P-TA SETTLES MANY MATTERS
IN 3-HOUR FINAL MEETING
Everything from atomic pow
er to a discussion of health edu
cation for Valley children occu
pied the time of the record
crowd which attended P-TA last
Tuesday evening, to sit through
a record-making three hours of
meeting.
At what is scheduled to be the
final meeting of the year, retir
ing officers packaged up all odds
and ends of dangling business
before turning over the reins to
incoming officers, who were in
stalled by Mrs. Hugh Dougherty,
past president of an Anchorage
P-TA chapter.
Of chief interest to the many
Valley folk who attended, was an
impromptu discussion of dismis
sals and resignations of two
thirds of Palmer’s teaching staff.
Parents were critical of the
action of their school board, and
asked for clarifying information,
in order that they might better
understand the existing situa
tion. As Paul Martin put it, “Ru
mor continues and people are
being hurt unnecessarily. The
school board has been elected by
us, and the school board should
answer to the town of Palmer.
I, personally, do not care to go
and visit over a cup of coffee
and learn nothing. I would like
a sincere and honest answer. I
am sick of rumor and more
rumor.”
Mrs. Charles Schaefer, retiring
P-TA president, pointed out the
organization had no jurisdiction
over the school board, and was
not free to question its actions,
since Association by-laws clear
ly forbid interference with the
school administrative policy.
Mrs. Victor Johnson suggested
that the discussion be tabled,
since it was outside of P-TA
jurisdiction. However she was
overruled, as parents rose from
all over the hall to voice their
protest against the school board
ruling. No member of the school
board was present to defend the
action of that body.
Mrs. Schaefer suggested that
parents go as individuals to the
IT
next school board meeting, to be
held on May 10, she said. Again
those in attendance protested,
calling for definite action and
investigation. It was reported
that none of the teachers who
had been dismissed was opposed
to investigation of the matter.
To end the discussion, Mrs.
Schaefer asked Jack Maze, one
of the protesting group, to head
a committee to meet with the
school board and request an an
swer to their questions. Mr.
Maze was besieged with volun
teers for committee duty. His
final choice rested on Clyde
King, Jr., Paul Martin, James
Hurley, Bernard Bouwens, Ralph
Moore, Mr. Curtis and Viola
Daniels.
In other business, Charles Dil
lon reported that the P-TA
sponsored “Matanuska Min
strels” had grossed $418.20. The
money will be shared by the
teen-agers and the P-TA. Mrs.
Schaefer announced that the
P-TA’s share would be used to
purchase playground equipment
or other needed articles for the
school. Mrs. Victor Johnson was
named head of the committee to
make the selection for the
P-TA.
Mrs. Schaefer announced that
two Girl Scout troops had been
organized under the leadership
of Mrs. Ed Blom and Mrs. Her
man Turner. The Scouts are
meeting in the basement of the
Church of God.
The matter of district incor
poration came to a final vote,
after a letter from Dr. James
Ryan, commissioner of educa
tion, was read which said no
school construction was possible
in Palmer this year, from terri
torial funds. The group unani
mously approved the presenta
tion of incorporation petitions.
Superintendent Francis Mal
colm reported that six new
swings had been ordered for the
school playground, and asked
for an expression of opinion
from the group on whether
more swings were desirable. The
RUTH HAVENOR MARRIES
News of the marriage of Miss
Ruth Havenor, first manager of
the temporary Valley Hospital,
reached the Valley this week.
Miss Havenor also once served
as public health nurse here.
She was married on April 2 at
the Moscow, Idaho home of her
parents, to Charles V. Parker.
Hamby Fund Buys Diathermy
The Hamby Memorial Fund,
contributed to the Valley Hos
pital to be used in the fight
against cancer, has purchased a
new diathermy machine for the
hospital, it was announced this
week by C. W. Peters, secretary
treasurer of the board. The ma
chine is already in use at the
hospital.
group asked that a full set of 12
swings be installed on the play
ground.
It was further announced that
the P-TA would sponsor a pie
booth at Colony Day, would plan
to have an exhibit at the Valley
fair this fall, and would assist
the school in preparing displays
of school work at the fair.
Reversing the usual order, the
entertainment portion of the
evening had preceded the busi
ness session at the meeting.
Children of the first grade pre
sented a spring pageant, and
Capt. Salvatore Pelle of Fort
Richardson lectured and showed
films on the atomic bomb.
VALLEY GROCERY
% Open 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. Daily
FRESH PRODUCE
•
SUGAR, SO lbs.$6.45
FLOUR, 50 lbs. 6.10
SPRY, 3 lbs. 1.35
SWIFTENING (lard), 3 lbs.. 1.30
NU-BORA . 86
FELS CHIPS. 45
Junior Prom,
Senior Banquet
To Be Saturday
The junior-senior banquet and
junior prom of Palmer High
School, annual farewell gesture
to the graduating class from the
third-year students, will be held
in the Palmer Gym this Satur
day evening.
The banquet is invitational
only, according to announce
ment of Harvey Cooper, publi
city committeeman. However
the prom is open to the public.
Dress will be formal for the la
dies.
Dancing begins at 9 o’clock
and continues until 1 a. m. The
theme of this year’s dance will
be a Hawaiian motif. The prom
king and queen, chosen from the
ranks of the seniors by juniors
at an election to be held tomor
row, will be crowned at appro
priate ceremonies during the
evening.
General prom arrangements
are being planned by Barbara
Hecker, Skip Bouwens and Lar
ry Stock.
PLITTS HAVE SON
Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Plitt of
Palmer became the parents of a
baby son last week. The child,
second son for the Plitts, was
born at the Valley Hospital on
April 20.
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