. Paul R. Hagelbarger of
Fairbanks, Lt. Governor, Kiwan
is Alaska-Yukon Division will be
master of ceremonies.
The dedication ceremony will
include a musical prelude by the
Whitehorse Station Band, Royal
Canadian Air Force; presentation
of colors from Fort Greely, Alas
ka ana the Canadian Legion,.
Whitehorse; “America” and “God
Save the Queen” will be sung by
the group. The invocation will be
given by the Rev. David Black
burn of Anchorage. The Right
Reverend Thomas Greenwood,
Bishop of Yukon, will offer the
benediction.
’57 FAIR BOOK
BEING DISTRIBUTED
Copies of the 17th, annual Ma
tanuska Valley Fair premium list
directory have been printed and
are being mailed to all advertis
ers and former exhibitors. Any
one not receiving a book who
plans to exhibit items in this
year’s fair is invited to call at
the business office located at the
fairgrounds.
Exhibitors’ attention is drawn
to the extra day planned for the
’57 Valley Fair. This year the Fair
will open on Friday, instead of
i Saturday. All exhibits must be in
place at 9 a.m. Friday, August 30;
fudging will take place starting
at 9 a m. and will continue until
all awards are made. Exhibitors
will be permitted to prepare and
arrange their exhibits up to 9
a.m. the first day of the fair, Aug
ust 30.
The 1957 Fair is expected to be
the largest ever staged in Alaska.
For several years the board of di
rectors of the Fair Association
has seen a need for a four-day
fair and this year marks this step
forward. Hundreds of exhibits
are expected to come in from
throughout the territory to com
pete for the cash and ribbon
awards which will amount to
thousands of dollars.
COMFORTABLE
Steam Heated Rooms
Hyland Hotel
2 blocks from Post Office
PALMER LIBRARY
NOW OPERATING
AS “FREE” LIBRARY
Starting immediately the Pal
mer Public Library will be op
erated as a “free” public library,
it was announced this week by
Members of the library board of
directors.
This new move was taken so
that the local library, as well as
all other libraries in the terri
tory, may qualify under the Fed
eral plan for the extension of li
brary service to rural areas.
There is $40,000 immediately
available to Alaska for the ex
tension of library services if
specifications of the Federal De
partment of Health, Education
and Welfare are met. The Terr*
torial Department of Library Ser
vice can adinister the federal
funds, for which the 1957 Legis^
lature appropriated sufficient
.‘unds to maich the federal money
if used this year. According to
word received in Palmer from
D. J. Phelps, territorial librarian,
an acceptable plan has been pre
sented and approved. If each in
corporated library complies with
the Federal definition of a FREE
public library the money rnay be
_. If any of the libraries do.
not agree tot his plan, the $40,000
will have to be refused.
New Rules
To comply with the request, the
Palmer Library has agreed to
operate as a free public library.
Officers of the library association
have announced the following
new regulations which will be
(Continued on page S)
Teachers Named
For Palmer System
The teaching staff of the Pal
mer Independent School Dis
trict has been announced for the
coming school year by William
T. Zahradnicek, school superin
tendent, Although all assignments
have not yet been completed, and
there may be some shifting
around, the following teachers
have been engaged.
Keith C. Smith, high school
principal; William P. Benyish,
Central School principal; Dale F.
Bryant, Swanson School, head
teacher; Robert Chatterton, coach;
Helen Maze, school nurse; Lois
E. Weldon, music and chorus;
Harry Lee Plumbley, band; Mary
lou Rideout, home economics and
adult education; Marjery M. Paul
ey, home economics; Anna Laura
Johnson, physical education;
James O. MacKenzie, physical
education; John Aper, high school
and library; and Eugene Annas,
Margaret Cope, Robert Crites,
John DeVries, Elizabeth Gaines,
Ned G. Morgenson, Bertha Dean
Rankin, Betty Jo Riddle, and
Ruth Schaefer, high school staff.
The elementary grades will be
taught by Margaret C. Betts, Al
ma J. Blunck, Ada I. Boyd, Ches
ter Cantley, Carole (Case) Loyer,
Alice Carol Cox, Florence Dunlap,
Agnes Farnsworth, Marjorie Irene
Godfrey, Joann Hanson, Bergie
Hecker, Beverly (Hunter) Aper,
Paula Maine, M, Pearl Moyer,
Wilhelmina Pederson, Phyllis
Quellette, Olga Rieger, Geraldine
P Schrieber, John V. Schrieber,
Margaret Schroeder, Barbara C.
Smart (progressive first), Kath
erine G. Steele, and Jean Strick
ler.
Teachers of last year’s staff
who have resigned include Nor
man Rousey who will attend
school during the coming year,
working toward his master’s de
gree; Gloria Wilson, Ruth Bee
check, Violet Wickman, Faith
Sims, and Mervin C. Rupp. Rupp
recently resigned to accept an ac
(Continued on page 8)
COLLEGE SURVEY
INFORMATION DUE
Persons interested in the pro
posed Community College pro
gram are reminded that question
naires pertaining to their particu
lar interests should have been
returned to the Extension office
yesterday.
The survey is being conducted
by a committee named by the
Palmer Board of Education to
help determine whether or not
such a college is needed and the
subjects that might be taught.
The proposed community col
lege would be open to all high
school graduates seeking courses
granting college credits. It is also
intended to serve other persons
18 years old and older who might
profit from the instruction. Clas
ses would be offered at night.
Annual Flower Show
Slated for Sunday
Plans have been completed for
the public flower show to be held
in the high school gymnasium on
Sunday, August 4 by the Palmer
Garden Club. The show will be
neld from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and
all residents are invited to par- -
ticipate in, and to attend the"!
show.
It was pointed out by the Gar
den Club flower show committee
that it is not necessary to be a
member of the Garden Club to
enter flowers, either as exhibits
or arrangements. “Everyone is
welcome”, they said, "and we
hope that everyone who has flow
ers this summer will share their
beauty by displaying some of
them in the show”. Exhibits by
children are especially invited to
enter in a section to be set aside
for them.
Persons planning to enter ex
hibits are requested to have them
at the high school cafeteria be
tween 9 and 11 a.m. so that judg
ing may be completed between
11:30 a.m. and noon. Specimens
as well as arrangements are wel
come. Arrangements should fol
low the show theme, “Calval
cade”. Rules are available at
Maud’s Flower Shop in the thea
tre building.
Garden Club members are ask
ed to assist at least one hour.
Work day for the members will
be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m.
Persons planning to enter speci
mens and arrangements are re
quested to take them to the high
school cafeteria between the
hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on
Saturday. This entry time was
changed to allow the judges who
will be coming from Anchorage
ample time for their lengthy
work. Specimens as well as ar
rangements are welcome. Ar
rangements should follow the
show theme, "Calvalcade". Rules
are available at Maud's Flower
Shop in the theatre building. En
tries made after 5 p.m. on Satur
day will not be eligible for judg
ing.
Garden Club members are ask
ed to assist at least one hour.
Work day for the members will
be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. and members’ help will be
appreciated by the committee.
Those members unable to help on
Saturday are invited to assist on
Sunday to act as host and hostess
es during the show.
Persons attending the show
will be entertained not only by
music which will be played thr
oughout the show, but are invit
ed to participate in the silver tea
which will be served between
1:00 and 5:00 p.m.
FOR FAST RESULTS TRY A
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIED
Governor Proclaims
Alaska Farm Month
Aug. 12 - Sept.
Governor Mike Stepovich has
proclaimed August 12 to Septem
ber 11, Alaska Farm Month.
In signing the proclamation,
Gov. Stepovich declared Alaska
must work towards the develop
ment and expansion of agricul
ture in order to attain a self-sus
taining economy in this field.
He urged that all possible ef
fort be given to promote the sale
of vegetables, dairy products,
livestock and grain produced by-'
the hard working, pioneering
farms of the Territory.
The Governor added that there
must constantly be created a
greater awareness of the avail
ability and diversity of Alaskan
agricultural products and the
need to expand the home market
for these products.
GOVERNOR STEPOVICH
TO ATTEND VALLEY FAIR
Word was received from Jun
eau this week that Governor
Mike Stepovich has accepted an
invitation to attend the 1957 Ma
tanuska Valley Fair and Sunday,
September 1 has been designated
as Governor’s Day.
In a letter addressed to the Fair
-directors Governor Stepovich said
he thoroughly enjoyed his recent
visit to the valley and was look
ing forward to his visit on Sep
tember 1. He plans to visit in
Kodiak August 30 and 31 and
spend the entire day on Septem
ber 1 at the Valley Fair, return
ing to Juneau on Labor Day.
Part of the program on Gover
nor’s Day will feature the Foot
lighters from the military base
who will present a matinee show
at the fairground, and an evening
show at Central School gymnasi
um, according to Howard McCal
lister, fair promotion manager. A j
band concert, rodeo and other
featured events are planned.
ANTI-LITTER STICKERS
TO BE DISTRIBUTED
Three valley business firms
have made possible the printing
and .distribution of 25,000 car
stickers which will be given free
to all motorists urging Keeping
Alaska Beautiful. Wording on
the stickers say: “Don’t be a lit
terbug. Keep Alaska Beautiful,
and while in Alaska, visit the
beautiful Matanuska Valley.”
They will be distributed at Tok
Junction and various other spots
throughout the Territory.
The stickers are being made
possible through the cooperation
of Ketchikan Spruce Mills, Ma
tanuska Valley Bank, and the
; Matanuska Valley Farmers Co
operating Association.
Mrs. Lew Hanks and children,
Muriel, Janie, and Edward, re
turned to Palmer this past Sun
day following a vacation spent at
the home of Mrs. Hanks’ mother
in Pocatello, Idaho where they
attended the annual rodeo- On
their return trip, which was made
in a new Ford sedan, the Harilcs
visited Yellowstone National
Park and in Great Falls had a
short visit with the Pat Murphys,
former valley residents.
GIFTS AND GASH
PLANNED FOR
ALL CONTESTANTS
With the addition of two val
ley girls this week, the total
number of candidates in the 1957
Matanuska Valley Fair queen
contest rose to six. Ticket sales
are reported as going along very
well and all of the candidates ex
pect to sell their required 250
tickets before the qualification
deadline later this month.
A Wasilla high school senior,
Mary Karla Hoffman, has enter
ed the contest under the sponsor
ship of the Wasilla Roadhouse
and Teeland’s Shopping Center.
Mary is the daughter of Master
Sergeant and Mrs. Charles R.
Hoffman and has lived in the
valley the past year. She has
brown eyes and dark brown hair,
is five feet, seven and one half
inches tall and weighs 150 pounds.
Mary said her hobby is reading
and her specialties are singing
and playing the clarinet.
Another Palmer girl has en
tered the contest. She is Gerda
Kalwies who celebrated her 19th
birthday on June 15 and is five
feet, four inches tall. She has blue
eyes and blond hair and is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin
Kalwies. Gerda has lived in the
valley for the past six and one
half years and is being sponsored
by the Alaska Dairy Products.
The daughter of farmers, Gerda
is employed at home. She listed
cooking and sewing as her favor
ite hobbies but she also likes to
dance and sing.
Plahs are being formulated for
a get-together for the queen
candidates within a short time
and their public appearance
schedules are being worked out
by Howard McCallister, promo
tion manager.
SEEKING BIDS
FOR OPERATING
KITCHEN AT FAIR
The Fair Association’s kitchen
and dining hall with a seating
capacity of 56 persons is up for
bid to be operated during tfie
four-day fair. If necessary, Mr.
Snodgrass pointed out, seating
capacity can be doubled. Persons
interested in this particular con
cession are asked to contact Mr.
Snodgrass who reminds those
planning concessions that there
are but 29 days until opening
day of the 1957 fair.
Space in the Snodgrass build
ing is fast filling up, according
to M. D. Snodgrass, agriculture
manager of the 1957 Matanuska
Valley Fair. However, ample
space on the midway is still open,
he said.
The agriculture manager has
requested that arrangements be
made early for space in the live
stock division. Information need
ed will be the number of animals
and the age of each animal to be
exhibited so that ample space
may be reserved. Some |ew sheds
and pens are being built for
swine, cattle, sheep, and goats,
he said. He reminded stock exhib
itors that it is now time to get
#xhibits in show shape and train
ed to halter.
*********************
Caterpillar Work
See BILL NELSON or BOB "LITTUE RED" POWERS
for D-8 (we have 2) "Cat" work, special
izing in land clearing and road building. We
also have giant breaker disc, scarifier and
angle blade.
WILL DO GOOD WORK AT REASONABLE RATES
Phone FR-3423
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LIVE MUSIC Z. 49 CLUB, SAT. AUG. 3