Alaska State Fair Aug. 31
Thought of the Week:
Th* modern puzzle it now
the old folkt managed to raise
their children without a book
on child care.
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLET
PALMER SCHOOLS OP EH
WEDNESDAY. SEPT. 5
WASILLA SCHOOLS OPEM
TUESDAY. SEPT. 4
VOLUME 14. NUMBER 49
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. AUGUST 30.1962
SIXTEEN PAGES
PRICE 15 CEHT»
(Reporters—
Notebook
Mrs. Ruth Schaefer and son
Charles returned to Palmer
last Friday after a summer
spent in touring Europe and
continental United States.
They spent two weeks with
Mr. and Mrs. John Clark (Hel
en Schaefer) in Norway, and
visited the Acropolis in Ath
ens and the Colosseum in
Rome. After sightseeing in
New York City, they crossed
the continent to Vancouver,
Washington, arriving in time to
be present at the birth of Mrs.
Schaefer’s newest granddaugh
ter. born to Mr. and Mrs. Char
les Childress (Betty Schaefer).
Mrs. Richard Coyne (Pat
Schaefer) arrived in Palmer to
day from Fairbanks for a brief
visit with her mother and
brother.
* * *
Mr. and Mrs. J i m Hender
shot of Stanwood, Wash., arriv
ed this morning with their two
children for a ten-days’ visit
with the Richard Andersons.
Mr. Hendershot is Mrs. An
derson’s brother.
* * *
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Moore
and daughter Karola witnessed
the Tel-Star filming at Mt.
Rushmore, South Dakota, one
of their stops on a tour that
took them through Yellow
stone Park, Glacier Park, and
Los Angeles, the latter stop
including Disneyland and
Knott’s Berry Farm. On their
drive up the West Coast, they
visited Lloyd’s Shopping Cen
ter in Portland, the largest in
the world. The Moores also
stopped at Century 21, where
they had an opportunity to
chat with Heinie Snider. The
travelers, who left Palmer
July 1, returned here last
weekend. Moore's Garage on
Matanuska Road, closed for the
summer, has now reopened.
* • •
John R. “Jack” Jensen, form
erly of Palmer and now of Wa
silla, left last Friday by PNA
jet for San Antonio, Texas.
Jack, who graduated from
Palmer high school with the
class of 1961, has enlisted in
the Alaska Air National Guard
and will receive his Air Force
basic training at Lackland
Air Force Base at San Anton
io. He has also been selected
for special training, which he
will receive at technical school
at Chanute Field near Chicago.
Jack is the first enlisted man
to be sent to Chanute by the
Alaska Air National Guard.
After completing his training,
he will return home and
become a regular member of
the guard at Kulis Air Nation
al Guard Base in Anchorage. A
former Montanan, Jack says
he has decided to stay an Al
askan and has chosen to ful
fill his military obligation with
a unit composed of all Alas
kans.
* * *
Dale Fisher of Waseca, Min
nesota, who has spent the sum
mer with the Richard Ander
sons on Wasilla Road, left last
evening for Yankton, South
Dakota, where he will return
to college. Dale worked on
construction and farm jobs
during his stay here.
* * *
Joe J. Jameson, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Alvin L. Jameson of
Knik Road, Wasilla, completed
recruit training Aug. 24 at the
Naval Training Center, San
Diego, Calif. The training in
cludes physical conditioning,
basic military law, drill, cus
toms and courtesies of the nav
al service, swimming and sur
vival, first aid and basic
knowledge of shipboard rou
tine. 1 ■
Reserved Seat Tickets
MISS ALASKA STATE FAIR
PAGEANT
SEPTEMBER 1, 1962
$1.50
Pick up at Betty's Dress
Shop — PI 5-3290
Final Plans Are Made For Fair Opening
Palmer Teacher
Assignments
Completed
Teaching assignments hav<
been completed for the thre<
schools in the Palmer Inde
pendent School District, W. T
Zahradnicek, superintendent
said today. A total of 60 tea
chers and staff members wil
oe on hand to welcome the in
flux of students on opening
day, the largest number to en
roll in Palmer schools to date.
Assignments at Swanson ele
mentary school include Dale F
Bryant, principal; Mrs. Ads
Boyd, IB; Mrs. Margaret Sch
roeder, 1C: Mrs. Lorna Fowler
1C; Mrs. Alma Blunck, IP
Mrs. Bergie Hecker, 2B; Mrs
Joan Hansen, 2C; Mrs. Rhy
donia Martin, 2D; Mrs. Geral
dine Schreiber, 3; Mrs. Olgs
Reiger, 3; Mrs. Daphne Swin
gle, 3; Mrs. Louise Condict, 4
and Peter Kokes, 5D.
Norman Rousey is Centra
school principal, with a stafl
including Mrs. Pearl Moyer
1A; Mrs. Beverly Barry, 2A
Mrs. Barbara Weihr, 3A; Mrs
Patricia Cattron, 4A; Mrs. Ra
mona Cloninger, 4B; Mrs. Vir
ginia Miller, 4C; Mrs. Phylli:
Quellette, 4D; Mrs. Florenct
Dunlap, 5A; Mrs. Paula Kuce
ra, 5B; Ralph Burnett, 5C
Clifford Salisbury, 6A; Duam
Jacoby, 6B; and Mrs. Wilhel
mina Pederson, 6C.
Junior high (grades 7 and 8
teachers will be Howard McAl
lister, Katherine Steele, Mrs
Peggy McGinnis, Carol Ar
nold, Paul Carter, and Eliza
beth Murnan, and John Schrei
oer.
Keith Smith is acting princi
pal at the Palmer high school
Teaching assignments are as
follows: Eugene Annas, sci
ence; Mrs. Margaret Cope
commercial; John DeVries,
shop; Elizabeth Gaines, Eng
lish; Clifford Jantz, physical
education and coach;
Mrs. Frances Kanipe, En
glish; Ronald Larson, his
tory; Dorothy Miller, girls’
physical education; Ned Mor
genson, mathematics; LeRoy
Nord, typing and bookkeeping;
Harry Lee Plumbley, band and
American government; Betty
Jo Riddle, biology and art;
Mrs. Ruth Schaefer, English
and Latin; Lou Ann Restad,
home economics; Mrs. Mabel
Wallace, library; and Walter
Ward, agriculture.
Several special assignments
include Alvin Okeson, gui
dance, grades 1 through 12;
Mrs. Barbara Smart, remedial
reading; and Mrs. Lois Weldon,
music (elementary and high
school chorus).
Mrs. Gladys Hayes is secre
tary to the superintendent and
finance clerk. Mrs. Isobell Sev
erns is clerk at Central, Mrs.
Lewerenz at Swanson, and
Mrs. Pearl Trowbridge and
Mrs. Lena Tulles at the high
school. Mrs. Helen Maze is
school nurse.
Reindeer, Lion
To Be on Grounds
Several “firsts” have been
added to fair attractions this
year, according to Alaska State
Fair manager Bill Miller. A
reindeer family, mother, dad,
and baby will be shown thro
ugh the courtesy of the Bur
eau of Indian Affairs, and a
real live lion (adequately cag
ed) will be on hand to greet
fair visitors. A first aid station
will also be on the grounds for
the first time, which may be
a comforting thought to lion
viewers.
The U. S. army has planned
a gigantic display which will
cover a 30 by 40 foot area.
Parade Offers Good
Show To Viewers
Bands and precision drill
teams, colorful costumes, beau
tiful girls, horsemen in forma
tion, automobiles—parade lov
ers will find a highly satisfac
tory show when the 1962 Al
aska State Fair parade gets un
der way at 1 p.m. Saturday
morning, according to George
Ed Smith, parade chairman,
and Bill Miller, fair manager.
Units will form on Valley
Street from the Piggly Wiggly
store north to the Glenn High
way. All entrances to Valley
street will be closed all morn
ing to keep it completely free
of traffic until after the par
ade.
Parade units will proceed
south on Valley Street to the
Fairgrounds intersection, then
will move east to the entrance
to the grounds, where they will
pass in front of the reviewing
stand before disassembling.
Ed Smith has asked that all
youngsters interested in enter
ing the parade, in costumes or
with pets, singly or in groups,
sign up at Ketchikan Spruce
today and tomorrow.
Palmer police will lead off
the parade, followed by the
Color Guard and the automo
biles carrying visiting dignitar
■ ies. In the first car will be Gov.
. and Mrs. Egan, Rep. Jalmar
■ Kerttula, and Palmer Mayor
Billy R. Miller. Riding with the
official host and hostess, Mr
and Mrs. Dick Jones, will be
Mayor and Mrs. George Shar
rock of Anchorage.
The Palmer high school band
and the Elmendorf drill team,
band, and color guard will
march, as will the Nugget As
sembly No. 13, Order of Rain
New Idea Man
Here for Fair
Ray B. Crumrine. sales
manager for the New Idea
Farm Equipment Co., of Cold
water, Ohio, arrived in Palm
er Monday to assist at the Al
aska State Fair booth of B and
H Supply.
B and H Supply is the state
wide distributor for New Idea
as well as many other farm
equipment lines.
Crumrine plans to leave
next week.
bow for Girls, drill team from
Anchorage.
Queen contestants will ride
in sports cars supplied by the
Anchorage Sports Car Associa
tion. The Alaska Auto Mush
ers' Association will again join
the parade, occupants of the
ancient vehicles dressed to suit
the age of the car.
Fifteen to twenty floats are
expected to enter, with four
fraternal and civic organiza
tions definitely signed up. No
figures were available at press
time on the number of commer
cial floats expected. The Elks
lodge. Emblem club, Women of
the Moose, Kiwanis, and Pal
mer Rainbow Girls are now
constructing their entries.
PALMER SCHOOLS
OPEN WED., SEPT. 5
Classes in Palmer schools
will begin Wednesday, Sept. 5,
W. T. Zahradnicek, superin
tendent. announced this week.
This will be a full school day,
with buses running on their
regular schedules, the superin
tendent said.
The Wednesday opening is a
departure from former years,
when students attended classes
on Tuesday, the day after La
bor Day, for a half day only.
Tuesday, Sept. 4, will be an ad
ministration day, with teachers
attending special meetings, ac
cording to Zahradnicek.
School enrollment this year
is expected to hit slightly over
a thousand, with 979 students
already registered. 728 grade
school youngsters and 251 high
school students have register
ed thus far. Since 985 students
were enrolled in Palmer
schools at the close of the
term last May, this year’s total
enrollment will probably show
a slight increase, Zahradnicek
said.
TWO BOWLING LEAGUES
BEGIN NEW SEASON
Two women's bowling lea
gues, the Scratch Trio and the
Housewife’s League, will be
gin the new season on Sept.
5. The Housewife’s League
will meet at 9 a.m. at the Pal
mer Bowling Center, and the
Scratch Trio will meet at 8
p.m.
JONESVILLE CREWS
MAKE CITY PARK
IMPROVEMENTS
All open areas ol the Palmer
City Park were cleared and
(traded, and all hist trees slated
- for removal were taken out by
! crews and equipment from the
, Evan Jones Coal Company on
| Friday, Aug. 24.
Heavy equipment, including
! Euclid trucks, tractors, bull
I dozers, and front end loaders,
| was brought from the mine by
! the Kopperud trucking com
pany, which donated its ser
vice in hauling the machinery
to the park for the day’s work.
There were considerable pro
blems involved in moving the
heavy equipment over the
highway, requiring the cooper
ation, of the Alaska State police!
and the department of high- i
ways, Hugh Mathieson, super-1
intendent of the Evan Jones
Coal Company, said.
The mining company had or
iginally planned to contribute
crew time and machinery for
two days' work, but since Al
aska state law prohibits the
transportation of heavy equip
ment over state roads on week
ends, the miners were unable
to continue their project on
I Saturday.
A quantity of debris remains
to be moved to the Matanuska
River dump, Mathieson pointed
out, suggesting that this job
might be a project for another
organization. The miners plan
to spend another day at the
park site, making manual im
provements such as the con
struction of outdoor fireplaces.
Lunch was served to the
Aug. 24 work party by the
Cheechako homemakers’ club.
STOP SIGNS PLACED
ON MATANUSKA ST.
Stop signs have been set up
on all side streets entering Ma
tanuska St. except Gulkana St.,
Palmer police chief Louis Ben
cardino said this week.
At the Gulkana intersection,
stop signs have been placed on
Matanuska St. as a safety mea
sure to protect the children
playing at the north end of the
street.
“Children at Play” signs have
been placed on both Matanuska
and Bailey Hill streets, the
chief said.
“Speed checked by Radar”
signs have also been installed
at all entrances to the city lim
its of Palmer, according to Ben
cardino.
Grand Opening Set
For Saturday 11 a. m.
In spite of the weatherman's
cagey prediction of “precipita
tion totals and temperatures
near normal for this time of
year”, the 1962 Alaska State
Fair is expected to he bigger,
better and more colorful than
ever before, Billy R, Miller,
fair manager, said this week.
Grand opening ceremonies i
will take place at 11 a.m. Sat-;
urday, inside the front gate on
the midway. Colors will be j
raised by the Boy Scouts, and
Rev. William Miller of the
Church of God will give the
invocation. Dr. C. H. Dearborn,
president of the Alaska State
Fair board of directors, will
welcome visitors to the fair and
will introduce fair board mem
bers.
Special guests at the cere- j
mony will be Mr. and Mrs. M. j
D. Snodgrass, pioneer valley j
residents. Mayor Miller will j
welcome Governor William A
Egan and Mrs. Egan to the city
for the Governor’s Day events.
Dignitaries including Gover
nor and Mrs. Egan, Mayor and
Mrs. George Sharrock ox An
chorage, and Rep. and Mrs.
Jalmar Kerttula will ride in
leading cars in the parade at
1 p.m. and will tour freshly
outfitted grounds.
Bright new bunting has been
put up, and huge posters ad
vertise the fair theme, Alaska
on Parade, with tributes to
other community festivals in
cluded. Booths have been
newly painted, and exhibits
this year have been done in
minute detail and are espe
Wasilla Schools
Open Tuesday
Wasilla schools will open
Tuesday. Sept. 4, according to
Vondolee S. Page, superin
tendent.
School will be open all day,
with buses operating on the
same schedule as last year, and
with high school students from
Willow meeting the Willow bus
at the same location.
Although area schools were
given the option of opening
for a half day, the decision was
made to hold classes for the
full school day, since the extra
day would have had to be made
up later, Page said.
eially attractive. Miller said.
Judging of exhibits will take
place between 9 a.m. and 12
noon tomorrow, and the
grounds will open at noon. Fri
day afternoon is Kid’s Day at
the fair, with numerous events
planned for youngsters 12
years of age and under.
Grandstand events, free to
the public all four days, in
clude horse racing and timed
events, dog obedience demon
strations, sportscar gymkhana,
and Go-Kart races.
An admission ticket drawing
will be held each day of the
fair at 6 p.m. Five prizes of $5
each will be awarded at each
drawing.
Scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sat
urday is the Queen’s Pageant,
with the Coronation Ball fol
(Continued on page 8)
BRIDGE WASHOUT
ISOLATES 17
Seventeen adults and chil
dren are stranded on the Edg
erton-Parks Road as a result o£
a bridge washout during the
j heavy downpour of rain yes
I terday noon.
A total of 42 persons live on
! this road on the other side of
' Little Susitna, some of whom
work in Palmer and Anchorage
: and have been unable to reach
I home because of the washout.
Jalmar Kerttula, state repre
sentative for District 7, got in
touch with Governor Egan yes
terday afternoon to ask for aid
in constructing a temporary
crossing of the river. Mr. Ker
ttula could not be located this
morning for comment. State
police were also notified yes
terday afternoon.
People stranded on this side
of the river feel that the re
sourceful homesteaders of the
area are in no immediate dan
ger of a food shortage, but are
concerned about the possibility
of illness. There are two in
fants in the group of 17, and
about 12 school age youngsters.
There is some livestock in
the area, but there is an owner
on hand to care for them. There
is at least one unattended
horse.
There are no landing strips
in the area, and the cultivated
fields are considered too rough
for a successful plane landing.
Council Discusses Purchase of Co-Op Outfall
Stewart A. Durrant, general
manager of Matanuska Maid,
Inc. appeared at the Aug. 28
meeting of the Palmer City
Council to discuss arrange
ments for city use of the Co-op
outfall sewer system.
Durrant said that the outfall,
which would be capable of
handling sewage disposal for
a city of 6000 people, is inex
pensive for the co-op to operate
and works well, and that he
feels that the board of direc
tors would prefer a lease or
rental arrangement to outright
sale of the system.
Council members and city
manager Winston Gilchrist ex
pressed the opinion that the
state department of health and
federal funding agencies would
require that the city own its
entire sewer system
Members decided to arrange
for a meeting with state health
department officials before
making further arrangements,
and Durrant was asked to bring
the matter before the Matanus
ka Maid, Inc. board of direc
tors for discussion.
Bill Hermann, another coun
cil visitor who has represented
the city planning commission
on the sewer system problem,
said he is of the opinion that
the state department of health
would find the Co-op outfall
entirely satisfactory, and that
if arrangements can be made
with the Co-op, the elimination
of the pollution plant from the
projected system would save
the city about $160,000.
Hermann also recommended
a local registered professional
civil engineer for the job of
mapping the system, saying
that this man would be satis
factory to the state department
of health.
* * *
The council agreed to accept
the proposed zoning ordinance
with their suggested changes,
with the proviso that the city
zoning map be brought up to
date before final acceptance of
the ordinance.
Two bids for the purchase of
the city’s post hole digger were
opened and read. Council mov
ed to accept the Jack Joslin
bid, in which the company of
fered to trade a spreader for
the digger, offering an addi
tional $251.10 in cash. The sec
ond bid was from Loyer and
Sons, offering $87.50.
* * *
Councilman Ed Blom and
city manager Gilchrist were
asked to draw up specifications
for an additional story for the
Palmer City Hall, to be refer
red to the council at the next
meeting.
* * *
Emily St. Pierre, city clerk,
reported that 15 paving bonds
and interest on Coupon No. 10
are now due, in the total
amount of $18,475. She said
that all paving assessments but
one have been paid, making a
total of $6,080.86. She was
authorized by the council to
appropriate the remaining $12,
394.14 from the property tax
fund.
* * *
The city election on October
2 will call for two councilmen
for three-year terms and two
for one-year terms, Mrs. St.
Pierre said.
Council moved that enough
new booths be constructed to
allow at least three persons to
vote at once, and that each
cubicle be three feet wide and
four deep.
One bid for the purchase of
the city’s excess. ball bearing
supply was read, from the Pres
cott Equipment Co. in the sum
of $200. Council moved to ac
cept the bid.
Council voted approval of a
salary raise for police chief
Louis Bencardino, from $700 to
$725 effective Oct. 1, after vot
ing down a motion to raise the
chief’s salary to $750. Mrs. St.
Pierre's salary was raised from
$045 to $675, effective Oct. 1.
* * *
Manager Gilchrist asked the
council for suggestions to be
considered in making up the
budget for the fiscal year start
ing October 1. It was pointed
out that the street department
is in need of a front end loader,
and Gilchrist suggested a 2
wheel drive machine with
backhoe and other attachments
suitable for street maintenance.
Other suggestions included
consideration of building pro
gram, extension of water lines,
possibility of a play area for
Matanuska and Bailey Hill
street children, new table for
the council room, general base
ment improvements, and vari
ous street improvements.