Thought of the Week
If your wife wants to learn
to drive, don't stand in her
way.
ALASKA HIST)
30 X 2051
JU.'JEAIJ A L
the Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TV 9
VOLUME 14. NUMBER 41
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. JULY 5. 1962
EIGHT PAGES
I RICE 15 CENTS
Reporters
Atatehaak
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ault
and grandson stopped briefly
in Palmer this week on the
way to visit their son who is
employed at the Wildwood Ar
my station near Kenai. The
Aults drove up the Alaska
highway from their home in
'V ampa, Colo. They will spend
a few weeks in Alaska.
* * *
Mr. and Mrs. Neal Wright
left for Seattle Saturday, for
an extended business trip to
the States. They plan to return
the latter part of July.
* • *
Senator John Coghill of
Nenana, visited in Palmer on
Monday. Coghill is a candidate
for governor in the forthcom
ing Primary Election in Aug
ust.
* * *
Robert J. Plumbley, fireman,
USN, son of Mr. and Mrs.
George Plumley is serving
aboard the submarine rescue
ship USS Greenlet, which has
joined the Seventh Fleet in
the Western Pacific.
» * *
The Valley Theatre Guild
will not hold meetings during
July, Mrs. Barbara Hamilton
announced, because many
members are absent during this
vacation-time. The annual
meeting will be held about the
second week in August, she
said, and interested people
should watch for the announce
ment of the time and place of
the meeting.
* * *
Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Pearsey
arrived last Sunday from Leb
anon, Ind., to visit their daugh
ter and son-in-law. Dr. and
Mrs. Keith McCavit. The Pear
seys will leave August 23 for
Seattle to see the World’s Fair
before returning to their home.
Wasilla Will
Get New Post
Office Building
Mrs. May C. Carter, Wasilla
postmistress, was notified this
week that the Post Office de
partment will advertise for
bids for a new post office at
Wasilla. Bids will be opened
August 2, 1962.
In advising Mrs. Carter that
bid invitations will be posted
July 5, the Alaska Congression
al delegation said “we have
been concerned for a long
while, as have you and other
residents of Wasilla, over the
inadequate post office facilities
in your community.”
The new facility will provide
approximately 1,600 square feet
of interior space and 5,500
square feet of paved area. It
may be a remodeled building,
an existing building or a new
building. The facility will be
leased to the government for a
10-year period with options for
two five-year renewals.
Anyone interested in bidding
on the project should contact
Clark Cottrell, Real Estate Of
ficer, Post Office Department,
P. O. Box 1970, Seattle 11,
Wash.
BESSIE’S
BEAUTY BAR
WILL BE CLOSED
July 15th thru
August 5
Barbara Lacher Wil!
Attend a Clairol Tech
nical Training Course
in New York City to
serve you better.
$1,581,000 REA Loan Approved
For New MEA Construction
City Park Plans Get Boost
Frances Betts
Funeral Service
Held Tuesday
By Jane Brown
Funeral services were held
Tuesday, July 3, for Mrs. Fran
ces Gartley Betts Women of
the Moose, Chapter 942 of Pal
mer were in charge of the ser
vices and the Rev. Wenter Har
; vey of the Church of Christ !
| gave the prayer at the Wasilla j
j Community Hall. Burial was in
i the Wasilla Cemetery.
Mrs. Betts was born in Cof- !
feyville, Kan., Jan. 25, 1919,
During the war she ferried
planes for the Army and held
her pilot’s license for multi- j
engine aircraft. While living in [
Anchorage Mrs. Betts was shift
supervisor at the F.A.A. tower.
From Anchorage she was trans
ferred to Bangkok in the same
capacity plus teaching daily
classes in tower operation. She
was retired in 1957 and return
ed to Wasilla in May to make
her home.
Mrs. Betts was an ardent
gardener and her home on
Wasilla Lake was always open
to all the youngsters for swim
ming and water skiing. She is
survived by her husband. Thur
man G. Betts.
Anchorage Man
Overturns Car
Near Palmer
When his car ran into the
road bank near Palmer city
limits on Wasilla road, the driv
er, Densil Thompson, escaped
with slight injury tho the car
was completely wrecked. The
accident occurred about 2:30
p.m. Sunday.
The car overturned after hit
ting the bank and landed on
the lawn in front of Don Ir
win’s home. Thompson, an An
chorage resident, was taken to
Valley Presbyterian hospital
by the City ambulance. He was
treated for cuts and bruises and
released Wednesday.
Black Bears, Trained and Untrained,
Make Exciting Public Appearances
When a black bear smelled
the pies that Mrs. J. L. Candill
had baked one day last week,
he must have thought that the
hospitality of the Caudill home
at the end of the Plumley road,
near Jim creek, was meant for
him.
He scratched at first the
front, then the back door and
rummaged thru the garbage
cans while Mrs. Caudill ner
vously jammed two 30-06 rifles
in her haste to let him know he
was not welcome. She had her
doubts about the .22 high
power, which her husband sug
gested when she phoned him.
By the time she had returned
to the battle line with the .22,
the disgruntled bear was leav
ing. Only his head showed be
yond a log in the stump row.
She fired hastily, and the bear
dropped with the first shot.
Mrs. Caudill didn’t bother to
investigate, but the men-folk
found the bear dead behind the
log. They skinned it and sent
the hide in for tanning. Also,
Evan Jones Mine,
Men Donate Work
Evan Jones Coal Co. gave the
Kiwanis city park project a
big lift Monday when Hugh
Matheson, superintendent of
the mine, said his company will
donate the use of their mine
crew to the project, and that
the Union at the mine will do
nate another day’s work.
Some Friday within the next
two or three weeks 60 men,
with Evan Jones company
trucks, equipment, tools, etc.,
will start the construction of
the Palmer City Park, as en
visioned in the Kiwanis Club’s
preliminary jjlan.
United Mine Workers of
America, Local 7901, of the
Evan Jones Coal mine, have
also offered to donate a day’s
work and will have the use of
the Evan Jones equipment.
The Kiwanis Club will hear
an address by I. R. “Whitney"
Witthuhn, president of Kiwan
is International, at the meet
ing July 16. Witthuhn has been
a Kiwanian for 25 years.
Nation’s Teachers Will Take Alaska's
Wooden Nickels At NEA Convention
Wooden nickels, 8500 of
them, left over from the Alas
ka State Fair in Palmer in 1959,
will be distributed to the edu
cators attending the National
Education Assn, convention in
Denver July 1-6.
Word was received by Alma
J. Blunck, president of the
Palmer Education Assn., that
the wooden nickel souvenirs
will be distributed at the Al
aska booth during the meeting
of the 10,000 teachers and other
educators from all parts of the
nation.
The Alaska delegation will
be headed by Haze Bergeron,
executive secretary of the Al
aska Education Assn. Pearl
Shockley of Anchorage, who is
state representative of the Na
tional Education Assn., and 15
other representative from vari
ous parts of the state will also
attend the conference.
Membership recognition will
be awarded to Alaska along
with 10 other states which
have exceeded their campaign
goals in 1961-62. The Alaska
membership in NEA exceeded
75 per cent of its potential
BOUWENS WINS TRIP
Bill Bouwens w’as the lucky
winner of a round trip to Cen
tury 21 in a raffle sponsored by
the local Elks club. The draw
ing was held Wednesday after- j
noon in the Elks hall.
Mrs. Caudill said, neighbors
who like bear meat reported
that the steaks from the two
or three-year old bear made
very good eating.
Another black bear, pro
bably the dead bear’s mate, has
returned a couple times since
the incident, Mrs. Caudill said.
And another bear story came
from Anchorage this week. A
runaway bear created some
sxtra excitement at the Shrine
circus. The trained black bear
got loose before the Sunday
afternoon show and had to be
chased down the street, accord- j
ing to Shriner Cloyce Parks.
Bruin was captured when he
sought refuge in a tree.
Two performances are sched
jled by the circus each day
:hrough Saturday, starting at
2:30 and 8 p.m. at the Sports
men's Arena.
Public appearances of the
wildlife at the Caudill arena
ire entirely unscheduled, ac
cording to Mrs. Caudill.
membership. The national goal
will focus attention on mem
bership—“a million or more by
’64."
The theme for the week is
“Teach for Tomorrow." A var
iety of issues is expected to
generate considerable discus
sion on the floor. Issues includ
ed will be: Keeping the urban
association independent union
or the professional organiza
tion for teachers; Curriculum
and technique; Desegregation;
Teacher-board of education re
lations; Subjective rating sys
tems; Church-State relations;
and Problems peculiar to big
cities.
Davis To Speak
To C. of C.
Mark Davis, forester with
the Bureau of Land Manage
ment, will be the speaker at
the Chamber of Commerce
luncheon meeting at noon July
11 at the Frontier cafe.
Davis, recently made chair
man of the Palmer City Park
committee, will outline to the
businessmen the progress so
far on the proposed park plan.
He will also seek the sugges
tions and assistance of local!
people with special knowledge
needed for making the park of
real benefit to all residents and
business firms in the commun
ity.
Davis, who received his mas- i
ters degree in forestry from
Duke university, was employ
ed in New Hampshire and
Maryland before moving to Al
aska. He and his wife, Marjorie, i
a teacher in Palmer’s Central j
school, make their home at Fin
ger Lake.
The Kiwanis club, of which
Davis is a member, started the
park plan as a community
wide project two years ago.
The club had Architect Edwin
Crittenden draw preliminary
plans, which were submitted to
the Palmer City Council and
approved.
When all suggestions have
been received and representa
tives of all local organizations
have assisted the committee in
finalizing the plan, Crittenden
will do the final construction
design.
The park committee hopes to
have the park completed in
three to five years. The com
mittee, headed by Davis, now
includes Dick Demming, Har- j
aid Hughes, and Dean Bronson
who is the appointed represen
tative of the Moose Lodge.
Erika Kalwies
Has Busy Week
Before Contest
Erika Kalwies, Miss Matan
uska Valley of 1962, was the
trophy girl presenting the
awards to winners of the state
wide boat races at Williwaw
Lodge last Sunday.
Wednesday she represented
Alaska State Fair Inc. in the
Fouth of July parade in An
chorage.
Next week the activities in
connection with Miss Alaska
pageant start Wednesday. At
a luncheon of the Soroptimist
club Miss Kalwies will be ac
companied by her chaperone,
Mrs. L. M. ‘Libby'’ Martin.'
After the luncheon, rehearsal
time is scheduled.
A reception tea. open to the
public, will be held from 4 to
5 p.m. Wed., July 11, at the
Westward hotel.
TV interviews of all contest
ants will be broadcast on the
Person to Person show 5:45 -
6 p.m. Wednesday, July 11.
That evening. Greater Anchor
age Inc. is sponsoring a dinner
j at the Chart room of the West
! ward for all the Miss Alaska
contestants and their chaper
ones.
Thursday, July 12, there will
be a motor parade thru An
chorage of the queen contest
ants at noon, followed by a
luncheon starting at 12:15 at
the McKinley Lions club. The
contestants will rehearse from
2 to 4:30 p.m.
The pageant will start at 8
p.m. at the Elks club in Anch
orage. The Coronation Ball
will follow. As only reserved
seats are available, tickets
should be secured in advance.
Alaska State Fair Inc. has tick
ets here at the office fair
grounds. Tickets are $2 per
person.
Stale Fair Queen Contest Open
To All Alaskan Girls This Year
In keeping with the theme
of the 1962 Alaska State Fair,
Inc., “Alaska On Parade,” the
fair queen contest is open to
all qualified young women in
the state of Alaska, according
to Billy R. Miller, fair manager.
Entry blanks and copies of
the rules and regulations for
the 1962 contest are available
at the fair office, located at
the entrance to the grounds in
Palmer. Interested young
women are urged to come in
and sign up, Miller said.
The winner of the contest
will choose between an all-ex
aense-paid tour of several
European countries and a $1,
)00 scholarship to be applied
an first-year expenses at the
aollege of her choice.
Upon announcing her candi
Jacy, the contest entrant agrees
to abide by all the rules and
regulations of the local contest,
which are patterned after those
used in the Miss America pag
aant. The method of judging
the contest is decided by the
tjueen contest committee, and
the decision of the judges will
be final. Judges are non-resi
dents of the valley, not pre
viously acquainted with any of
the entrants.
The candidate and her spon
sors (no more than two are per
mitted) are liable for the raffle
tickets in their possession and
agree to make an accounting at
any time. The candidate must
sell 350 tickets in order to qual
ify as a contestant. Total num
ber of tickets sold will not be
considered in judging the en
trants; however, the girl sell
ing the greatest number will
receive a very attractive gift
(last year a fur parka, won by
Roberta Verrall). The contes
tants will be awarded ten per
cent of all tickets they sell
after qualification, and 25 per
cent of their sales after the
Coronation Ball.
The entrant must have been
a resident of the state for the
past three months, unless she
has been attending school in
another state. In this case, her
parents' official residence must
have been in the state of Alas
ka for the past three months
She must not have competed in
more than one official prelim
inary contest this year.
She must never have been
married nor have had any mar
I riage annulled.
She must be high school gra
duate by September, 1963. She
must be 18 years of age on or
before July 1, 1963, but must
not be over 26 years of age.
Contestants are required to
be of good character and to
possess poise, personality, in
telligence, charm and beauty
[of face and figure. The young
women are required to demon
! state talent, which may be
'singing,' dancing, playing a
musical instrument, a dramatic
reading, art display, dress de
I signing, etc., in a three-minute
routine. She may, if she wishes,
give a three-minute talk on the
career she wishes to pursue.
Contestants must be of non
professional status.
The committee has the priv
ilege of screening all contest
ants before they are permitted
to participate in the finals, to
make sure that they possess
the genuine beauty, talent, in
telligence, and education nec
essary for a representative of
the state and the Alaska State
l air, Inc., for the year in which
she will reien nc mmcr,
POWER TO EXTEND
TO ALMOST 800
NEW CONSUMERS
A loan of $1,581,000 to Mat
anuska Electric Association
was approved Monday by j
Rural Electrification Admin, in
Washington D. C.
Senators E. L. Bartlett and i
Ernest Gruening advised that j
the loan includes allocations |
for 159 miles of distribution
line to serve 793 new rural con-:
sumers, ten miles of 34.5 kilo
watt transmission line, four
miles of tie line and addition
to present headquarters build
ing at Palmer and a new ware
house and garage at Eagle:
River plus other improvements. I
Additional space will be pro- i
vided in the headquarters
building at Palmer, including
a new general meeting room
for use of the Board of Direc
tors and members or general
public gatherings.
The Manager was advised
during conferences with REA
officials in Washington, D. C.
that the application was one of
the best prepared that they had
seen. This statement is high
praise for our chief engineer.
Wiilard Johnson.
Other recent activities of Ma-.
tanuska Electric association are!
summarized in the following
report of Mason LaZelle, MEA
manager:
A loan application is be
ing processed to acquire the
Talkeetna utility and extend
service south to Montana.
There is a good deal of activ
ity in the MEA service area,
which covers the Matanuska,
Lower Susitna, Yentna and
Beluga valleys.
Several exploratory oil wells
are being drilled in the Tyonek '
area, and some mineral explor
ation is proceeding near Bel-i !
aga. Considerable homestead
ing activity is under way in
i/arious sections of the Upper 1
and Lower Susitna valley.
Ftoad construction is proceed- ‘
ng on the Willow-Talkeetna '
highway, and the new highway r
between Talkeena and Sum- *
nit has been brushed out as 1
ar as Hurricane.
MEA has requested a meet- c
\ t
(Continued on page 8) 1
Marjorie McNally
Died Sunday a!
Seattle Hospital
Marjorie V. McNally, wife of
Gerald McNally, died Sunday
morning at University hospital,
University of Washington,
Seattle, from complications fol
lowing surgery.
Mrs. McNally had gone to the
Seattle hospital for surgery
after an allness of many
months. She had worked at the
Swanson school until a back
injury due to a fall, resulted
in the prolonged illness.
Mrs. McNally’s death result
ed from a blood clot which had
moved to her lung and was cut
ting off her blood supply, a
spokesman for the University
hospital said.
It was described as a “very
rare complication.” She had
been admitted May 22 with a
ruptured lumbar disc, a lower
spinal injury
After surgery, she recover
ed from the back injury, the
spokesman said. However,
the clot developed during her
immobility and when she
started moving about during
her rehabilitation the clot
moved to her lung, he added.
Funeral arrangements were
not complete but will be made
in Roaring Springs, Pennsyl
vania.
In addition to her husband,
who is an employe of the Fron
tiersman, Mrs. McNally is sur
vived by six children and one
grandchild: Mrs. David Stout,
and daughter, Chico, Calif.;
Kenneth, U. S. Naval station at
Meridian. Miss.; and Linda,
Randy, and Alice and Jim at
home.
Mrs. McNally was preceeded
in death by a daughter, and
upon her request, she is being
buried by her daughter.
In lieu of flowers, donations
may be made to Rev. Clifford
S. McConnell of the Palmer
Baptist church.
Marjorie McNally, born in
Altoona, Penn., March 26, 1922,
was 39 years old. She had come
to Palmer with her family
about nine years ago. She was
a member of the Albright
Brethren church at Altoona,
Penn., and attended the Baptist
■hurch in Palmer.
Mr. McNally and children
eft Monday evening by plane
or Roaring Springs.
-EAVE FOR STATES
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Cabo wilt
eave on Saturday for Chicago
/here Mr. Cabo will attend the
ational convention of the Elks
i>dge. Cabo is exalted ruler of
he local lodge. From there
hey plan to pick up a new
ar and drive to Virginia and
nen return over the Alaska
ighway.
Butte RoadhouseMile 41 FREE ""«XmLrac
PALMER HIWAY SMORGASBORD Evening of July 6-7 p.m.-?