THE FRONTIERSMAN
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21. 1947, at the post office
at Palmer, Alaska, under the Act of March 3. 1879
T. O. SCHMIDTKE MARY E. MORGAN
Publisher News Editor
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $6 a year in Matanuska Valley Area
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States S7.00 per year
National Advertising Rep—WEEKLY NEWSPAPER REPRESENTATIVES
404 Fifth Avenue. New York 16, New York
WORTH A TRY
The City of Palmer will soon be under the city
manager form of government in actual reality, as the
Council will soon hire, either a temporary manager, or
a permanent one.
As city managers go, their life expectancy in a
city is one of short duration. Many contributing factors go
into their short soan: personality of the manager him
self; pressure from groups or individuals whose toes are
trampled on; or failure of cooperation with the city coun
cil itself. Some cities do, however, manage to keep a
man for many years but they are in the minority.
Some say Palmer has too small a population to
warrant hiring a manager as it would cost $10-$ 15,000
a year. True, Palmer population-wise seems small to have
a city manager, although consideration from the stand
point of revenue collections throws a different viewpoint
on the matter.
From 1962 the city's budget calls for disbursement
of the neighborhood of $200,000, including the sum
of $44,000 for fixed obligations,- such as retirement of
■water and paving bonds.
Handling a sum of that size, to us, seems to warrant
direction of one person, responsible to the council of
course. The city is actually a form of business and we
■can't fathom any business being run by volunteers alone.
It is entirely feasible the manager could, if capable
and with assistance, find ways to perhaps cut costs in
some operations of the city, or even if additional or
better services are available to the taxpayer it would pay
off in the long run
Time will tell if the manager form of government
is conducive to Palmer or not. If not palatable to the
taxpayer after a fair trial citizens can vote it out.
So Long-Gone Homesteading
After a too brief few weeks in Palmer as your
Frontiersman reporter and editor we are leaving to take
•a fling at "homesteading ". In farewell, we want to say
more than just that we have enjoyed being part of Pal
mer and hope to see our many Matanuska Valley friends
-and acquaintances again. In newspapering, more than
any other trade or profession, the community becomes
a vital part of the writer's life; and the news writer, nat
urally, becomes more involved in all the life of the
community than other newcomers.
It is just happenstance that this week the Frontiers
man is publishing on page 6 an article that everyone
should read to know the responsibility a good news
paper must assume to adequately serve the best in
terests of all its community and to fulfill the special
obligations imposed on newspapers by the U. S. Con
stitution's guarantee of freedom of the press. The article,
written by an outstanding man in newspaper circles,
•s emphasing the principle that Freedom of the Press is
'Tight and privilege given to the People, not to the
newspapers, in order that the people may have access
-*eall information available that may enhance their lives.
£>n the newspapers is placed the terrific burden—and
the fine art—of obtaining, interpreting, evaluating and
publishing at their own commercially capitalized expense
all the information available to thus further the indi
vidual lives and community progress of a democrati
cally governed community.
» /ti makes an equation: good community equals
good newspaper; good newspaper equals good com
munity.
And so the news writer always leaves a good
newspaper and good community with a feeling of regret
for no longer being a part of that life and also for the
many ways the writer has not completely fulfilled the
#ask. And this writer, as others before and after, feels
bumble gratitude for all the individual and community
efforts to help the editor of "the best weekly newspaper
in the best town in Alaska." M.M.
MAKING SAFETY WORK
Unless reminded from time to time, we forget
about safety. National Farm Safety Week, July 22-28,
reminds us that the careful person is always looking
ahead to avoid hazardous situations. Farming is recog
nized to be the third most hazardous industry. Look
around your farm,- is it a safe place to live and work?
..... . .. -;t.v
4-H CLUB DAIRY
TEACH...
production
marketing
consumption
I * CALENDAR OF
'Factand
Opinion
David Lawrence writes, in
U. S. News & World Report:
“Our tax system is today a j
hodgepodge of political chican
ery. It defies the basic princip
les of fairness. Above all, it un
dermines individual initiative.
Those citizens who risk their
funds and give their energies
to enterprises that create jobs j
are discouraged by tax rates
that result in virtual confisca
tion of their earnings. The de
magogic cry is raised that the
lower-income groups should
pay less and less. This is not
enlightened self-interest even
for the Treasury. For it means
killing the goose that lays the
golden eggs. The overhauling
of our whole tax structure is
long overdue. The citizens are
willing to pay their just share
of the Government's expenses.
But they cannot long tolerate
unequal and discriminatory
; rules and rates of taxation. For
this is taxation without jus
tice.”
* * *
To help meet the demands
growing enrollments will make
on institutions of higher learn
ing during the next five years,
three foundations financed by
Standard Oil of Indiana will
increase their educational
grants through 1966 to a total
of more than $4 million. This
program, says the company's
president, adds “substantial i
unrestricted grants to leading
universities noted for their!
general excellence, their con-1
tributions to national life, their
significance in training stu
dents from nations of the Free
World, and the quality of their
graduate education.”
* * •
Robert Moses, head of New
York City’s liaison in federal
state-city arterial planning,
and a prominent expert on
transportation, has something
to say about railroad mergers
and the Interstate Commerce
Commission: “If consolidation
of large railroads will forestall
; nationalizations, why let a
I somnolent agency (ICC) that
I inspires little confidence stall
; the merger of the New York
1 Central and Pennsylvania rail
I roads?” He also called for re
I peal of discriminatory legisla
| tion, excessive regulation, and
I reorganization of federal agen
cies under central supervision.
HEAD IN SAND
History contains lots of fic
tion — written by men who
weren’t there.
McCOOL'S
USED FURNITURE & APPLIANCES
IN LEPAK BUILDING
Open Mon. - Fri. — 9 A.M. -6 P.M.
GILLOWS
LAKEVIEW STORE
Wasilla
Grand Opening
Saturday July 28-8 A.M.-6 P.M.
FREE FREE
COFFEE & CAKE
ICE CREAM & BALLONS
$500 FIREMITE OPEN HEARTH STOVE
To Be Given Away August 4th
Register Now for YOUR FREE TICKET
: Hours 8 A.M.— 6 P.M.—Monday - Saturday
Sunday 10 A.M. - 6 P.M.
DiOSl] UiJViJ
IN THE
nun
Thursday, July 24, 1952
A special Chamber of Com- I
merce meeting held yesterday
in the Co-Op Club Room spear
headed a Valley-wide drive for
new roads and better mainten
ance of present ones in this
area. It was agreed by those
present that a complete plan of
proposed new roads and recom
mended improvements for pres
ent ones should be the first
step in the drive to get better
roads in the Valley. The Was
illa road was given number one
priority.
« * *
I'm proud to have been
able to vote for Eisenhower
and help him win the Repub
lican nomination for presi
dent," Territorial Delegate
"Heinie" Snider said last
Thursday on his return to the
Valley from the National
GOP Convention in Chicago.
* * *
1962 Fair prize tickets go on
sale this weekend. Tickets for
selling will be distributed to
morrow to five Fair Queen con
testants who have already in
dicated their intentions to com
pete for the crown. They are
Marilyn Macek, Ginger Parks,
Wanda Lindsey, Patty Plumley,
and Lorene Uzelac.
Open house Monday, July 28
will celebrate the opening of
Bettys’ at their new location in
the Wright building addition.
Coffee and doughnuts will be
served.
* * *
"Toothacres", home of Dr.
and Mrs. Foster Sims on the
Anchorage-Palmer highway
was the scene of a barbeque
attended by members of the
Alaska Dentists Association
last Tuesday. About 90 den
tists and their wives attended
from all over the Territory.
Over 300 persons crowded the
chool gym Saturday night and
enjoyed dancing to the Moose
orchestra at the jointly spon
sored benefit dance held by the
Pioneer Grange and Palmer
Moose lodge.
i ...
The four-hour power-off
that left the entire Malan
uska Valley area without
electricity from dinner time
until after dark last Thurs
day night was caused by a
low-flying plane that got
tangled up in the wires at the
Knik Arm railroad bridge
crossing.
Ideal weather and lots of fish
ombined to make an enjoyable
day for more than 150 Sports
nan Club members and theii
1 tmilies at the annual fish fry
at Barry’s Resort.
* » *
Two members of the Whit
worth College Work Caravan
Genece Oshanyk and Dougla:
Gates, are back in the Vallej
this week to continue work or
their first project—the sandint
and refinishing of exterior log
of the United Protestan
Church.
* * *
Baptized at the United Pro
testant Church Sunday were
the Washburn twins, Cather
ine and Rebecca, daughters
of Dr. and Mrs. Richard
Washburn.
Senate Candidate
Will Address
Republican Women
Frank Cook, Republican can
didate for U. S. senator fron
Alaska, will be guest speake
at the July 27 meeting of thi
Republican Women’s Club, a
1:30 Friday afternoon at t h «
home of Louise Kellogg a
Spring Creek farm. This meet
ing will be open to the public
^*******************•5
I Wasilla
! Assembly of God
Rev Paul E. Riley.
* Pastor
lj:Sun. School -10 a.m.
*Morn. Church Serv. 11 a.m.
*Even. Serv. _7:30 p.m.
* Prayer and Bible
* Study, Wednesday 7:30 p.m.
% Phone FR-6-3161
%******************-*-*
I
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>
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>
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Sunday
Genesis
24:15-27
Wednesday
Mark
10:2-9
Monday
Genesis
24:01-67
Thursday
Hosea
2:14-20
Tuesday
Ruth
4:13-17
Friday
1 Peter
3:1-7
Saturday
I Corinthian*
7:1-7
_____ 10«r>, Keister Adverti$ii»u Service, Inc.t Strnslnirtf, Va.
The Following Business Establishments Are Contributing This Series of Advertisement!
the Churches of Matanuska Valley
FIRST
DATE
i THE CHURCH FOR ALL . . .
ALL FOR THE CHURCH
The Church ia the greatest (actor
on earth (or the building of char
acter and good citizenship. It i> a
storehouse of spiritual values. With
out a strong Church, neither de
imocrscy nor civilization can sur
vive. "There are (our sound reasons
why every person should attend
services regularly and support the
Church. They are: (I) For his
own sake. (2) For his children’s
, sake. (3) For the sake of his com
| munity and nation. (4) For the
i sake of the Church itself, which
< needs his moral and material sup
port. Plan to go to church regu
larly and read your Bible daily.
It was in May, several years ago that Mildred moved
next door. That was a break for Eric. It is so easy to get
acquainted with one’s neighbors.
The first date naturally called for careful strategy.
You don t want to seem too eager — but you want to know
what she likes . . . and what she’s like. Eric’s and Mildred’s
first date was a Youth Fellowship supper at the church.
Eric happens to be a leader of this group. And Mildred
happens to be an earnest Christian girl.
pf course, happens is a very broad word. It means
that Eric s and Mildred’s parents had once decided that
a son or a daughter ought to be given the advantage of
religious training.
Now Eric and Mildred are engaged. And everybody
says they were meant for each other. And the altar before
PJ110™ey take their vows will be the heart of the religious
life of their family. Thus it happens!
THE FRONTIERSMAN
EVAN JONES COAL CO.
A LOCAL CITIZEN
MATANUSKA TELEPHONE ASSN.
MATANUSKA VALLEY BANK
V.
POLLOCK DISCUSSES STATE'S FINANCES
"This State is in serious fin
ancial trouble,” Howard W.
Pollock Republican candidate
for governor, said in an address
at the Palmer Grange hall re
cently. “We are spending
roughly one-third more than
our anticipated recurring re
venues, and unless we learn
soon to live within our reason
ably anticipated recurring rev
enues. this State will face cer
tain chaos.”
Referring to the recent sale
of oil leases, Pollock said, “We
will most certainly have to go
through a painful process of ec
onomic adjustment after these
POLICE CITATIONS
Citations issued by the Pal
: mer Police Dept, from July 7
to 24 included: 9 parking tick
ets, 1 shop lifting. 3 speeding,
! i driving while intoxicated,
; leaving the scene of an acci
; dent and disorderly conduct, 2
faulty muffler, 3 failure tc
stop at a stop sign.
oil revenues are dissipated and
no longer available.”
“As Governor of Alaska," he
added, “I would pledge myself
to do away with economic in
eptitude and bring fiscal integ.
rity into our government ... it
is my belief that the oil lease
revenues should be utilized for
capital improvements and de
velopment, not to cover the
day-to-day operating costs of
the government.”
ST. JOHN
LUTHERAN
CHURCH
! Rev. R. H. Frill,
Palmer, Alaska
Divine Services
Sunday School 9:45 A.M.
IN ANY LANGUAGE
OUR SERVICE IS THE BEST
•
FOR DRIVING CO N F I D E N C E
SERVICE-UP
HERE FIRST
When it comes to fast,
friendly service — and all
the little extras that make
your driving more pleasant
— see us! We always take^
better care of your car!
KIRK'S
SALES and SERVICE
PI 5-2200 Palmer