Valley Jmtiersmm
VOL. III.
PALMER. ALASKA. NOVEMBER 17. 1949.
NUMBER 10
Irwin Outlines 22-Point Market Plan
Health Team Blames
Child Deficencies
On Adult Example
Johnny’s bad posture and his
refusal to eat his spinach or drink
his milk probably stem right back
to the example set by Mother and
Dad, nutritionist Rhoda Collins
and orthopedic surgeon Karl Pel
ka told membrs of the Palmer
P-TA this week.
The health experts were guests
at the meeting to discuss with
parents the results of recent phy
sical examinations which showed
many Valley children to be poor
ly nourished and suffering pos
tural defeats.
Miss Collins said she believed
Alaskan children lacked proper
nutrition for the following rea
sons:
(1) Parents’ food habits and
false ideas about foods need to
be overcome. In this respect, she
cited the entirely false theory
that Alaskan foods have no vita
mins. Miss Collins said labora
tory tests conducted in Juneau
proved that “Alaskan vegetables
are as good, if not better, in Vita
min C than stateside vegetables.’’
(2) Proper use is not made of
the natural foods found in Alas
ka. Outstanding examples of
native foods that are extremely
nutritious, according to Miss Col
lins, are lamb’s quarter, firew'eed
and rose hips.
(3) Improper cooking w'astes
(Continued on Page Eight)
Food Handlers' School
Is Tentatively Planned
A school for food-handlers and
bar-tenders is being considered
for Palmer for some time in Jan
uary, it was learned this week.
Lloyd Morley, territorial sanitar
ian, has asked the Valley Health
Council to sponsor such a school,
and to help in finding a location
in which it might be held.
As planned at present, the
school would be held in either
January or February, and would
consist of three sessions of an
hour and a half each. The class
es would be held either in the
afternoon or evening, depending
upon the convenience of those
attending.
*««*
Thanksgiving . . • 1949
For this I am thankful . . .
For a day long enough to do the job I must, and
work enough to fill that day from end to end.
For a night that finds me tired enough to rest, yet
one long enough to bring courage for a new day.
For a year that brings me return enough to give
me hope for another, but leaves me the challenge of
a goal not reached.
For the clean sting of an old pain that deepens
and makes richer today's content and happiness.
For old friends gone, and deeply missed, but for
ever perfect in their absence.
For all small things — a kitten's fur, a baby's
smile, a friendly dog's companionship on evening
walks.
For food and warmth and shelter and for friend's
to share those things with me.
For sunlight on a mountain's white flank, for the
chilly, pleasant screech of a footstep in new snow.
For tolerance and good will and the fragile peace
that we may hope for on this earth.
For the God we find on mountain peaks at sun
rise and in all the other beautiful and unexpected
cloisters of this, our world.
For this I am thankful.
4-4.4. 4 4-444 4444-444 4.4 4 44 4.4 4 * * * ******* 4.4 44.44
Women Organize
Alaskan Council
Of Homemakers
The Extension Service Short
Course at the University of Alas
ka, attended by 10 Valley dele
gates, was such a thorough suc
cess that it will become an an
nual event, the delegates report
ed on their return last week-end.
A territorial council of Home
makers was created at the Uni
versity meeting, to plan for next
year’s session.
Two Valley women, Mrs.
Cloyce Parks o fChugiak, and
Mrs. C. W. Wilson of Palmer,
were named to the council.
This year’s five-day course
crammed daytime hours with
typical home-making classes, and
strayed as far afield as problems
of world peace, the study of fos
sils, and even a lecture on how
(Continued on Page Eight)
Polio Fund Short
Of $500 Jackpot
Just another $24.25 would swell
the Valley’s contribution to the
emergency polio drive to an even
$500, committee chairman Don
Ingalls of the Loyal Order of
Moose announced today. To
date, the fund amounts to $475.75.
However, because Mr. Ingalls
feels there are Valley residents
who would like to round out the
contribution to an even figure, he
will wait until Saturday to mail
the check to the Polio Founda
tion. In the meantime, if there
are those who would like to con
tribute, they may leave donations
at Grasser’s Hardware or with
Mr. Ingalls.
Mr. Ingalls said last week’s
Bingo party, the means by which
the funds were raised, was a
complete success. He expressed
his gratitude to the Valley resi
dents who attended the event, to
(Continued on Page 8)
Sees Cooking Test,
Specific Gravity
As Most Important
“Good will, education, and
more uniformity in the potato
produced are are the factors
which will develop a large and
stable market for the Valley’s po
tato in Anchorage.”
That was the opinion voiced by
Don L. Irwin of the Agricultural
Research Administration this
week, when discussing the cur
rent problem of how to reach the
large potential consumer market
in the neighboring city. The
question was posed at a recent
Chamber of Commerce meeting,
when members expressed alarm
over the amount of Valley money
spent in Anchorage, in compari
son with the Anchorage money
spent here.
The potato, largest vegetable
crop of the Valley, was selected
as the most likely item to bring
Anchorage food money to Palmer
and the Valley. Mr. Irwin was
named to chairmanship of a
Chamber of Commerce commit
tee appointed to study the prob
lem and bring recommendations
for its solution.
Mr. Irwin yesterday submitted
a list of 21 suggestions centered
about the idea incorporated in
his statement above. Most im
portant points in the list, in Mr.
Irwin’s own opinion, are those
calling for a specific gravity test
(Continued on Page Six)
Firm Says Highway
Is Million Doiiar Job
“A million dollars worth of
work” was completed this year
by the crews of Stock and Grove,
road contractors, L. H. Stock re
ported last week as he prepared
to leave the Territory. The con
tracting company prepared for
black-topping the 48-mile stretch
of highway between Anchorage
and Palmer.
Mr. Stock said the road work
men had found the season just
past a “very satisfactory work
year.” The contractor’s work of
preparing the roadbed was com
peted this summer. Black-top
ping operations are to be resum
ed during the next construction
season.