The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may have for sale,
rent or lease.
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 31
PALMER. ALASKA, THURSDAY. MAY 27. 1954
PRICE TEN CENTS
Chamber Asks City
Take Over Airport
The airport committee of the
Matanuska Valley Chamber of
Commerce recently offered a
suggested program in regard to
the local airport situation to the
City of Palmer for consideration.
The recommendation included
the City acceptance of title to the
airport property from the Terri
to:y of Alaska. That the airplane
parking area be cleared and tie
down cable be installed, with in
dividual parking spaces to be
rented out at a rate of $5.00 per
month.
Included in the suggested pro- '
gram was leasing of present
farmable land approximately
five acres, at $10 per acre per
year, and the clearing of other
farmable land to lease out, or
enter into a lease with the con
sideration being further clearing.
Another proposal would be plac
ing a tax of two cents per gal
lon on all aviation gasoline sold
within the city, the receipts from
which would be used for airport
improvements and maintenance.
According to their findings,
necessary maintenance of the
present outlay would entail an
annual expenditure oi approxi
mately $700. The suggested pro
gram, they felt, >vould bring an
nual receipts as f&Hows: Rental
of parking areas, $600; lease of
five acres, $50, and gasoline tax,
$200, for a total of $850. Other
revenues could be expected as
the other acreage of farmable
lar.d is cleared, they stated.
The consideration of this or
some other workable program to
aid the development of our pres
en' aviation industry was ear
nestly solicited by the committee.
The program is being studied by
members of the City Council.
LITTLE LEAGUE
TEAMS TO FORM
.All Little League players are
urged to turn out at 6:30 Friday
■night at the Little League base
ball diamond in the Co-Op area,
accompanied by their parents.
Coaches, umpires and commit
tee members are also asked to
turn out. Bill Fogg, president said
this week. All youngsters who
have uniforms are asked to take
them to the field. Teams for the
■corning season will be formed.
Little League play is open to all
hoys between the ages of 8 and
13.
WATER TO BE ALLOWED
FOR GARDENS, LAWNS
All water users tn the city
who are planning a garden
this year will be happy to
learn that members of the
City Council voted at the May
25 meeting to allow extra wat
er, at no cost, with which to
water gardens, lawns, and
streets in an effort to help
beautify the city.
Water users will be infor
med of the proposal by notice
from the city clerk. Those
users who wish to take advan
tage of the offer will be ask
ed to sign a form each month
establishing an estimated
amount of water used for that
purpose. Water used for wat
ering purposes will be allow
ed up to a 2,000 gallon increase
without paying more than the
average of the previous three
month’s average. The program
will be in effect during the
billing periods of May 20 to
August 20 only.
Betty Jo Riddle
To Direel PARC '
Summer Playground
Betty Jo Riddle was selected
director of the Palmer Area
Recreation Council summer play
ground program by members of
the board of directors at their
regular meeting held last week.
In addition to Miss Riddle,
members also decided in favor of
three or four junior counselors
from the local high school who
will assist her in the program,
slated to begin about June 14.
In addition to the junior assist
ants, Miss Riddle stated that she
anticipates support from men
and women volunteers, interest
ed, in the program. Not only will
the help of volunteer adults be
welcome to help keep order;
those with special talents in
crafts, sports, and other play
ground activity are invited to
get in touch with Miss Riddle or
other members of the PARC
planning committee in the near
future. There will also be plenty
of opportunity for service club
projects in getting equipment
and facilities ready. Much of the
equipment will be made in craft
Continued on page 5
POPPY DAY PROCLAMATION
J I
BY ACTING MAYOR BETTY MEARS
All citizens of Palmer were urged to (wear a memorial poppy
'on Saturday, May 29, in a proclamation issued this week by Acting
Mayor Betty Mears, setting the day aside as Poppy Day. Pointing
out that the wearing of the poppy is an individual tribute to the
memory of America’s war dead, the proclamation stated:
“Whereas young men of the City of Palmer, Alaska are
serving in the defense of our country and are taking their places
among our honored citizens alongside those who have served in
other wars, and
“Whereas the roll of those who have given their lives in
the nation’s defense is increasing as war takes its toll of our
finest young men, and
“Whereas the memory of those citizens of the Matanuska
Valley who make the supreme sacrifice for America should live
forever in the hearts of all citizens of our City, and
“Whereas annual wearing of the memorial poppy is an in
dividual tribute to the war dead, showing that we remember and
are grateful for their sacrifices in our behalf, now
“Therefore, I, Betty Mears, Acting Mayor of the City of
Palmer, do hereby proclaim Saturday, May 29, to be Poppy'Day
in the City of Palmer, Alaska, and I urge all citizens to observe
the day by wearing the memorial poppy.”
TO KEEP THE FAITH
By Moina Michael
Oh, you who sleep in Flanders’ Fields
Sleep sweet — to rise anew.
We caught the torch you threw
With all who died.
And holding high, we keep the Faith
We cherished, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a luster to‘the red
Of the flowers that bloom above the dead
In Flanders’ fields!
And now the torch and poppy red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ve learned the lesson that ye taught
In Flanders’ fields!
PLAN TO CONSTRUCT
PERMANENT EXHIBIT
BUILDING FOR FAIR
A concrete block permanent
building, 52-by 120-feet, is plan
ed for construction this year,
Valley Fair Association announc
ed following their May 25 meet
ing. The structure would have
10-foot ceilings with a 16-foot
center aisles.
Each side would be divided
into exhibit booth space, with
front footage at a minimum of
10 feet. For this year the build
ing would be used to house ex
hibits of the commercial and in
ustrial type, and board members
stated the building can be finan
ced over a period of three years
out of the sale of front-foot ex
hibit space to consistant exhibit
ors. Over-all program plans are
being formulated, they said, to
include another permanent type
building to be available next year
for club-type exhibits.
Each booth will be of 18-feet
depth, with front space running
from 10 feet up. Permanent space
will be sold at $20 per front foot.
The building will probably be
located in the north east corner
of the fairgrounds, according to
announcement, and will be so
constructed as to afford easy ac
cess to exhibitors and fairgoers.
Construction will begin as soon
3s possible, they added, with
plans calling for completion be
fore the fair opens on September
4. All exhibitors interested in ob
taining space in the new building
are invited to contact A1 Brooks,
board president, or other mem
bers of the fair board.
In addition to its use during the
annual fair, the building would
(Continued on page 8)
MEMORIAL DAY
SERVICES TO
BEGIN AT 12:15
The observance of Memorial
Day, Sunday, May 30, will be
conducted by the American Le
gion Post 15 and members of the
Auxiliary at the Palmer Ceme
tery. The program will begin at
12:15 p.m. All Valley churches
have received letters which will
he read at Sunday services, ex
tending an invitation to all resi
dents to attend Memorial Day
services, planned this year to en
able participation of those who
would have been in church at
the customary hour of 11 a.m.,
when memorial services have
been held in the past in the Val
ley.
Fopter R. Sim|S, department
commander, will be the speaker
at tne services wmcn win nonor
the dead of the Civil War, Span
ish-American War; World Wars
I and II, and the Korean War.
All residents of the Valley
were urged this week by John
Wei§enberger, post commander,
to participate in the observance
of Memorial Day by attending
the services Sunday afternoon.
STORES AND OFFICES
TO CLOSE MONDAY
Many places of business in
Palmer will be closed Monday,
May 31, in observance of Me
morial Day which falls on
Sunday this year. Federal of
fices, the City Clerk’s office,
the Matanuska Valley Bank,
Bettys’, all departments of the
Co-Op, Grasser Hardware,
Kimballs and The Frontiers
man have announced they will
be closed.
City May Annex
New High School Area
FIFTH GENERATION
ALASKAN GRADUATES
FROM PALMER HIGH
Donald R. Ingalls, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Donald Ingalls of
Palmer, is a member of the
fifth generation of his family
to live in Alaska, and is a
member of the third genera
tion of the family to have
graduated from an Alaskan
high school.
Mrs. L. H. Johnston of Skag
way, maternal grandmother of
Ingalls, graduated from the
Skagway High School in 1907.
Mrs. Haleen Ingalls, his moth
er, graduated from the same
school in 1930. His great,
great grandmother lived in
Alaska 26 years; his great
grandmother for 38 years and
his gi'andmother for 55 years.
Hundreds Attend
Graduation; New
Scholarship Awarded
Parents and friends turned out
in large numbers Wednesday
night to witness the graduation
of 46 seniors from the Palmer
High School Colonel Paul Maur
er, chief of chaplains of the U. S.
Army in Alaska gave an inspir
ing address, in the absence of
Senator John Gorsuch who was
unable to fulfill this part of the
program because of illness.
“How stands the Union?” Col.
Maurer asked the graduates ar.d
assembly. “With the future of
America and your community in
the hands of youths such as
these graduating tonight, I do not
believe we need worry about
how stands the Union”, he start
ed. In a message to parents Col.
Maurer told that of his many,
many years of dealing with young
people, almost all their problems
could be traced back to the par
ents. “Not parents in broken
homes,” he added, “but parents
of homes in which there is con
fusion and unrest.” He charged
the graduates with five words—
(Continued on page 8)
ihe problem of getting water
to the new Palmer High School,
now under construction just out
side city limits was discussed at
the May 18 and 25 meeting of the
City Council. With construction
well under way it was pointed
out that the water will be need
ed very soon. At the present
time water users in that area are
getting water off the Co-Op line,
however there are no lines going
into the school building and the
Co-Op has indicated they do not
have adequate water supply to
furnish another large user.
An offer will be made to the
Palmer School District whereby
the School District would con
struct the water line to the new
high school, paying for it and
then transferring title to the city
immediately on its completion.
The City of Palmer will assume
responsibility for maintenance
and will reimburse the School
District for full cost of the line
by means of water furnished to
the school at the regular metered
until cnr»h timp ac tuaf.
er line is paid for in full and in
terest on investment as a yet-to
be-established rate per annum.
The. City of Palmer would ac
quire any easements necessary
and get approval for the new line
from the Department of Health.
Plans for the water line would
have to have Council approval
before constructed.
Propose Annexation
Following the decision, council
members pointed out the advan
tage to residents of the annexa
tion of that section of the Valley
north to the city limits at some
future time. With the present
city limits going only just be
yond the Fairgrounds, municipal
departments can not operate in
the new high school district. It
means that there will be no po
lice protection, other than Terri
torial Police or from the U. S.
Marshal’s office in Anchorage.
There will be no zoning control.
The annexation discussion also
pointed out that water users in
the area would be able to hook
onto the city system.
MAYOR BUYS FIRST POPPY
_ f ' ' ' . » T ?.
Acting Mayor Betty Mears purchases the first American
Legion Poppy fr,;m Dorothy Campbell, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Harry Campbell, and a member of Brownie Troop
71. Looking on are Mrs. Richard Demming. American
Legion Auxiliary member and chairman of the Poppy
committee, and Jeanne Brunner, daughter of Mrs. Jerry
Brunner. Poppy sales will be conducted throughout the
Valley Saturday. May 29.
/
ELKS AND INVITED CUESTS ONLY
ELKS HALL