Thought of the Week:
Marriage is a process of find
ing out what kind of a guy your
wife would have preferred.
ALASKA HiS T0
i
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
••'CAL SOCIETY 9
VOLUME 14, NUMBER 32
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. MAY 3. 1962
TEN PAGES
PRICE 15 CENTS'
Reporters—
Notebook.
Shannon Mick of Palmer,
student at Alaska Methodist
University, is among students
who will participate May 4 in
the Alaska Methodist Univer
sity Chorale to be held at Syd
ney Laurence Auditorium at
8:15 p.m.
* * *
Palmer Elks will have a
fresh butter clam feed Satur
day night, feasting on clams
dug by brother Elks.
* * *
Busy in town this week is
H. P. Gazaway, former econo- !
mist at the Experiment Sta
tion, who is back in Alaska for I
a short period of time, work- j
ing in the Fairbanks area on
proposed area redevelopment
planning.
★ * *
Mrs. Ada Boyd, Swanson j
School teacher, has returned to
Palmer following a trip to Seat
tle where she underwent medi
cal treatment.
* * *
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Harrison
and family, Palmer residents
the past several years, have
moved to North Carolina where
they plan to make their home.
* * *
Peter Nelson, seaman, USN
son of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Nel
son of Wasilla is serving aboard
the heavy cruiser USS Helena,
a unit of the First Fleet which
was scheduled to visit the Seat
tle World’s Fair between April
26 and 30.
PIONEER BAND
COMPLIMENTED
AT FESTIVAL
The PHS Pioneer Band, un
der the direction of Lee Plum
bley, received a rating of ex
cellent during the recent Mus
ic Festival, held in Anchorage.
In addition, band members
Bill Combs received an excell
ent plus; Fred Barnes was rat
ed excellent, as was Elaine
Pinkham, and the Drum Corps
also drew an excellent rating.
The band was complimented
on the musicality of its per
formance, its terrific appear
ance, and their discipline. The
judge said he felt the musician
ship of the band to be exem
plary. He offered suggestions
on intonation and pitch sense,
and added he found the band
superior in its technical ability
and interpretation.
GOVERNOR EGAN
TO DEDICATE
WILLOW BUILDINGS
Governor William A. Egan
will participate in the dedica
tion of the Willow School and
the Willow Community Build
ing on Sunday, May 6, it was
announced this week.
The ceremony will begin at
11:30 a.m., followed by a buf
fet luncheon and a reception
for the governor.
The 40- by 60-foot com
munity building was con
structed of logs under a
State Depressed Area pro
gram, with local labor. Ma
terial for the building was
supplied by the Willow Area
Civic Orangization, through
various fund-raising endeav
ors and from contributions
from members and other in
terested individuals.
The governor’s committee in
charge of the project consisted
of Ray C. White, chairman;
William Friday and Leaman
Hazel. Harold Nelson also serv
ed on the committee for a short
time. The building was con
structed for multiple use, in
cluding use as a health center
or clinic, emergency school, and
for community acivities.
Several valley residents co
operated with the committee by
assisting in securing materials,
funds and technical advise.
Among those were James Hur
ley, James Wilson, C. Ivan
Branton, Jalmar Kerttula, Ed
Smith and Matanuska Electric
Association employees.
An invitation is extended to
the public to attend the dedica
tion.
United Protestant Church
To Observe Anniversary
k. "The Church of a
Thousand Trees", the
United Protestant
Church in Palmer,
was so named be
cause of its construc
tion. Built 25 years
|| ago of logs, the struc
ture has had little
| change since the
I early Colony days
[ when Protestants of
» the area joined forces
| and erected the
I building. On Sunday,
i May 6, the 25th an
f niversary of the
I church will be ob
I served with special
I services. All friends
I of the church are in
I viled to attend.
*>»* The first service
held in United Pro
t; testanl Church, some
|' 25 years ago is pic
I lured. Since that time
the original, relative
ly small congregation
has grown in num
bers. Many families
will recall memories
|a of special services,
B weddings and bap
E tisms that have been
H held in the church
H during the past quar
; " ter of a century.
On Sunday, May 6, the Uni
ted Protestant Chur'h in Pal
mer will celebrate it’s 25th an
niversary.
Twenty-live years-ago, un
der the leadership of the
Rev. Bert J. Bingle. Presby -
terian missionary, members
of several religious denomi
nations met to found a Uni
ted Protestant congregation.
Through the zeal and dili
gent work of these persons,
the “Church of a Thousand
Trees” was erected. Since that
time a basement has been add
ed and other minor alterations
have been made. Basically, the
sanctuary has remained as
originally constructed, and the
log church stands as one of the
valley’s prime attractions.
All former ministers and
charter members of the church
have received invitations to at
tend both the anniversary din
ner at six o’clock and the eve
ning services which will fol
low at 7:30. Other members
and friends of the church over
the past 25 years are cordially
invited to attend.
The Rev. Earl Jackman, un
til recently Secretary of Work
in Alaska, will be the guest
speaker at the dinner.
Those planning to attend the
dippej; are asked to make res- i
‘ervations as soon as possible
through Mrs. Gail Rowland
(PI 5-4063) or at the church
office, (PI 5-4370). A charge of
$1.00 for adults and 50 cents
for children will be made.
The Rev. Bingle, who ser
ved as pastor of the church
from May, 1935 to March,
1941. now serves as caretak
er at King's Lake Camp. He
was installed as Pastor Erne
rilus of the United Protest
ant Church last May.
The Rev. Paul Prowty and
the Rev. O. Wilburn Randall
each served about one year as
interim pastors until the Rev.
Victor Alfsen was called in Oc
tober, 1943. Since Rev. Alf
sen’s resignation in August.
1951, he has served the Nation
al Mission Board in many ca
pacities; mainly as pastor in
Fairbanks and in Seoul, Korea.
He is presently residing in
Colorado.
Another interim pastor, the
Rev. Harry Gayley, led the
congregation from October,
1951 to June, 1952. In july of
that year the jRev. Brian Cle
vvorth arrived in Palmer, re
signing in May, 1956 to become
assistant secretary of work in
Alaska, with headquarters in
Juneau. At present he is pastor
of the First United Presbyter
ian Church in Fairbanks.
Although Arthur French,
student minister in 1956, was
only with the congregation for
three months, many remember
him. He and his wife and fam
ily are presently ministering to
congregations on St. Lawrence
Island.
The Rev. Bertram Rutan was
called from Skagway in Sep
tember, 1956 and after four
years of service in this part of
Alaska, left to accept a church
in Aberdeen, Washington.
Southeastern Alaska again
provided the congregation with
another minister, the Rev. Paul
Moyer, in July, 1960, w h o is
present pastor of the church.
At the anniversary dinner,
old pictures will be shown
which it is expected will be en
joyed by many.
HIGH SCHOOL CHORUS RECEIVES ONLY
“SUPERIOR” RATING GIVEN AT FESTIVAL
The Palmer High School
chorus received the only rat
ing of “Superior” given to a
high school chorus at the
Southwestern Alaska Music
Festival in Anchorage this
past weekend. The chorus sang
“The God of Abraham Praise”
and “Be Thou Near Me, Lord”.
This is the second year that
Palmer has received the super
ior rating. Mrs. John Koranda
is chorus director.
Grace Hurt, who received a
superior rating for her vocal
solo, “A Brown Bird Singing”,
was chosen to sing at the Sat
urday evening festival concert,
however, Miss Hurt developed
laryngitis and could not per
form. Fred Dundas also receiv
ed the superior rating for h:s
tenor solo, “He”.
The Girls Triple Trio receiv
ed excellent rating, as did Terry
Niemann and Betty Maurer for
their duet, “All Through the
Night.” These soloists and en
embles will perform at the
spring concert to be presented
May 8 at 8 p.m. in the high
school cafeteria, along with the
chorus.
During the concert members
of the chorus will present a
35 mm. Canon automatic cam
era to a lucky winner. Ticket
holders need not be present to
win the camera. The camera
retails for $130 and tickets
or from chorus and ensemble
members, as may concert tick
ets.
Proceeds trom the concert
and raffle will help defray the
expenses of the recent festival.
Richard Demming
Heads State
Surveyor Society
Richard Demming of Palmer,
registered surveyor, was elect
ed president of the Alaska
Society of Professional Land
Surveyors during the organiza
tion’s third annual meeting,
held April 27 in Anchorage.
Elected to serve with Dem
ming during the coming
year were Sanley S. McLane
of K e n a i, vice-president;
Charles Parker of Soldotna.
secretary; and David Bear,
Anchorage, director.
Land surveyors throughout
the State were represented at
the meeting.
Demming, who replaces Ro
bert B. Haight of Fairbanks
as president, has been in sur
vey practice in this area the
past 15 years.
YAA TO HOUSE
FEW PRISONERS
HERE TEMPORARILY
According to Russell Lowell
of the State Youth and Adult
program, it is planned to house
a small number of adult male
prisoners in the dining building
on the fairgrounds for a short
period of time. Arrangements
were completed this week with
directors of Alaska State Fair,
Inc. for the use of the addition
al building. The Authority has
been using one of the other
buildings for storage purposes.
The men, who will be kept
under 24-hour surveilance, have
been carefully screened. None
of them will be persons having
committed any major crime.
"Some are bad check passers,
some picked up for drunk and
disorderly charges — most of
them are between the ages of
20 and 30 years. When they
have served their time, they
will be returned to the city
from which they came, none
will remain here in Palmer,”
Lowell said.
The men will be part of the
work crew who are preparing
the adult prison camp in the
Buffalo Mine area. While s‘ly
ing at the fairgrounds, the men
will be working on the grounds,
cleaning winter debris and
helping ready the grounds for
the year’s fair, Lowell said.
UTAH GOVERNOR
URGES ALASKANS
BECOME ALERT
Governor George Dewey
Cyde of Utah was a guest at
the May 2 meeting of the Mat
anuska Valley Chamber of
Commerce, and in an interest
ing talk, compared many of
Alaska’s present and coming
problems with those of his
home state.
Governor Clyde emphasized
that Alaskans must not be too
anxious to set aside areas of
land, and preserve inviolate,
before it is known what land
will be needed for develop
ment purposes.
He said that he is not op
posed to wilderness areas,
national parks, refuges, etc.,
but felt they must, by neces
sity, be kept at a reasonable
size, commensurate with the
purpose for which they were
created.
“Following the war Utah lost
thousands of its youth who
went elsewhere to find oppor
tunity. We were then shipping
our copper, gold and silver out
of the state for processing. We
were a 'feeder' state. This
couldn't go on and in 1956 we
found that we had resources
that we hadn't previously ex
plored. We found gas and oil.
in spite of being told there was
none in Utah.
Speaking of tourism as a re
source. Governor Clyde warn
ed against too much reliance on
tourists. Economy based on
tourism is too shaky, he point
ed out. First, he added, it is
seasonal, and in economic re
cessions, very rough. He point
ed out that too rigid controls
and conditions will create road
blocks to Alaska’s develop
ment. He added lands put in
Federal reserves are never
taken out and cited examples
of how natural resources car
be lost to a state if located or
Federal reserve land.
On a wider plane. Gover
nor Clyde stated that our
American heritage was nev
er before so much in jeop
ardy as it is today.
Tracing American history
back 185 years he pointed out
that those under bondage
reached out for freedom. Their
spiritual faith and courage en
abled them to reach America,
and fight to preserve their be
liefs. In a very short space of
time we became the richest
nation on the earth, he said.
Prosperity breeds compla
cency . . . we let the govern
ment do everything for us,
then we are ripe for the tak
ing . . . our next step is bond
age. Where we go from here
—will we follow the path of
history in the next 15 years
or will we recognize the sit
uation and put a stop to it.
"The decision is in your
hands and others like us
throughout the land," he
said.
In one generation, he added
a new ideology was created,
grown and today controls one
third of the people of the
world,, and has practical con
trol over another one third.
He compared the Communis
tic form of government, where
the government is the people,
rather than the people being
(Continued on Page 10)
COAL PRODUCERS
LEARN CONVERSION
IS FORSTALLED
Word was received by local
coal industries on Wednesday
of this week that the Depart
ment of Defense' consideration
of early conversion of military
power plants from coal to nat
ural gas has been sent back to
the committee for further
study and that no conversion
will take place this year.
Representatives of the lo
cal coal industry expressed
their appreciation for the
help given by the hundreds
of local citizens who wired,
wrote, and called Washing
ton, D.C. protesting the con
version at this time.
Protests to the proposed con
version were made not only on
a local level, but from through
out the state, the office ol
Governor William Egan, and
the U.S. Congressional delega
tion in Washington.
Citizenship Stressed
In Youth Day Events
In observance of May 1 as
Elks National Youth Day, the
local high school, city and
state officials, and the Palmer
Elks lodge, cooperated in a
day-long program in which
many of the area youth parti
cipated.
The program was started
early Tuesday morning when
youths turned out to fill rep-1
nesentative offices in the city
and state government. At noon
all were guests of the Kiwanis
Club of Palmer at a luncheon
meeting held in Grange hall.
During the afternon ses
sion, while members of the
street, water, police, fire de- j
partments and clerk's office
were busy with their duties,
youths representing the City
Planning Commission, City
Council and the office of
Mayor, held meetings. Min- j
utes turned over by Ginger
Lawton who served as secre
tary of the planning com
mission, showed a number of
suggestions made for im
provements in the city, in
cluding: Cleaning of the
cemetery and placing a stone
wall around the property;
livestock removed from in
side city: work on park; side
walk in front of Pioneer :
Apartments; mail delivery
box at high school; good
trash cans on streets; area
both sides of railroad tracks
in downtown area cleared
and made to look more at
tractive; relocation of post
office; Chamber of Com
merce building for tourist in
formation; and the group em
phasized the need for a side
i walk, both sides of the road
j leading to high school and
better repair on this same
road.
'■ During the Council meeting,
| which was presided over by
; Youth Day Mayor Mike Stei
i ger, farm animals in the city
I were again brought up, sug
gesting enforcement of ordi
nance; discussed unattractive
signs in front of business es
tablishments; it was suggested
city build golf course: indoor
swimming pool; that janitor oil
mayor's chair; that city elimi
nate rock in front of Carpen
ters hall; and change of the
city seal to a more progressive
type picture was suggested.
Minutes of the meeting were
submitted by Youth Day City
Clerk Cheryl Leek.
There were approximately
100 persons at a dinner held in
honor of the youths that eve
ning, including city, state antfr
school officials. Wilson Woods
served as master-of-ceremonies
and introduced the speciafc
guests, including Mayor B i 1 f
Miller who told the youths:
“One is never too old to learn,
and we are all still students.
We celebrate May 1 as Youth
Day, compared to the Commu
nists who celebrate the same
day in a far different vein.
Mayor Miller presented
Kathy Hulbert and Stanley
Tucker, American Legion scho
larship awards.
Exalted Ruler Ben Cabo
made a resume of the Elks
youth activities and reported
some 2,200 Elks lodges thru
out the country were honor
ing youths on May Day.
Elks during the past year, he
said, have donated in awards
and scholarships a total of $lVi
million. Cabo presented $25
savings bonds to Sheri Draze
and Fred Barnes as Elks Youth
Leadership contest winners.
William Zahradnicek, super
intendent of Palmer schools,
expressed thanks to the Elks
organization for their help to
youth of today. He told the
youths that “. . . as you grmw
up, you won't always get a
free iunch and dinner as you
(Continued on page 7)
6 FILINGS MADE
FOR DISTRICT SEAT
There are six known filings
for the House of Representa
' tives seat in District 7. Up un
I til the final few days, it ap
peared that Aaron Combs (D>
I of Wasilla would be the only
candidate.
By deadline time on Tues
day, filings had been reported
by Jalmar Kerttula (D), incum
bent of Palmer, Thomas (Pat)
Carter (D), of Wasilla, James
Frey (R) of Palmer, Eugene
Reid (R) of Palmer and Alfred
V. Hagen (R) of Wasilla. Frey,
Reid and Hagen have all
sought, or held, political offices
in the past. This is the first
venture for Carter and for
Combs.
Few Voters Attend
Charter Hearing
Apparently the proposed city
charter meets the approval of
the people in the City of Pal
mer. Only 10 persons, including
two interested persons who do
not reside within the city
limits, were in the audience at
the public hearing held by city
officials and members of the
City Charter Commission on
Wednesday night of this week.
The meeting was opened by
Ralph Moore, Charter Commis
sion chairman, and an informal
discussion period followed dur
ing which a few minor ques
tions were answered.
Officials expressed regret
that the majority of city voters
; had neglected to attend the
j meeting. It was pointed out
that many weeks of study and
work went into the final char
ter copy. The charter was print
ed in its entirety in the Fron
tiersman and copies mailed to
all known voters of the city.
When questioned as to whe
there or not the city can afford '
to hire the services of a city |
manager, Moore said that this r
same question had been dis- j
cussed many times at charter
meetings. ,-As far as we could
determine,” Moore stated, “a
city manager should not cost
the taxpayer one dime. The
| work he would perform as a
| trained and qualified city man
age would save the city con
siderable dollars over his sal
ary. It was proposed that a
manager be selected from out
side Alaska.
"We recommend that a man
be selected that is known to
no one in Palmer. By going
outside the State we feel this
will be possible. In this way
the manager would come into
Palmer with an unbiased op
inion—wouldn't be afraid of
'stepping on someone's toes',"
said Bertram Duff, member
of the Charter Commission
and former member of the
City Council.
Duff pointed out that as a
councilman, no individual has
the power to authorize work
projects, or give specific in
structions to city employees.
This is done through council
action only. "Yet.” he added,
“I and every person who has
ever served on a Council, has
had occasions arise where it
was necesary to do just that.
With a city manager, work
projects would be lined up in
advance; he would have time
and talent to plan ahead. Such
planning would avoid many of
the ‘emergency’ type decisions
that have had to be made by
(Continued on Page 10)
Mother's Day
The usual corsages,
arrangements &
Pot Plants
Maud's Flowers
PI 5-4056