VALLEY FRONTIERSMAN
Published each Thursday
Palmer, Alaska
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21, 1947, at the post office
at Palmer, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription rates .50c month, $5 a year
Viola Daniels.:..Editor
No printed material in the Valley Frontiersman may be
reproduced except by permission of the editor.
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
DANIELS — In The Lion's Den
Last Saturday marked the renewal of a traditional rivalry be
tween Palmer and Anchorage schools in track and field events. It
also initiated a new athletic competition between the two schools
in the field of boxing. It is planned, school heads say, to make
both events an annual occurrence.
We think it a fine plan. It opens new fields of athletic com
petition to the local athletes, who in the past, all too often have
been limited to basketball and more basketball. However, wre’d
like to see some changes made, before another year rolls around
and th meet is scheduled again.
First, we’d like to see Palmer athletes get a bit more coaching
in the techniques of jumping, vaulting and racing. According to
the report of one high school teacher, Palmer’s squad was never out
on the track until the Friday evening preceding the meet. We have
been unable to check this statement, but we have no reason to
doubt its accuracy.
It is true that weather is always a major factor in planning
outdoor events in the Valley, or anywhere else in this section of
Alaska. However a competent coach could be giving track and
field contestants some of the fundamentals and some type of indoor
drill, even if outdoor practice was curtailed. And we doubt that
there has been only one day in Palmer in the past few weeks that
permitted some outdoor workouts.
Palmer boys were competing Saturday in jumping and vault
ing events, which require a high degree of skill for their successful
completion. A vaulter or jumperr not properly acquainted with
the techniques of his skill, could sustain serious and lasting injury.
Palmer athletes did not do badly in meet scoring, but they serious
ly lacked the knowledge they needed to make the most of their
efforts. We’d like to see serious coaching concentration on these
events, just as they get in basketball, if our high school students are
to be asked to compete in these events in the future.
Again, we’d like to see more thought given to the limits of
physical endurance of our teen-age young men. At this period of
rapid growth and development, a conscientious coach should pre
fer gaps in the entry blanks, rather than the participation of will
ing students in too many events. There were Palmer students who
took part in several races on Saturday and then were asked to par
ticipate in the smoker that evening.
We ask too much of growing young men, when we schedule
two athletic events in the same day. Admittedly, it saves time and
travelling expense, but it takes a heavy toll of human energy. In
the future, let’s plan to hold boxing matches during the months
when weather permits no outdoor activity, and confine track meets
to the one activity only.
In reference to those boxing matches, let's never again let un
trained and inexperienced youngsters enter a ring with only the
most elementary notions of self-defense. Boxing, between properly
trained and matched contenders, is entertainment for contestant
and onlooker alike. A beating administered to an inexperienced
and untrained youngster is certainly no morale-builder for him
and is degrading to watch.
We’re not arguing for the elimination of these matches. We
think boxing would make a desirable addition to the sports pro
gram in Palmer. But we do think that the boys we ask to enter
the ring should be familiar with techniques lot their protection,
and should be trained to the point where three fast rounds does
not leave them limp in utter exhaustion. Let’s get proper coach
ing instruction for these boxing enthusiasts, and again let’s give it
all of the attention that goes to the instruction of our basketball
team.
Only in that way, can our students have a well-rounded and
satisfying sports program, as interesting to them from a participa
tion standpoint as it is to the rest of us from a spectator's point of
view.
Demming Is Now
Registered Surveyor
Richard Demming of Palmer
this week announced that he
had received his registration as
land surveyor. Mr. Demming is
tn do all types of
general land surveying, includ
ing lots, subdivisions and home
steads, and can handle construc
tion layouts and maps.
The surveyor, who lives on a
farm south of Palmer, can be
reached through Postoffice Box
675 at Palmer.
Burn Now,
Forester Urges
Right now is the ideal time to
burn off the dry grass on fields
and around buildings, it was an
nounced this week by Roger R.
Robinson of the Alaska Fire
Control Service. The next few
days will be the safest time to
do that burning, the forester
stated.
Mr. Robinson said burning
now was an actual fire preven
tion measure later in the season,
since green grass will soon grow
in the burned area to form a
safety zone around buildings
and homes.
The forester pointed out that
the last legislature had passed
lav/s fixing more rigid control
over land burning. It is now a
misdemeanor for anyone to
leave a fire unattended during
the fire season, on either pri
vate or public lands.
It also is a misdemeanor to set
fires on any land during danger
ous fire weather or when haz
ards exist.
Mr. Robinson said the Fire
Control Service was always will
ing to offer assistance to home
steaders, farmers and home
owners who have special burn
ing problems. He urged that
Valley residents call Harry Bals
ley, Fire Control Aid for this
area, when such problems are
faced. Mr. Balsley is now in resi
dence in the local Fire Guard
station.
RENTS BASEMENT BEDS
The basement of the Valley
Theatre has been converted to a
dormitory and has been leased
to the Public Roads Adminis
tration, owner A1 Hagen said this
week. There are accommodations
for 25 men available in the dor
mitory.
Independence to Open
Independence Mine, closed in
1942, will reopen this season, it
was reported last week. W. W.
Stoll, general manager of the
mine, has been in Anchorage to
make preliminary arrangements
for the mine’s opening. It will be
several weeks yet before roads
leading to Independence, located
in the Willow Creek district, can
be opened, according to a state
ment made last week by Clyde
King, Sr., district foreman for
the Alaska Road Commission.
COFFEY INSURES EVERY
THING—REMEMBER?
Richard E. Demming
Registered Land Surveyor
Box 675 — Palmer, Alaska
M. D. SNODGRASS
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