Daniels.in The Lion’s Den
Last week was American Education Week. It occurs annually
in* the fall, and is a time set aside when parents are invited to come
to school and see how their children spend two-thirds of their
waking hours nine months of the year.
In Palmer, students and teachers alike spent time and thought
in preparation of exhibits for parent inspection. No formal pro
gram was planned in the Palmer school, for teachers wanted par
ents to see a normal classroom day. This week was publicized in
Valley newspapers, and an open invitation was extended to all
parents to come to school. In addition, notices were sent from the
school office, inviting parents to visit school during American
Education Week.
The teachers of Palmer, in common with teachers everywhere,
had hoped that through this week of visiting parents might come
to a new understanding of a teacher’s problems as well as a
gre’ater knowledge of what the school is trying to do for your
children.
Teachers understand, and it was their hope that parents
shared the knowledge, that a child’s life cannot be built by teach
ers alone. It takes a teacher and parents, working as a unit, to
lead the child into paths of good citizenship and fitness for his
future life in the community.
With these objectives in mind, Palmer’s teachers prepared
to receive you parents last week, in order that they might come to
know you better, and through you come to a fuller understanding
of your child.
Yet at the end of that week open house at Palmer school, less
than 50 parents, in a school whose child population is over 400,
had visited school classrooms. The week set aside for you that you
might learn more of your school and its problems had been ignored
except by a fraction of your number.
Not only did you refuse the hospitality of your child’s school.
You overlooked the opportunity to meet and talk with your child’s
teacher, in order to find out how you might work with her to
build a better life for him. It takes both of you, working co-oper
atively, to help him to his highest achievement. Unless you know
his teacher and work with her, you are not doing your best for
your child.
Rumors circulate in the Valley concerning the school. Last
week was your opportunity to come to school and learn for your
self the manner in which classes are managed and lessons taught.
It was necessary, only last week, that school officials deny a rumor
concerning the financial standing of Palmer school. Yet none of
you came to school to get that denial first-hand.
Your faint interest has doubled the work of Palmer’s instruc
tors. The daily attempt to teach your children principles of good
citizenship. Yet you, their parents, failed in the elementary les
sons of good citizenship, when you failed to acknowledge your
responsibility toward your school, your child and his teachers.
Valley FRONTIERSMAN
Published each Wednesday and Saturday
Palmer, Alaska
Viola Daniels .... .-Editor
(Marilyn Rhodes.—.advertising manager Anchorage area.
No printed material in the Valley Frontiersman may be re
produced except by permission of the editor.
Subscription rates .„..75c month
Delivered by carrier in Palmer. Mailed to all points in
Alaska and the United States.
Printed in Anchorage plant of Anchorage Daily Times
There’s an O’HARRA bus leaving...
PALMER FOR ANCHORAGE
Daily at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
ANCHORAGE FOR PALMER
Daily at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
(Except Sunday)
Sunday bus at 9 a jn. and 6 p.m.
PALMER FOR WASILLA
Daily at 1 and 8 pjn.
Connections for Gulkana. Fairbanks and Whitehorse
On Monday. Thursday. Saturday. 11 a. m.
O’Harra Bus lines
=53E
Slide Trombones
Make Music Lovers
Of Younger Set
Matanuska Valley will be as
famous for its trombonists in the
years ahead, as it is now for its
potatoes, if musical preferences
of the present generation are
any indication.
The kiddy band of Palmer
school held its first rehearsal
last Friday. Every kid in the
band was a candidate for the
purchase of one of the six trom
bone-like instruments.
However a goodly number of
them had to be content with the
less glamorous sweet potatoes
and simplified clarinets which
complete the band. Some poten
tial musicians even were induced
to settle for a lowly harmonica
in the key of C.
Band members at present are
drawn from seventh and eighth
grade students. However some
sweet potatoes and clarinets still
don’t have a blower, so sixth
grade students may be added to
the group.
The band meets once a week
for a 40-minute practice session
under the baton of Mrs. J. K.
Dunlap, music teacher. Instru
ments are purchased by the stu
dents at a small cost.
Mrs. Dunlap explained the ob
jectives of this course for junior
bandsters is to teach note read
ing, to teach the students to
reach the end of a song together,
and to teach some simple three
part musical numbers. The scope
is limited, since band instruments
have a range of only an octave
and a half.
WAA Is To Handle
Surplus Land Sale
Announcement was made to
day by Lowell M. Puckett, re
gional administrator for the Bu
reau of Land Management in
Alaska, and Donald R. Wilson,
regional director of the War As
sets Administration in Alaska, of
the transfer of disposal responsi
bilities of surplus real property
in Alaska to the War Assets Ad
ministration.
This transfer became ef
fective on November 15, 1947, in
accordance with an agreement
between the Secretary of the In
terior and the War Assets Ad
ministrator.
Mr. Puckett stated that the
transfer of surplus real property
disposals to WAA will give the
Bureau of Land Management
more time to devote to the pub
lic land disposal program which
is the primary function of that
agency.
Mr. Wilson advised that the
WAA will receive and handle all
inquiries and business pertaining
to real property sales past and
future as well as those now in
motion.
These changes pertain to real
property only and in no way ef
fect the WAA disposal program
of personal property.
The present surplus real prop
erty disposal policies and priority
procedures under the Bureau of
Land Management will be con
tinued in effect under the WAA.
All future communications
concerning real property should
be addressed to the War Assets
Administration, Box 2466, An
chorage, Alaska.
Protestant Aid
Serves 100 Dinners
Approximately 100 Palmer
folks were guests of the Ladies’
Aid of the United Protestant
church at last Saturday's dinner
and bazaar. Dinner was served
between the hours of 5 and 8
o’clock that evening. Bazaar of
ferings, which included hand
made layettes as well as aprons
and household linens, were on
display in an adjacent room
throughout the evening.
12:30 Dale Changed
The meeting of the Twelve
Thirty Homemakers club, origin
ally announced for last Wednes
day, will be held this Wednes
day at the home of Mrs. Nina
Stock.
Dramatics Gub
Names Officers
The dramatics club at Palmer
high school has elected officers,
drawn up a constitution, and now
is ready to get to the business of
drama. Officers who will head
the club this year are:
George Hermon, president;
Bob Graham, vice - president;
Mary Ann Bryant, secretary
treasurer.
There are now nearly 30 mem
bers in the club, according to
faculty adviser James Gray, Jr.
The group meets weekly at 3
o’clock Friday afternoon in the
history classroom.
Coffey Insures Everything—
Remember? —Adv.
Be Spick and Span for the Holidays
Call as for pick-up and delivery service
Phone 3Y
VALLEY CLEANERS
Shoe Pacs
Cloth and Rubber
Overshoes
Wool Trousers and Shirts
Palmer Surplus and
Secondhand Store
«4
TURKEYS
BINGO
HAMS
[
November 22 8 to 12 P. M.
STEVE WARD BUILDING
MATANUSKA VALLEY VOLUNTEER FIRE ASSOCIATION