PALMER P-TA MEETING
TUESDAY, NOV. 8
HIGH SCHOOL — 8 P.M.
THE FRONTIERSMAN
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLET
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CLASSIFIED AD for that
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VOLUME 9, NUMBER 2
PALMER, ALASKA. THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 1955
PRICE TEN CENTS
Doctors Get Limited
Y
iccine
?4rs. Jeanne Clough, public
health nurse, announced today
that the polio vaccine allocated
to the Valley has arrived and has
been dispensed to local physi
cians. The Alaska Department of
Health purchased the vaccine for
Alaskans with funds from Con
gress. Enough vaccine has been
supplied for two injections, ap
proximately one month apart.
The Sail, vaccine may be ad
ministered to only pregnant
women and children five through
nine years of age who have not
yet received the polio vaccine.
The Health department has rec
ommended that those eligible for
vaccinations receive their injec
:i-oas as soon as possible. Because
«f a short supply, it was explain
ed, it will he necessary to recall
unused vaccine after two months
an order to send it for use in other
communities.
All persons eligible for the vac
cinations are urged to contact
their family physician. The Polio
Advisory Board recently recom
mended that a reasonable charge
ctf $2.50 per injection may be
charged by the administering
physician if he so chooses. Mrs.
Clough announced that at a later
date plans will be made to give
vsioeinations through the local
health center.
P-TA MEETING NIGHT
CHANGED TO NOV 8
The regular meeting night of
the Palmer Parent-Teacher Asso
ciation has been advanced one
week in order to coincide with
.American Education Week ob
servances.
The meeting will be held Tues
day., November 8, at 8 p.m.
the High School cafeteria.
There will be a short business
meeting following which the pro
gram for the evening will be pre
sented by the Palmer Education
Association. A quartet composed
«T Bessie James, Beverly Hunter,
Gloria Wilson and Olga Reiger
will sing. Barbara Smart will
present a talk on the subject “The
Three Member Team in Learning
to Read”.
Refreshments will be served at
line close of the program.
FAIR ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL MEETING
SET FOR NOV. 8
All members of the Matan
liska Valley Pair Associtaion
are reminded of the annual
membership meeting which
will be held Tuesday, Novem
ber 15 at 8 p.m. in the Co-Op
rec hall. Annual reports, a fi
nancial statement, and election
at officers will be conducted.
Constructive suggestions for
the 1956 Matanuska Valley
Pair will be accepted from the
membership during a discus
sion period.
mat
JmLALlMi i f Al
SIT TIGHT
BUY RIGHT
better buy BUICK!
Glenn Highway to
Wasilla Road May
Re Paved by ARG
A possibility that a section of
road, running from Wasilla Road
to Glenn Highway, may b° paved
in the near future was advanced
by William J. Niemi, chief en
gineer, Alaska Road Commission,
during a luncheon held during the
League of Alaska Cities conven
tion. Congress recently author
ized paving construction through
cities where such roads are
through roads, such as the strip
from the Glenn Highway to city
limits on the Wasilla Road. Niemi
speculated that it would not be
possible to pave the entire width
of the street. It would be a two
lane strip, 20 feet wide, he said,
and suggested that the City of
Palmer might at the same time
pave the balance of the street
width. The engineer pointed out
that although construction of
such roads was provided, nothing
was provided for maintenance
and that it would be up to the
communities to maintain the pav
ing.
In speaking of the proposed ab
andonment of certain valley
roads, Niemi said in part that
the proposal did not mean they
would do it. He said that he felt
that, as requested in the many
communications he has received,
a public hearing should be held
where residents could sit down
with ARC officials and the high
way engineer and talk the prob
lem out. “There are hundreds of
persons who are just as deserving
of the maintenance service who
do not receive it,” he pointed
out. “These involved roads were
burit in the days of the Colony.
The day is coming now where* we
must evaluate and see where we
go from here.” He complimented
the residents of the Valley on the
fine constructive letters which
have been sent to protest to the
(Continued on page 7)
ART STAGYS VICTIMS
OF HIT-AND-RUN
Mr. and Mrs. Art Stacy of Pal
mer, hit-and-run victims, are pa
tients at Valley Presbyterian Hos
pital where they were taken last
night after being run down by a
fast-traveling vehicle.
The couple had parked their
pick-up truck just off the road
on Walker street and were pick
ing up bundles of hay from the
field along the road. Mrs. Stacy
-told investigating officers that
the car appeared to be traveling
at about 60 miles an hour and
made no attempt to avoid hitting
them. The car was traveling on a
cat trail which runs parrell to the
road. Mrs. Stacy was unable to
give a good description of the
car to officials. However, Terri
torial Police sent calls both ways
on the Glenn highway in an at
tempt to find the car. ,A.t least
one headlight was smashed by
the impact. Fragments of the
lense were found by City and
Territorial Police.
Mrs. Stacy, who received a
broken wrist and bruises, is ex
pected to be discharged from the
hospital tomorrow. Mr. Stacy re
ceived lacerations of the head,
broken left leg and bruises.
HEAR HAPPY LANE
PLAY YOUR FAVORITE NUMBERS
ON THE
Piano and Accordian
NIGHTLY , AT THE
CLUB 49
Open 5 P.M. Closed Tuesday
REPORT SHOWS
HOSPITAL LOSSES AT
$807.00 PER MOUTH
All members of the Valley
Hospital Association last week
received a comprehensive report,
prepared by the Association’s
board of directors, enlightening
them on the present financial and
physical condition of the Valley
Presbyterian Hospital.
The financial report showed
that at the present time the lo
cal hospital owes a total of $14,
000, of which almost $10,000 is
owed to businesses in the Valley.
However, as the report points out
—many people owe the hospital
for services rendered during the
past year. In fact to a total of
$26,000. At least one half of this
amount is needed at once to pay
pressing bills.
During the year ending Sep
tember 30, 1955 the hospital’s
average monthly payroll was
$7,065. The recent reorganization
of the hospital promises to reduce
this figure by $500 a month. Sal
aries have been raised, the report
pointed out, and efficiency and
morale are good.
The monthly cost of heat, food,
drugs, etc., was $3,015, exclusive
of depreciation. As the report
stated, hospitals must be kept
readly whether in use or not. If
the hospital is to be maintained
in a ready state, these expenses
and the payroll cannot be reduc
ed much more. Monthly costs are
going down, a fact attributed to
changes made last summer..
The completion of the Eklutna
project, mines closing ,and other
declines in business have cut de
mands for hospital service. Pa
tient loads have fallen from 15 a
year ago to 10 or 11 now. Month
ly services sold during the past
year averaged $8,923. Most of this
money is not collected until 60
or 90 days later. Some won’t be
paid for a year or more.
An average of $250 per month
is received by the hospital from
the Presbyterian Mission Board
which does not guarantee con
tinuous operation of the hospital.
The sum is a subsidy paid by the
Board of National Missions.
If half the bills owed the hos
pital are paid within the next
three months, operations can pro
bably be continued at the pres
ent scope despite the gap be
tween expenses and services sold.
The monthly operating loss aver
aged $807.
Because of the monthly loss,
(Continued on page 10)
PALMER TEACHERS PARTICIPATE
IN AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK
Next week, November 7 throu
gh November II, has been nation
ally proclaimed American Edu
cation Week. Teachers of the
Palmer Independent School Dis
trict have extended a cordial in
vitation to all residents of the
Matanuska Valley to visit their
schools at any time during the
week.
All three schools, Palmer High
School, Palmer Central School,
and Swanson School, will hold
open house on Tuesday, Novem
ber 8. On that day teachers will
hold classes of special interest to
parents and visitors. Student
Council members will be at the
doors to welcome and guide vis
itors through the buildings. There
will be hall displays as well as
the usual displays of student
work in the individual rooms.
At the high school, light refresh
ments will be served.
The following is a list of clas
ses which will be held on Tues
day by each teacher as a dem
onstration class. If you’ve been
wondering how these subjects are
taught in the modern school—
go to school Tuesday and “learn
a lesson”.
SWANSON SCHOOL: First
Gr«le: Mrs. Boyd: rhythmn band,
1:00-2:00 p.m. Second Grade: Mrs.
Reizer: phoni:cs lesson, 1:00-2:00
p.m. Third Grade: Mrs. Dickow:
art, paper mache, 2:30-3:20 p.m.
Fourth Grade: Mrs. Blunck: ari
thmetic (borrowing 10’s and 100’s)
1:00-2:00 pm. Fifth Grade: Mrs.
GOVERNOR TO OPEN
CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION NOV. 8
Governor B. Frank Heintzle
man will preside art ceremonies
November 8 opening at Alaska
Constitutional Convention at the
Universiyt of Alaska, President
Ernest N. Patty disclosed today.
Dr. Patty outlined the univer
sity’s role in the historic event
following consultations with
Thomas B. Stewart, executive of
ficer of the Alaska Statehood
Committee. Stewart will return
to campus next week to coordin
ate all activities.
The convention officially will
commence at 10 a.m. in the uni
versity gymnasium. After Gov.
Heintzleman opens the conven
tion, Waino Hendrickson, secre
tary of Alaska, will read the cer
tification of the delegates and
call the roll. The delegates then
will take their oath of office.
Dr. Patty will present a short
welcome address, as will Ken
neth Carson, president of the As
sociated Students of the Univer
sity of Alaska, and Douglas Pres
ton, mayor of Fairbanks.
Gov. Heintzleman will deliver
the main address, others who will
give addresses are Delegate E. L.
“Bob” Bartlett; the Hon. Ernest
Gruening, former governor of Al
aska; and Robert B. Atwood,
chairman of the Alaska Statehood
Committee.
Honor guests will be seated on
a stage, and the delegates in a
special section in front of it.
There will be a reserve section
for various territorial officials,
Chamber of Commerce officers,
the Fairbanks City Council, and
the wives of delegates.
University officials expect
large crowds of interested Alas
kans at the opening ceremonies.
To enable the greatest possible
number of the visitors to hear
the ceremonies, the university
will transmit the speeches into
room 218 of the Eielson Memori
al Building and into the Brooks
Memorial Mines Building audit
orium. Members of the Letter
men’s Club and the girls’ cheer
leaders wil lserve as ushers. The
University Band, under direction
of Professor Tom Brady, will pro
vide musical selections during the
morning ceremonies. Prof. Lor
raine Donoghue, head of the
music department, will close the
morning session by playing the
Alaska Flag Song on the James
(continued on page 10)
Beechick: language-laixs vciuu
meeting rules* 11:00 a.m. - 12:00.
Sixth Grade: Mr. Porter: arith
metic class (introduction to addi
tion of fractions) 9:15-10:00 a.m.
PALMER CENTRAL SCHOOL:
First Grades: Mrs. Moyer: read1
ing classes 9:30-11:30. Miss Hun
ter: reading lesson, 9:30-11:30.
Second Grades: Mrs. Smart:
phonics lesson, 9:00-10:00. Mrs.
Gazaway: reading groups, 9:00
11:30. Mrs. Zuellette, reading
groups, 9:00-11:30. Third Grades:
Miss Wilson: putting a play to
gether (theme, “Colony Day in
Matanuska Valley) 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Mrs. Hansen choral reading—
songs—theme, Eskimos, 1:00-2:00
p.m.
Fourth Grades: Mrs. Isely:
reading in middle grades, 10:00
a.m. Mrs. Gardiner, spelling.
Fifth Grades: Miss James: dic
tionary drills, 11:00-12:00. Mrs.
Smoot history—playlet on Lewis
and Clark expedition, 11:00-12:00.
Sixth Grades: Miss Wever: social
study — history, use of maps,
11:15-12:00. Mr. Byrant: spelling
and geography, 11:00-12:00.
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, Cen
tral Building: Mrs. Jelenik, li
brary class, 2:00-2:40. Mrs. Ped
erson, home economics, 12:30
2:00. Miss Steele, girls’ physical
education, 1030-11:15. Mr. Rousey,
boys’ physical education, 12:30
2:00 and mathematics (eighth
grade) 2:00-3:00. Mr. Schreiber:
history reports reauested by par
(Continued on page 10)
Progress of New
Telephone System
Told at Chamber
Interesting information on the
new Matanuska Telephone sys
tem was given during the No
vember 2 meeting of the Matan
uska Valley Chamber of Com
merce. Although no special pro
gram was planned, a discussion
period was conducted by John
Gore, Chamber vice-president,
during which questions and an
swers on the new system were
offered by Chamber members
and Lew Hanks, MTA president
and Robert Partridge, MTA gen
eral manager.
“We hope that all contracts
will have been awarded by next
Fall”, Phrtridge told Chamber
members. Building plans have
been submitted to the local board
by the architect and will be stud
ied at the next board meeting.
The central office is being locat
ed just about center of the entire
system, Hanks pointed out.
Although the present system,
was operating at about $700 loss
each month prior to its purchase
by MTA, this loss has been cut
considerably by rehabilitation
work by MTA. Prior to the re
hab work maintainence expenses
on the lines were about $50 per
day. Since installing the new
cables outages, have been averag
ing but two a day compared to
10-17 outages experienced each
day when the famous Palmer
“Spaghetti” was still hanging
from the poles. The new cable
can be utilized, Partridge told
Chamber members. Although it
will not be used in the new sys
tem, it will be used for tempor
ary fast expansion when the oc
casion arises after the new sys
tem is completed, he said.
Referring to payment of mem
bership dues and equity, Par
tridge answered that MTA still
needs more equity to meet the
“B” loan payment. If interested
persons do not indicate they wish
to subscribe to telephone service
before a definite cut-off date,
they will not be able to receive
the service even if the telephone
tines run by their property, he
pointed out. We must have every
subscriber pin-pointed on our
map so that the contractor will
know exactly how much work
he will be required to bid on. Par
tridge speculated that the cut-off
(Continued on page 7)
DELEGATES BUSY
DURING CONVENTION
Sandwiched in between meet
ing sessions, special talks, lunch
eons, and dinners, delegates to
the League of Alaska Cities con
vention were kept busy working
on committees around which final
decisions of the Convention were
made. The committees were as
follows:
Resolutions Comimittee: Gil An
thony, Seward mayor, chairman;
Lucille Mick, Palmer Council
member; J. H. Goding, Ketchikan
mayor; John Rossway, represen
tative from Cordova; Ken Hinch
ey, Anchorage mayor; V. C. Pat
ton, Seldovia Council member;
Poc Jenkins, Valdez Council
member; and George Shannon,
Anchorage city manager.
Legislation Committee: Robert
Sharp, Ketchikan city manager,
chairman; Anna May Vokacek,
Kodiak Council member; John
LeFevre, Cordova representative;
or; Hewitt Lounsbury* Anchor
Charles W. Wilson, Palmer may
age Council member; M. W. Slan
kand, Fairbanks city manager;
Francis Krch, Valdez Council
member; and E. G. Rash, Cordova
city manager.
Nominating Committee: George
Shannon, chairman; John Mc
Neese, Nome, Anna May Voko
cek, Robert Sharp, and Emilie St.
Pierre, Valdez city clerk.
Nearly 100 delegates and guests
attended the League of Alaska
Cities fifth annual banquet, held
at Moose Hall November 1. May
nard L. Taylor, Jr., past League
president and former mayor of
Anchorage, presided at the din
ner and introduced guests and
the new League officers.
The Honorable E. L. Bartlett,
Alaska’s delegate to Congress,
spoke to the assembly on “Al
askan Cities and the Federal
Government.” Del. Bartlett com
plimented the communities wiio
formed the League Anchorage,
Since that time Fairbanks, Val
dez and Palmer have associated
Cordova, Seward, and Kodiak,
with the League and this past
year Nome, Cordova and Ketchi
kan have joined. As more join,
Bartlett said, everyone who livt^s
in Alaska will gain.
In speaking to the group he
pointed out that Alaska develop
ment pattern differs radically
where cities have come into be
ing (after the rural areas have
grown. He referred to cities that
have come into being simultan
eously with mining camps, such
as did Fairbanks, and Palmer
with the farm group. This factor
provides an opportunity of a
pioneer field in government. “The
coming Constitutional Conven
tion next week offers a rare op
portunity—'also a big problem,
composing local government. I
wish the Delegates well”, Btetrt
lett said. One great advantage
they will have is that they will
be spared the multiple counties
problem. States which have coun
ties are “stuck1 with them—we
can. avoid that in our constitution
we can formulate a pattern for
future legislation—we can build
our State to the needs of time.”
Delegate Bartlett suggested the
League of Alaska Cities inquire
into the possibility of monies
paid back to the Alaska Public
Works program be worked into
a revolving fund whereby money
would still be available to Alaska
growth after the appropriated
funds have expired
Touching on Alaska roads, Bar
tlett stated that since the Eisen
hower administration took office
funds have been cut. The Demo
cratic Congress has cut even fur
ther, he added. “The situation
now is that only $5.6 million has
been appropriated for the Alaska
Road Commission. This will not
provide for the building of new
roads”, he stated. “The present
system of appropriations for road
work is unsatisfactory,” he said.
“The agency can make no long
range building plans for funds
are apt to be up one year, and
down the next”.
“I think the League of Alaska
Cities can play an important part
in these matters”, he said. “Let
ters from your League secretary,
Vic Fischer, have been received
in Washington all year, remind
ing us not to forget. I firmly be
(Continued on page 10)
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AND POTTERY
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Theatre Building
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for
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Phone 3301
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