Auction—Sat. 2 p
ALASKA ill 37 1
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in. Downtown
n I CAL SOCIETY 9
5 MUSEUM
PALMER
WEATHER
PERMITTING
Thought of the Week:
Those who expect to hear
the truth during a political
campaign evidently know little
about campaigns.
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
Candidates' Meeting
Tonight
Elks Hall—8 p.m.
VOLUME IS. NUMBER 3
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. OCT. 11. 1962
TWELVE PAGES
PRICE 15 CENTS
Plans for Palmer Sewers Begin to Take Shape
Reporters
Notebook
Emil “Shorty” Kircher, well
known blacksmith at the trac
tor and implement division of
Matanuska Maid, Inc., left
Tuesday for an indefinite stay
on the West Coast, his first trip
Outside since he came to the
Matanuska Valley 31 years ago.
Shorty plans to visit Century
21 in Seattle and other Wash
ington state localities.
“Shorty” has been employed
continuously at the co-op gar
age for the past 25 years, and is
famous among Valley farmers
for his ingenuity in repairing
machinery.
Lynn Robert Puddicombe,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Merle Pud
dicombe of Palmer, enlisted in
the Navy last week. He was
sworn in at Kodiak on Oct. 4
and left for San Diego where he
will take his boot training.
SCHOOL HOARD
RE-ELECTS SMITH
Voters were canvassed at
the regular meeting of the Pal
mer Independent School Dis
trict board of directors on Mon
day. Oct. 8, following which
George Ed Smith was declared
elected to the five-year term
on the board and was sworn
in. • *
Smith was re-elected presi
dent, Mrs. Kerttula vice-presi
dent. Don Ingalls, treasurer,
and Lew Hanks, clerk.
* * *
Plans for the basic construc
tion of the proposed additions
to Palmer schools were dis
cussed. Concrete block was
felt to be the most economical
and most satisfactorily main
tained. The type of construc
tion would be similar to that
of the recently completed Eagle
River school, also designed by
the firm of Manley and Mayer.
* * *
Four members of the school
board inspected the Palmer
school buildings last Saturday,
and commended the custodial
staff on the excellent general
appearance of buildings inside
and out, as well as on the
maintenance and repair work
done this summer.
* * •
The board convened as a
special board of equalization
for a special tax roll. However,
no one appeared to protest as
sessments.
SCHOOL CHILDREN TO SEE
POLICE DEPARTMENT FILM
“Dangerous Stranger,” a film
which deals with the menace of
the molester, will be shown
to the first six grades at Cen
tral School tomorrow at 9 a m.
by police chief Louis Bencar
dino.
The film was previewed by
principal Norman Rousey and
members of the faculty last
Tuesday.
Further showings are plan
ned for Swanson and junior
high school students.
SEE
“QUESTHM7”
; An authentic and true story
from behind the Branden
burg Gate in last Germanyl
CENTER THEATRE
Saa. -Moa.
Sears Plans Grand Opening
REA PLACES HOLD
OH LOAH FUHD
APPLICATION
A conditional agreement pla
ced by REA on the Matanuska
Electric Association’s distribu
tion loan application may cur
tail or halt MEA’s construction
program for an indefinite time,
according to Mason LaZelle,
manager.
Release of the loan funds is
being withheld by REA until
MEA has procured a contract
for firm power to distribute to
the consumers who will be
connected by use of the funds,
LaZelle said.
MEA has negotiated s u c h a
contract with the City of An
chorage, which has offered to
sell power to the local coopera
tive out of their new gas tur
bine at the same price MEA
now pays for Bureau of Recla
mation power, 10.5 mills, until
1964.
An alternative to this con
tract would have been one off
ered to MEA by Chugach Elec
tric Association which was
not entirely acceptable to t h e
board of directors, the mana
ger said. MEA would have been
required to commit the pres
ent 5000 KW of Bureau capa
city to a pool formed of CEA,
Homer Electric Association,
and MEA. MEA would then
draw up to 7000 KW out of the
pool, at a price which was not
specified. When MEA agreed
in principle to this concept in
April, 1962, the estimated cost
of such energy was 12 mills.
However, the REA estimate of
the cost of power out of t h e
proposed pooling arrangement
is 14.7 mills, LaZelle pointed
out.
REA has reviewed the City
MEA contract, and has suggest
ed changes in the conditions
which were not required in the
proposed CEA-MEA contract
by REA, apparently because
both agencies were REA bor
rowers.
“It is the feeling of the
board of directors that the
basis of any contract is good
faith, and that the City of An
chorage has to date exhibited
such good faith in all its deal
ings with MEA,” LaZelle said.
“It should be pointed out
that the City joined in the in
corporation of a proposed gen
eration and transmission organ
ization with all the other pub
lic utilities of Central Alaska,
except CEA, which has not to
date signified an intention to
join the other entities now en
gaged in pursuit of a joint ap
proach to the common genera
tion problem. It should be
pointed out that the addition
by the City of a gas turbine in
Anchorage fits in with the Par
; sons plan, which to date is the
| only area approach to the
i power problem in Central Al
! aska.”
WASILLA SCHOOLS
PLAN CARNIVAL
I WASILLA — The Wasilla
grade and junior high schools
1 are planning a carnival for Fri
| day, Oct. 26, according to Von
i dolee S, Page, superintendent
i of schools.
Local merchants who would
like to contribute merchandise
' for prizes are asked to get in
j touch with superintendent
Page.
The public is invited for an
evening of entertainment,
games, and food. Page said.
VISITORS AT STORE OCTOBER 18-20
ELIGIBLE FOR DISHWASHER DRAWIHG
The Sears, Roebuck and Co.
catalogue sales office and re
tail store in Palmer will have
its grand opening next week,
Oct. 18, 19, and 20, according
to Barbara McDonald, manager.
Visitors on the opening days
will be eligible to participate
in a drawing for an electric
dishwasher, the manager said.
There will also be orchids for
the ladies, and balloons, candy,
and gum for the youngsters.
The store is located on the
ground floor of the new addi
tion to the Severns Building on
the corner of Wasilla Highway
and Matanuska Street. It will
occupy 30 feet of frontage, with
the entrance on Wasilla Street.
Miss McDonald commented on
the excellent finisning job on
AUCTION OFFERS
USEFUL ITEMS
If you need a bicycle, a cop
per-bottomed sauce pan, a
chain saw, or a suitcase, be in
front of the old Koslosky build
ing on Valley street, next to
the Tropical Gardens, at 2 p.m.
Saturday. So advises the local
Capital Information Commit
tee which is sponsoring an auc
tion to raise funds for an infor
mational campaign for passage
of the “Move the Capital” in
itiative.
Jim Rutt will auction the
many items contributed by lo
cal businessmen and residents.
Contributions for the sale will
be accepted through Saturday
morning, and should be brou
ght to the auction building.
Committee members point
out that one man’s white ele
phant may be another’s de
ight, and that all donations will
be welcome. One irreverent
auction planner suggested that
here is a golden opportunity to
put a husband or wife on the
block, but by press time no
such contributions had been
made.
If Saturday’s weather is bad,
the auction will be moved to
the Moose hall.
the interior, pointing out the
wall finishing typical of Sears
stores everywhere, the natural
wood laminated beams, and the
vinyl asbestos tile floor cover
ings.
The staff includes Miss Mc
Donald, catalog sales office and
retail store manager; Mrs. Judy
Campbell, credit manager; and
Mrs. Laura Henninger, Mrs.
Brenda Prewitt, Mrs. Ardeth
Buzby, and Mrs. Mary Partin,
sales clerks. An outside sales
man will not be assigned to the i
Palmer store immediately, but'
one will be on call from Anch- ;
orage whenever his services
are needed, the manager stat
ed. He will supply a home ad
visory service, such as that
needed for installation of kit
chen cabinets, etc.
In addition to catalogue sales
office service, numerous retail
items will be available at the
store. A complete selection (at
least one of each) of all major
opliances will be kept on hand.
Also available will be most
small appliances, a full selec-!
tion of tires and batteries, and
miscellaneous other items.
Some furniture will be kept in
stock.
A serviceman will be in Pal
mer one day a week to begin
with, and oftener if demand is
great enough, Miss McDonald
said.
Shipments from the Seattle
store by air freight will be
brought directly from Anchor
age by truck, and delivery can
be promised in about a week,
Miss McDonald stated. Adjust
ments for returns can now be
made at the local store, and
many items v, ill be available
for inspection before ordering,
she said.
INJURED YOUTH IMPROVED
Mrs. John McDonald of Hyer
| Road reported today that son
| Wayne, seriously injured in an
automobile accident several
weeks ago, regained conscious
ness this morning, for the first
time since his injury. The
young man is in Providence
Hospital in Anchorage.
Candidates Air Views
Tonight at Elks Hall
A good showing of candidates
from both political parties will
be present at the candidates’
meeting tonight in the Elks hall
at 8 o.m., Mrs. Noel Woods,
president of the Palmer Lea
gue of Women Voters, said to
day.
Mike Stepovich, Republican
candidate for governor, will be
here, and Governor Egan, Dem
ocratic incumbent, will be re
presented. Ted Stevens, Repub
lican running for the U. S. sen
ate seat, plans to be present,
and his Democratic opponent.
Sen. Ernest Gruening, will send
a representative.
Lowell Thomas, Jr., Repub
lican candidate for the U. S.
house of repreesntatives, plans
to attend. The League has not
received word from Democratic
candidate Ralph J. Rivers.
Democratic candidate for sec
retary of state, Hugh J. Wade,
will not be able to attend be
cause of the Pioneers of Alaska
convention now in session in
Ketchikan. Republican candi
date Robert Ross has not re
plied to the League invitation.
Nick Begich, Democratic
nominee for the District E state
senate will be here. Neither his
Republican opponent, Bob
Stratton, nor Samuel Light
wood, running on the Alaska
party ticket, has been heard
rom.
The two local candidates for
state representative from Dis
trict 7, Eugene Reid and Jal
mar Kerttula, will both attend.
The session will be moderat
ed by L. J. Martin. Voters will
have an opportunity to further
explore the candidates’ views
in a question-and-answer peri
od following the presentations.
“We urge attendance at this
meeting, which should give
Valley citizens an opportunity
to become better acquainted
with the candidates and the is
sues involved in the Nov. 6
election,” Mrs. Woods said.
A coffee hour will follow the
meeting.
ACCA HOLDS 16th
ANNUAL MEETING
HERE NEXT WEEK
The Alaska Crippled Child
ren’s Association will convene
in Palmer at the Elks hall next
week for its 16th annual meet
ing, according to Mrs. Lowell
Simpson, president of the Ma
tanuska Valley chapter. Regis
tration will begin at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 17, and con
vention business will continue
through Oct. 18 and 19.
The first session will take up
at 10 a.m., with the Rev. Claude
Claver of Wasilla giving the
invocation. Mrs. Simpson will
deliver the opening address.
Speakers to be heard during
the three days include the Rev.
Frank J. Walkup, president of
King’s Lake Camp, Inc., Dor
thy Byler, physical therapist
from the Anchorage chapter
treatment center, and Helen
Dittman Bairne, Ph. D., pro
gram director for ACCA.
Of particular interest, not
only to ACCA members, but
to the general public, will be
a diagnostic, demonstration
I clinic, to be conducted by Dr
William J. Mills, Jr., orthopedk
consultant to the Anchorage
treatment center, and Dr. Helen
S. Whaley, medical consultant
to the Anchorage treatment
center, with referring physi
cians of children being diagnos
ed. They will be assisted by the
staff from the Anchorage treat
ment center. This demonstra
tion is representative of the
regular clinic held at the An
chorage center.
Climaxing the three-day con
vention will be a social hour
and banquet Friday evening, at
which the Rev. William T.
Warren, of Fairbanks trustee
at-large, will be guest speaker.
State officers of the associa
tion are Mrs. William Pritchett,
president; Mr. William A. Bes
ser, treasurer; Mrs. Robert W.
Retherford, trustee to the na
tional association; Mrs. Laura
V. Joyce, executive secretary;
and Helen Dittman, Beirne,
Ph. D„ program director.
All sessions will be held in
the Elks hall unless otherwise
stated on the program schedul
d published elsewhere in the
Frontiersman, Mrs. Simpson
said.
HOPE OF FUTURE
Respect the student of today
—from his ranks will come the
leaders of tomorrow.
The projected sanitary sewer
system for the city of Palmer
moved a step toward actuality
at the Oct. 9 meeting of the
city council when members
authorized city manager Win
ston Gilchrist to contract for
the necessary engineering
plans.
The move was made after
Gilchrist presented the report
to Wyller, Van Doren, and
Harzard, the engineering firm
hired by the council to make
a rough draft of estimated ex
penses for the system. Figures
suggested by the firm included
$527,800 for construction of
sewers, $150,000 for a sewage
treatment plant, and $77,600 for
total engineering costs.
Gilchrist reported that a lo
cal engineer has offered to
design the entire sewer opera
tion for $10,00.0 This figure
would not include supervision
of construction. The city man
ager recommended acceptance
of this offer, pointing out the
considerable saving offered the
city.
Gilchrist added that he will
shortly make available to the
i council, and to the public, in
formation on the various meth
i ods of financing for the pro
i jected system.
, ■ ...*•• •---* ■ ■- * *
Frank Clark, representing
Matanuska Maid, Inc., present
ed a map of a proposed subdivn
sion of the Co-op housing area
He was asked to confer with
the planning commission and
was told that the council will
await the commission’s recom
mendation before acting or) the
proposal.
* * *
A letter was read from the
| Corps of Engineers, asking re
! newal of their lease on the
Safehaven storage area for
another year. Since the lo
cation of the storage area
j closes the entrance to the
j Co-op lot and blocks off one
end of the city’s shop building,
the council approved a motion
to grant the lease for one year,
with the stipulation that it will
not be continued after that
time.
A letter from the Volunteer
Fire Department was read
which asked the council to ap
prove of and sponsor a drive
for funds for the purchase of
a 1963 Pontiac ambulance, cost
of which would be $11,000. The
letter stated that the depart
ment already has $3,000 which
could be applied on the pur
chase.
Ralph Moore, mayor pro
tern, requested that fire chief
Noel Woods appear before the
Manager to Arrange
Engineering Contract
FIVE LOCAL 4-H MEMBERS RECEIVE
RECOGNITION AWARDS ON STATE LEVEL
Five Matanuska Valley 4-H
club members have won recog
nition for their 4-H records,
judged Oct. 8 and 9 by a com
mittee of extension agents. Lew
Hanks of the local extension
office said today.
Roger Lincoln of Wasilla,
state winner in the dairy con
test, was awarded a 17-jewel
wristwatch.
The state winner for the 4-H
electric project was Edward
Hanks, Palmer, whose prize
will be a trip to the 4-H Club
Congress held annually in Chi
cago
Also the winner of a trip to
Chicago are Richard Washburn
of Palmer for his 4-H gtrden
project, and Cynthia Blissard.
of Wasilla and Palmer, who
will join the trek to Club Con
gress as state champion in the
4-H bread demonstration com
petition;
David Martin’s record, judg
ed top among the boys in achi
evement, will be sent to Chi
cago where it will compete for
national awards, the prize for
which would be a $400 scholar
ship.
Committee members who
judged the records were Lew
Hanks, agricultural extension
agent for the Matanuska Val
ley, Gladys Musgrove, home
demonstration agent for the
Kenai peninsula, and Carol
Winey, 4-H leader for the An
chorage district.
council with a full report on
plans for purchase of the am
bulance, also with a complete
report on fire department ac
tivities over the past few
months.
Manager Gilchrist reported
that the city has received a
grant of $4500 from the Divi
sion of Aviation, State Depart
ment of Highways, to be used
in maintenance and improve
ment of the Palmer airport dur
ing the coming fiscal year. He
said that local airmen have ask
ed that part of the money be
used to begin the clearing of
taxiways along the north-south
and east-west runways. The to
tal cost of this project is esti
mated at about $8,000, the man
ager said, adding that about
$2500 would be required for
winter maintenance and that
the remaining $2,000 could be
alotted to commence work on
the clearing project. The coun
cil approved a motion to auth
orize the city manager to con
tract for expenses up to $2,000
for the suggested improvement
of runways.
* * *
Council authorized the city
manager to call for bids for
repairs on the front end loader,
also to call for bids for the
sale of surplus landing mats
• owned by the city.
“Transfer of a liquor license
for the Glass Bar Lounge from
William and Eleanor Mrak to
Eleanor Mrak and Mary Gran
us was approved,
i The mayor pro tern appointed
Mrs. Arlene Clements United
Nations Day chairman for the
city of Palmer.
The council passed a motion
asking manager Gilchrist to
draw up specifications for re
modeling the basement of the
city hall, to be presented for
approval by the city council at
a special meeting on Oct. 16,
which will be called at 7:30
p.m.
The city manager was auth
orized to call for bids for
comunications equipment for
the police and fire departments,
totalling six units.
Further action of the pro
posed zoning ordinance was
postponed until the new mem
bers of the council have an op
portunity to study it.
The city manager and the
(Continued on Page 5)
PTA To Discuss
Health Program
The health and physical fit
nes program in the Palmer sch
ools will be discussed at the
general PTA meeting on Oct.
16 at 8 p.m. in the high school
I cafeteria.
Four members of the teach
ing staff concerned with this
program—Cliffond Jantz, Du
ane Jacoby, James Carter, and
Miss Elizabeth Murnan—will
speak briefly. The meeting will
( then be open for questions and
discussion from the floor. Re
freshments will be served at
approximately 9 p.m. There
will be no business meetings.
Members of the executive
committee remind parents that
one Parent-Teacher Association
serves all of the Palmer schools.
It was emphasized that, al
though the meeting will be
held in the high school build
ing, the program in grade and
junior high schools will receive
equa 1 con side .at ion.
FIRE PREVENTION SHOULD BE
PRACTICED 52 WEEKS OF THE
YEAR!
THE LOSS OF LIVES AND PROPERTY WITH
THE HIGH COST OF PlRE PROTECTION AND
INSURANCE PREMIUMS IS THE RESULT OF
CARELESSNESS. CARlLESSNESS IS SPELLED
EXPENSIVE
SPONSORED BY:
WOOD'S
MSURANOE AGENCY