The frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
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VOLUME 8, NUMBER 21
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. MARCH 24. 1955
PRICE TEN CENTS
$49,000 Now Showing
On Hospital Books
Hoard members of the Valley
Hospital Association are serious
ly coiwidering the possibility of
lUMEKliim delinquent accounts to
m eollectiott agency. The step is
IMMSMsary, members stated, be
of difficulty in collecting
aceounta receivable. Repeated
StaAaMMnt* and personal contacts
iimpfe ant resulted in an appreci
HMH responae, they pointed out.
At the present time accounts
UfOHvable total $49,620.00. Of
amour.t» $19,620.00 is in what is
termed the “private pay” class,
fliat is, the patient was not cov
eted by any type health or medi
cal insurance and is therefore
tesponsible for the total bill. In
surance payments due total $14,
§0t.0O. Atlhough the hospital is
reasonably certain of 100 percent
collection on insurance cases,
technical forms and negotiations
with Stateside firms, delay pay
ments in many cases. Coupled
with private pay cases, the delay
and non-payments have and are
leaving the hospital in a very
tight situation.
Current accounts payable at
the hospital total $12,047.35. Ap
proximately 75 percent of this
amount is owed in the valley for
supplies and operational costs.
Dr. R. Roland Armstrong,
board member who was present
at the March 18 meeting, stressed
the need for more families to
avail themselves of hospital and
medical pre-paid coverage. For
those not eligible for group cov
erage, he suggested they investi
gate the single family coverage
offered by nearly all pre-paid
medical care companies. ,
Members of the board, of direc
tors voted to explore possibilities
of obtaining hospital equipment
from the Civil Defense organiza
tion to be used in case of an em
ergency. A suggested list of need
ed supplies was compiled and.
Lloyd Morley, hospital adminis
trator, instructed to obtain as
much of the list as possible.
One hundred dollars, donated
to the hospital by th£ American
Legion Auxiliary for the con
struction of storage shelves, has
been used for that purpose, it
was announced. Ray Lancaster,
recently elected Legion com
mander, and local carpenter, did
the construction work, it was an
nounced..
The resignation of the hospital
X-ray technician, Frederick A.
Mason, Jr. effective March 31,
was read and accepted. The hir
ing ol! a lab technician was dis
cussed by the board, as well as
the purchase of necessary equip
ment to bring the hospital labor
atory up to par.
65 Persons Take
Typhoid Immunization
During First Clinic
Approximately 65 persons at
tended the first of three typhoid
clinics being planned for the
Palmer area. The first clinic, held
at the Health Center on Monday
of this week, included booster
and series immunizations. For
those who were unable to begin
their series this week Jeanne
Schaver, public health nurse, an
nounced there will be a make-up
clinic at the completion of the
series and those wishing may
begin their series of three on
March 28 when another clinic
will be held at the health center
from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. in the after
noon and from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
that evening.
Prizes, Entertainment
Planned for Exhibit
And Motor Show
Merchants throughout the val
ley are preparing exhibits for the
forthcoming Merchants Exhibi
tion and Motor Show, planned for
April 2 and 3 in the exposition
building at the Fairgrounds.
A wide program is being work
ed up for the interest and enter
tainment of the hundreds of
spectators expected at the two
day show, the first of is kind in
the Palmer area. The latest mod
el home appliances, farm equip
ment, trucks, cars, and numerous
additional displays will be shown
by nearly every merchant in the
valley.
Among treats being arranged
for those attending will be free
coffee and doughnuts from Rice's
Bakery; a radio will be awarded
by Koslosky’s Department store;
Piggly Wiggly’s store will award
a free ham each day; and from
5:00 to 7:00 p.m. each evening
there will be free entertainment
with live music, specialty num
bers and vocal presentations.
The exhibition will be open
from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Satur
day and from noon to 9:00 p.m.
on Sunday.
The motor show will feature
1955 truck and car models. Hart
ley Motors, Inc. will show their
line of new Fords, complete with
the popular new Ford Thunder
Dird sport car. They will have a
Ford demonstrator at the show,
extending an invitation to trie
public to try a ride in the new
Ford.
Kirk’s Sales and Service also
plan to exhibit a demonstrator
car. They will have the new 1955
(Continued on page 8)
MTA AREA DESIGN
NOW READY FOR REA
The completion of the area
coverage design for the Matanus
ka Telephone Association system
is expected this week, according
to Lew Hanks, MTA chairman.
The engineer who has been
working on the design has been
held up somewhat by the neces
sary information that must be
correlated to complete the design.
It must now have approval of
REA officials in Washington,
D. C.
Hanks stated that MTA man
ager Robert D. Partridge of An
chorage, will be put on pay roll
J as soon as REA sends a release
on the equity funds. A request
to release these funds so that the
manager may begin necessary
preliminary work has been made,
he said. Another request has also
been made by MTA for funds
with which to purchase the exist
ing City of Palmer telephone sys
tem.
CO-OP MANAGER
RETURNS FROM
STATESIDE TRIP
Stewart Durrant, M.V.F.C.A.
general manager, returned to
Palmer on Tuesday night of this
week, following a motor trip over
the Alaska highway from Ameri
can Forks, Utah. Returning with
Mr. Durrant was his wife and
two of their four children. The
eldest two will join their family
at the completion of the school
term.
While in the States the Co-Op
manager attended the National
Dairy Institute at Pullman,
Washington.
Getting an Easter Bonnet?
Why not have your hair styled
first and be ready for spring.
Evening appointments
Available
VALLEY BEAUTY SHOP
Co-Op Shopping Area
I
City Council
Proceedings
In the absence of Acting Mayor
Betty Mears, Councilman William
Zahradnicek was named chair
man of the March 22 meeting of
Palmer City Council.
Approval of plans for a one
story building to be constructed
over the Howard Estelle base
ment on Valley Street was given
by council members, following
the presentation of building plans
by Ferber Bailey, contractor. The
plans were approved, providing
all city ordinances now existing
be conformed with during con
struction. The building costs were
estimated at $20,000, with 60 days
construction.
* * *
The city clerk was instructed
to issue a permit to Jackson O’
Mary to move a 16 x 32 insulated
building into the city if the
building construction meets city
codes and O’Mary certifies that
it does.
A letter from the Kay Pippel i
Insurance company announced ■
the cancellation of the bond for (
former City Clerk Elizabeth
Barry had been accepted and a
;ebate of $50 was credited to the
citv’s account
The Alaska Rural Rehabilita
tion Corporation has requested
the cooperation of the City of
Palmer in creating a park in that
triangle space south of the Pal
mer Drug store. The intention of
ARRC is to bring the site up to
grade, curb the triangle and plant
to seed grass. A large rock, carry
ing a plaque will be placed in
the park,- commemorating the
pioneers of the Matanuska Val
ley, particularly those connected
with the colonization in 1935 It
xs hoped that the work can be
completed before Colony Day,
May 29. The curbing will be the
greatest expense, it was pointed
out. The request is being studied
by Councilmembers for further
action.
Bids will be asked, from all
local service stations on the pur
chase by the city of new tires,
tubes and extra wheels for the
fire trucks.
The election of a mayor was
again discussed by a council
members, was tabled for further
discussion at a later meeting.
MINSTREL SNOW
TO FEATURE
LOCAL TALENT
Friday night at 8:30! That is
the hour many Valley residents
have been anticipating for weeks.
It is curtain time for the Matan
uska Minstrels of 1955, produced
by the Kiwanis Club of Palmer.
Anyone unable to attend on
March 25 has a second chance.
The same show will be present
ed again on Saturday night,
March 26. Both evenings are
guaranteed to be a riot of color,
snappy acting, and colorful
music.
Written, directed and produc
ed by the well-known team of
Keith Stanton, Jim Hurled, and
Jim Wilson, this year’s show
provides an entirely new story.
Through the medium of stage
sets, costumes, songs and patter,
it portrays the development of
the minstrel show as a form of
entertainment,
Minstrel shows rose from the
lowly, illiterate folk songs of
southern plantations to blazing
popularity in major cities the
world over. Many ballads still
popular today were developed
from some of these old folk
songs. Coupled with the music
will be the madcap witicisms of
the black-face jesters, the end
men, ard specialty numbers of
that period.
As an added special service and
a new introductory feature this
year, the Kiwanis Club is pro
viding, for the first time in Al
aska, a supply of Col. Carsen’s
Corpuscle Compound. This pa
tent product is guaranteed by its
manufacturers. Several local Ki
wanians will sell this product
between acts on a first come, first
serve basis. Usually reliable local
informants are quoted as believ
ing that Col. Carson’s product
will be satisfactory—ard no re
funds will be required.
Reserved seat ticket sales have
been moving briskly at Koslos
ky’s, Bettys’, the Matanuska Val
ley Bank and Ketchikan Spruce
Mills. An order from Anchorage
for over 30 reserved seats early
this week had ticket chairman,
Ed Smith scratching to fill the
request. General admissions and
children’s tickets will be sold
at the door.
The Matanuska Minstrels is a
community benefit program. Pro
ceeds will be used to support
various youth activities of the
(Continued on page 8)
PALMER SCHOOL TEACHERS EXPLAIM
TEACHING METHODS TO KIWANIANS
Palmer Kiwanis entertained
four local grade school teachers
as luncheon guests and speakers
at their Monday meeting in Rec
hall March 21.
Teachers: Mrs. Pearl Moyer, 1st
grade, Central; Mrs. Kay Fahn
stock, 3rd grade, Central; Mrs.
Ada Boyd, 1st grade, Swanson
and Mrs. Stephanie Gardner, 2nd
grade, Swanson, answered sev
eral queries by Kiwanis regard
ing teaching procedures in the
early grades of local schools.
In reply to the questions of
what preparations are recom
mended for the first grade, and
what children should know be
fore beginning school, Mrs. Moy
er asserted that children should
be able to count from 1 to 100
at least, and have some inkling
of what quantitative numbers
mean.
They should have had experi
ence in crayon coloring to de
velop motor control and eye
hand coordination. Free hand
drawing for self expression is
also good. They should have
an interest in books; this can be
developed by the parents telling
stories and reading to them. If
they are encouraged to talk about
stories and pictures they see,
their creativeness and imagina
tion are stimulated,
j Before entering children in
! school they should be taught to
J speak clearly; take off and put
! on their own winter wraps, and
| take care of their lavatory needs.
With the aid of a wall graph
which is used in her own class
wards on the graph through sev
eral progressing sets of books
until they finish the required
studies for that year. Pupils who
cannot keep up with their faster
classmates are placed in a slow
er group to prevent unnecessary
mental strain in trying to keep
abreast of the faster group.
Contrary to the opinion held
by many valley residents that
phonetics are not taught in local
schools, Mrs. Moyer elaborated
that “Parents need not be too ap
prehensive about lack of phone
tic instruction in our schools. We
do have a well planned course of
instruction in this subject. Sev
eral books are devoted to it.”
Teachers Fahnstock, Boyd
and Gardner each gave short dis
courses augmenting generally the
remarks made by Mrs. Moyer.
Mrs. Gardner stressed guidance
and promotion of cooperation,
consideration, responsibility and
courtesy in the childrens’ rela
tionship with fellow pupils as
well as their parents.
Mrs. Boyd emphasized the 3
group plan of instruction which
breaks the class into 3 units with
8 or more students for each unit
making it possible for easier and
more individualized teaching.
Mrs. Fahnstock pointed out
the factual element of present
day teaching.
In other club activities, Ki
(Continued on page 8)
WWSA^WWWWWWN
Local Shooters
Smash Nat'l. Records
Heart Fund Collections
Now Total $234
An additional $42.00 has
been contributed to the Heart
Campaign in Palmer, Ed
Smith, committee member an
nounced this week. Of this
amount, $25 was donated by
Kiwanis Club of Palmer. This
brings the local total to $234.
Contributions may still be
made by sending them c/o the
local postmaster, addressed to
“Heart”.
$3,498 TURNED OVER
TO MARCH OF DIMES
J
c A check for $3,490.24 was de
livered in Anchorage this week
as the Matanuska Valley’s con
tribution to the 1955 March of
Dimes, according to Ed Smith,
campaign chairman.
In addition to amounts already
acknowledged, the following
sums were contributed r $10 from
the American Legion Auxiliary;
Wasilla VFW, $96.75; Sutton
area, $10.41; Chugiak, $33.72;
Happy Valley Homemakers’ club,
$11; Nuggets Homemakers’ club,
$10; United Mine Workers, $161.;
and sums from Kathy Hurley,
Mr. and Mrs. Louis McKechnie,
Mr. and Mrs. Phil McRae, Mr.
and Mrs. Ivan Branton; and an
additional $1.70 from the Palmer
schools.
Heinie Snider was the hard
working chairman for the Wasil
la area and Phil O’Neill for Sut
ton.
In making the announcement
of the total amount contributed
in the valley, Smith expressed
his appreciation to the many in
dividuals and organizations who
made the 1955 March of Dimes
campaign in the valley such a
success.
i
IFYE Applications
Now Being Accepted
Overseas travel, living with
foreign families and reporting
those experiences at home are
part of the International Farm
Youth Exchange (IFYE) pro
gram.
Rosalind Miller, 1954 delegate
to Italy from Palmer, is home
now giving Alaskans an idea of
how Italian families live. While
in Italy she tried to explain the
Alaskan way of life. Applications
are now being accepted for IFYE
r delegate from Alaska, Mrs. Lydia
Fohn-Hansen said today. Mrs.
Fohn-Hansen is associate direc
tor for the Extension Service
which selects the territory’s re
presentative.
Candidates must be between
die ages of 20 to 30 years, single,
have a rural background and in
tend to remain in farming or al
lied occupation. *The young man
or woman chosen must be willing
to devote time to pre-trip orien
tation in Washington, D. C., and
after the trip to share his experi
ences with other Alaskans thro
ugh illustrated talks.
Former Palmerite
Named Full Colonel
Lt. Colonel William B. Snod
grass, son of Mr. and Mrs. Snod
grass of Palmer, has been noti
fied of his advancement in grade
to full colonel, effective March
29, according to word received in
the valley this week.
Col. Snodgrass has been in the
U. S. Air Force since October of
1940 and during World War II,
served as military food inspector
in Alaska. Since that time he has
served assignments at Richmond,
Virginia general depot; Rapid
City and for the past three years
has been stationed at Offut Field
in Omaha.
—f
National shooting records were
this week smashed by members
Of the Matanuska Valley Sports*
men Rifle Club. John D. Harris
to'ppied the r ational record in the
sitting position by 106 points.
‘ Harris fired a 20Q-20X for his
score in the Sectional To urn a-*
ment and went on to beat the
record by firing 199 consecutive
tens without getting out of posi
tion. The old record was 200 plus
93. In layman language—Harris
topped the old record of 113 con*
secutive bulls-eyes by 106 points,
connecting with the center of the
target 219 consecutive times.
Also breaking National records
was the keen-shooting women
who overshot the standing
national record by four points.
The former record was 1506. The
L women fired a 1510 total. Shoot
ers on the womens’ team and
their totals are as follows: Leolia
Dickow, 380; Talicia Smoot, 379;
Dana Niemann, 379, and Norma
Richie, 372. The womens’ team
last year took top national hon
ors and are continuing to add to
their national records.
TAX ROLL PRESENTED
AT COUNCIL MEETING
City and School District Tax
Assessor Rex Ehrhart was pres
ent at the March 22 City Council
meeting with the city tax assess
ment roll. Members of the bud
get and finance committee re
ported they had spent consider
able time going over the roll the
past week and had picked up a
few omissions and a few where
the real property assessments
were out of line. This year’s as
sessments total $5,089,000 com
pared to last year’s total of $4,
880,000.
The tax assessment roll was ac
cepted with the provision that
specified re-assessments be made
as approved by the City Coun
cil. Assessment notices are ex
pected to be in the mail by April
> i; Members of the City Council
will sit as the Board of Equaliza
tion on April 27 in the office of
the city clerk, to hear any ap
peals.
) Councilman Alfred Hagen ask
ed why a committee of citizens
could not be selected to act as a
board of equalization. Council
woman Lucille Mick pointed out
that by Territorial law the city
cfouncil must act as a board of
equalization, the same as does
the school board in the School
District. Following the receipt of
the tax assessment notice each
taxpayer has a month in which
to ask for a review. At the time
of examination the board of
equalization makes a study to
determine whether or not the
property was assessed too high
in relation to comparable proper
ty. The taxpayer then must
abide by the Board of Equaliza
tion determination.
Assessor Ehrhart stated that
less than 50 percent of the per
sonal property self-assessment
forms were returned to the of
fice. Forms were sent to every
one on the tax roll, plus a few
additional persons picked up here
and there, he stated. Those who
did not file a self-assessment
form will be assessed by the tax
assessor.
RUSSELL FELZIEN
NAMED RULER OF
PALMER ELKS LODGE
Russell Felzien was elected ex
alted ruler of Palmer B.P.O.
Elks lodge No. 1842 at the March
23 meeting. Named to serve with
Felzien for the coming year were
Lloyd Short, esteemed leading
knight; Leroy Johnson, esteemed
loyal knight; Harold Dunn, es
teemed lecturing knight; L. C.
Stock, secretary; Thomas Lepak,
treasurer; L. O. Hayes, tiler; and
John Reed, five-year trustee.
Reed is now completing his term
as exalted ruler.
PALMER KIWANIS
PRESENTS
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MARCH 25, 26
PALMER SCHOOL GYM
8:30 P.M.