GIVING THANKS FOR PLENTIFUL HARVEST
DATES BACK TO PAGAN CELEBRATIONS
The Pilgrims were joining
some strange company when
they declared a Thanksgiving
■celebration in 1621. For the
practice of giving thanks for a
plentiful harvest goes back al
most to the time when man
first gave up wandering and
hitched himself to a plow.
Along the Mediterranean,
ancient peoples held festivals
at harvest time in honor of a
mother goddess. The Semites
■called her Astarte, while the
Phrygians named her Semele.
The Romans honored Ceres,
the goddess of agriculture, in
a celebration called the Cer
ealia, reports World Book En
cyclopedia. And the Greeks
paid tribute to Demeter in sec
ret rites called the Eleusinian
Mysteries.
Christianity put an end to
many of these festivals but a
pagan inspired belief in the
Corn Mother, or the Mother of
Grains, survided among some
peasants in the British Isles and
Kurope. Her spirit was thought
to live in the last sheaf of grain
left standing in the field.
In northern England, the last
handful of corn was the “kirn,”
and sometimes it was fashioned
into a “kirn doll.” In Austria
it was shaped into a wreath and
placed on the head of a girl
who became the harvest queen.
During the Middle Ages the
most common thanksgiving
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ALASKA SPORTSMAN,
Box 1271-F, Juneau
i and harvest festival was held
on the Feast of Saint Martin of
Tours, or Martinmas, on No
vember 11. People throughout
Europe still celebrate the day
with feasts and new wine.
The Pilgrims probably be
came familiar with this cele
bration when they went to Hol
land to escape persecution in
England, and it may have been
the remembrance of this holi
day that inspired them to hold
a thanksgiving feast after their
first prosperous year in the
New World.
Palmer Coapla Plea
December Wedding
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gagnon
have announced the engage
ment of their daughter, Doro
thy Marie, to Gerald Everton
McKechnie, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Raymond McKechnie, also
of Palmer. A late December
wedding is planned.
The young couple are both
graduates of Palmer high
school. She is a student at Max
ine’s Beauty College in Anch
orage, and he is an electronics
technician for RCA in Anchor
age.
BUTTE AUXILIARY
CHANGES MEETING DATE
The regular meeting of the
Butte Fire Department Auxili
ary has been changed from
Tuesday, Nov. 27, to Wednes
day, Nov. 28, it was announced
this week.
Members are urged to attend
the meeting, which will be held
at the home of Katie Vasilie
at 8 p.m.
Real ambitious people who
are always up and doing will
never be down and out.
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CHECK IN NOW FOR YOUR
PRE-WINTER
CAR CHECK-UP!
TUNE-UP
SPECIAL
Improve your car's performance with our J
tune-up. We'll clean and space plugs; check points j
and condenser; balance carburetor; check fan belt; j
set timing; fill and clean battery.
KHK’S SALES i SERVICE
PI 5-2200 Palmer
Social Security
ST.ONS
AND ANSWERS
QUESTION: The other day
I heard on the radio that peo
I pie over 65 should visit or write
| the Juneau Social Security of
1 fice even though they were still
working. They also mentioned
■ that each month that is delay
ed may mean loss of some
benefits. Why do they stress
not waiting a month or more?
ANSWER: The reason we
stress visiting the Social Se
curity office as soon as possible
is that our applications are re
1 troactive for only 12 months.
In many instances we can pay
benefits for all of the past 12
months before the worker ap
plied for benefits. As you can
see, if the worker delays one
or more months, he would lose
a full check for each month de
layed.
yutbnuiN: since t am
planning for my retirement
later this year, could you offer
any information now that
would help me when I apply
for my social security retire
ment benefits?
ANSWER: First, check with
your social security office to
see what records might be
needed before you actually ap
1 ply for benefits. Second, we
, suggest you submit your appli
i cation as much as three months
j before you retire. These two
' steps will help us process your
j claim quickly and get your
first check to you soon after
you retire.
QUESTION: Did the 1961
amendments to the Social Se
curity law reduce the length
of time a person must work un
der social security to qualify
for monthly benefits?
1 ANSWER: Yes, under the
1961 amendments to the Social
Security law, a person needs
credit equal to only one-fourth
of the time after 1950 and up
to, but not counting the year
he is 65 (or 62 if a woman),
j Work at any time after 1936
' counts toward meeting this re
quirement.
QUESTION: I retired at the
beginning of this year and
wanted to apply for my So
cial Security retirement bene
fits, but a friend told me I
would need to bring my birth
certificate with me. I have not
been able to get one so far and
I don’t think I will be able to
get one. in the future. Should I
apply anyhow?
ANSWER: You should not
put off applying for any reason.
A delay may mean a loss of
benefits to you. Once you ap
ply, the people at the Social
Security office will be glad to
assist you in getting necessary
proofs.
QUESTION: What records
must a fisherman keep for each
of his employees in order to
properly report them?
ANSWER: The name of the
employee, his social security
account number, the cash wage
payments to him, dates worked,
and the amount deducted for
the employees share of the So
cial Security tax on his earn
ings.
For more information about
your Social Security write to:
Social Security Administration,
P. O. Box 1331, Juneau, Alaska.
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People, Spots In 7!' 3! W/s j
GENTLE SEX seems to b-' playing
pretty rough in this boys-nnd girls
—i— match for
in London.
WHISTLE-SHAPED crankcase
ventilator valve developed by
Carter Carburetor division of
ACF Industries will help fight
eye-smarting traffic smog.mggi
SW55R3W:: ^ ''
BAVARIAN rig suits
James Sigler II, a very
much-American boy ar
riving from Munich,
where his Dad was sta
tioned in U.S. Army, jpg
' TIGER RAGE—Three tiger kittens at Seattle zoo put on
a ferocious appearance for their camera debut.
LOW HARVEST OF ISLAHD ELK PROMPTS
GAME DEPARTMEHT TO EXTEHD SEASOM
A low harvest of elk during
I the regular season has prompt
ed the Alaska department of
fish and game to extend the
season 30 days, it was anounc
ed Nov. 15. The season, during
which either bulls or cows may
be taken, will now extend to
December 15.
Loren Croxton of Anchorage,
regional game supervisor for
the department’s division of
game, said that only 88 elk had
been taken by the originally
scheduled end of the season on
November 15. The elk popula
tion on Afognak Island and ad
jacent Raspberry Island, Crox
ton pointed out, now numbers
some 1,500 animals. To keep the
herds from overbrowsing their
range, it would be desireable
to harvest many more elk each
year from this area, he said.
By extending the season into
December, the department of
fish and game hopes to promote j
a more realistic harvest by al
lowing hunting after snow has
forced the elk to lower areas
where they are more accessible
to hunters.
Checchakos Discuss
Inheritance Laws
Evelyn Bush, Lois Kepler,
and Pat Lawton reported on a
talk by attorney John Shaw on
the inheritance laws of Alaska
at the last meeting of the Chee
chakos homemakers club in the
home of Karen Tye.
A discussion followed con
cerning wills and insurance.
Members were served the
hostess’s really “Heavenly Pie.”
The next meeting, the annual
Christmas party, will be held
at the home of Katheryn Wil
son on Dec. 4, with Arleta O’
Connor as co-hostess.
For FAST Result*—Us*
FRONTIERSMAN Classifieds!
Givi
Ihofite 1bryour
LET US PAUSE ON THIS
DAT TO EXPRESS OUR
GRATITUDE
■ ■ ■
For our continued prosperity and
peace, we are thankful, and let us
pray for wisdom and guidance to
preserve them.
THE FRDHTIERSHAH
"ALASKA'S FINEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER"
PI 5-3550 Pahner
Boise Firm Gols
Paving Contract
Morrison-Knudsen Co. Inc.,
Boise. Idaho, has entered the
apparent low hid for paving 15
miles of the Sterling Highway
between Anchor Point and Ho
mer, Highways Commissioner
D. A. McKinnon said Nov. 15.
The bid was $1,620,516, more
than $800,000 below the engin
I eers’ estimate on the project.
PIcKinnon recommended award
of the contract.
Other bidders were S. S.
Mullen Inc., Seattle, Wash., $1,
714,000; Cheney Construction
Co., Seattle, $1,775,887; M-B
Contracting Co., Seattle, $1, i
893,292; and Rogers Construc
tion Co. and Babler Brothers,
Portland, Ore., $1,985,521.
Work on the project calls for
placing a crushed aggregate
base and hot bituminous con
crete pavement on 15.306 miles
of roadway and raising an ex
isting 80-foot bridge across the
Anchor River. The contractor
will have 180 working days to
complete the project after he
is given his notice to proceed.
ValnlHri Altai
For Pomo Gor|»
Guatamala has asked for
Peace Corps assistance in agri
cultural extension, community
organization and cooperatives,
according to Jim Gibson, chief
of the division of agricultural
affairs of the Peace Corps.
Volunteers will try to show
Guatamalan villagers a new
way of life, Gibson, said, en
couraging people to experiment
for themselves and to utilize,
on their own, the human, fin
ancial, and technical resources
which the country possesses.
Young American men and
women between the ages of 18
and 25 are encouraged to vol
unteer for this project, partic
ularly those with farm back
grounds, 4-H or FFA experi
ence and training or experience
in farm cooperatives. College
training in agriculture or home
economics is also desirable, but
not required. For further in
formation, see your county
agent or write to the Division
of Agricultural Affairs, Peace
Corps, Washington 25, D.C.
Port Orchard, Wn„ was nam
ed after the clerk on Capt.
George Vancouver’s ship Dis
covery.
Thursday, Nov. 22
THANKSGIVING DAY
Friday, Nov. 23
VETERANS OF WW I, Mem
ber’s home, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 24
HARVEST POTLUCK, Moose
hall, 6 p.m.
SCHROCK ROAD COMMUN
ITY CLUB, Hartner’s, 8
p.m.
Sunday. Nov. 25
SINGSPIRATION, Palmer
Church of God, 3 p.m.
AA, Mile 60, Glenn Highway,
7 p.m.
Monday. Nov. 26
KIWANIS, Grange hall, noon
MEA DIRECTORS, M E A
board room, 8 p.m.
RAINBOW FOR GIRLS, Car
penters hall, 7:30 p.m.
EMBLEM CLUB, Elks hall, 8
p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 27
ALASKA STATE FAIR AN
NUAL MEETING, Grange
hall, 8 p.m.
PALMER CITY COUNCIL,
City Hall, 8 p.m.
LIBRARY BOARD, member's
home, 7 p.m.
EPISCOPAL WOMEN, St. Bar
tholomew’s Church. 8 p.m.
Wednesday. Nov. 28
AA, Mile 60, Glenn Highway.
1 p.m.
BUTTE FIRE ASS’N. AUX..
member’s home, 8 p.m.
CARPENTER’S LOCAL, Car
penters hall, 8 p.m.
BPO ELKS, Elks hall, 8 p.m.
BOY SCOUTS, LDS Church, 8
p.m.
EXPLORERS, LDS Church, 8
p.m.
GRANGE CARD PARTY,
Grange hall, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 29
BOY SCOUTS, Legion hall, 7
p.m.
CAP SQUAD, Moose hall, 7:30
p.m.
SINGSPIRATION
TIME CHANGED
The monthly singspiration
will be held Sunday afternoon,
Nov. 25 at 3 o’clock at the Pal
mer Church of God.
The regular Singspirations
have been changed from Sun
day evening to afternoon to
allow morfe participation from
members of the various chur
ches. All are cordially invited
to come and join in the sing
ing and services.
Toys Toys Toys
FOR GIRLS
FOR ROYS
CARDS - GIFT WRAP
TREE DECORATIONS
OUT DOOR LIGHTS
OPEN MON. - SAT. 8 A M. - 6 P.M.
Watch For Our Holiday Hours
Gillows Lakeview
Watila - Big Laka Highway
FR 6-3010
• ••
HEW BRIMS NAVE INCREASED
LIFE EXPECTANCY BY 2C TEAM
In 1900, the life expectancy of an individual
was nearly 50 years. Today in the United States
life expectancy is nearly 70 years and still increas
ing, thanks largely to the new miracle drugs.
BEIT’S BRBB
«MHI - PI *-451*
—| —LrLrL-Ln_-,-tri-LrLrU|_