r
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 8, NUMBER 15
PALMER, ALASKA, THURSDAY, FEB. 10 .1954
PRICE TEN CENTS
The sum of $50,000 was ear
marked for land clearing loans
to Valley farmers by the board
of directors of the Alaska Rural
Rehabilitation Corporation at
their regular meeting at Palmer
last week, according to Jim Hur
ley, ARRC manager.
The board approved a plan
whereby farmers qualifying for
loans will pool their clearing job
for local land clearing contractors.
Loans will be repayable over a
six-year period with interest only
payable the first year. In this
manner, Hurley pointed out, the
clearing will cost no more than
land rental over the same period.
First mortgage security will be
the usual requirement as well as
the normal credit rating.
The program is aimed primarily
at encouraging additional clearing
on established farms, rather than
toward the development * of new
farms, Hurley said.
The ARRC board is composed
of George Mumford, president;
Vic Falk, vice-president; D. H.
Cuddy, secretary; Louis Odsather,
treasurer; L. M. DePriest, Walter
Teeland, Robert Atwood and
James Hurley, members.
THREE PALMERITES
GET CERIFICATES
FROM WATER SCHOOL
Betty Mears, Frank Clark, and
Ted Buzby of Palmer were among
the 50 persons who were award
ed attendance certificates at the
first Alaska Waterworks Opera
tors School which was held in An
chorage last week.
Plans were made to make the
school an annual affair. The sch
ool was held for interchange of
waterworks problems and was
sponsored by the IJniversity of
Alaska, Arctic Health Research
Center and ttje Alaska Depart
ment of Health.
PUBLIC INVITED
TO HEAR FRANK PAULS
The public is reminded of their
invitation to hear Frank Pauls
talk on blood typing which he
will present tomorrow night in
the United Protestant Church
basement at 8 p.m. under the
sponsorship of the Matanuska
Valley Nurses Association.
Mr. Pauls will offer the treat
ise he presented at the Paris Con
ference last fall.
P-TA MEETING
POSTPONED TO FEB. 22
The regular meeting of Pal
mer P-TA, set for February
15, has been postponed until
Tuesday, February 22, to avoid
conflicting with the annual
membership meeting of the
Valley Hospital Association,
■which, by association by-laws,
must be held on the 15th of
February each year.
NEW PALMER HIGH SCHOOL
fljft •'•* '
The above photo shows the front entrance and one section of the new Palmer High School, occupied for the first
time on Tuesday of this week. The million dollar school is rated as one of the finest schools in Ancbo^ge?imeS photo
Hospital Association
Aaaaal Moot Slated
For Tees., Feb IS
All valley residents are remind
ed of the Valley Hospital Associa
tion annual meeting which will
be held Tuesday evening, Febru
ary 15, at 8 p.m. in the cafeteria
at the new high school on Spring
er Road.
A report on the construction of
the hospital will be given, along
with the 1954 financial report.
There will be a discussion of a
program for 1955 and the annual
election of officers will be held.
Terms expiring are those of Ri
vera Hiber of Eska, Ed Smith
and Mrs. Lee McKinley of Pal
mer. Mrs. McKinley has been
serving in place of Harlow Hodg
son who resigned earlier this
year when he left for an extend
ed Stateside trip.
All residents of the valley are
urged to attend the meeting, but
only those holding 1955 member
ship cards will be eligible „o vote.
Memberships may be purchased
prior to the meeting by any who
have not yet paid the annual fee
of $2.50. Any member not able
to attend the meeting but who
wishes to vote, may give his
proxy to another eligible mem
ber.
Rev. Brian Cleworth of Palmer
was among those present at the
recent installation service for Rev.
Ralph Weeks, pastor of Woodland
Park Presbyterian Church in
Spenard.
WOOD EXPRESS FREIGHT
PALMER
3762
^ DAILY r
ANCHORAGE
38483
Air freight Agent for NORMAN G. JENSEN
World Freight Forwarders
Announcement
Dr. E. E. Bach, Optometrist from Anchorage will
be in Palmer to do eye examinations on
Tuesday, February 15.
For an appointment see Mrs. Maud Hosier at ihe Flower Shop
in ihe Co-Op Recreaiion Building or call her ai 32J11
OfVN. DEFENSE QROUP
TO VISIT
AIR DEFENSE CENTER
At the request of the Depart
ment of Civil Defense, the Tenth
Air Division (Defense) has con
sented to permit certain civilians
from communities in this region
to observe operations in the Tenth
Air Division Air Defense Control
Center.
Permission for civilians to
visit this important military op
eration was requested because it
was believed the following bene
fits would result: 1, It would give
civilians an opportunity to view
first hand the operational readi
ness of a key Alaskan military in
stallation. 2. It would give civil
ians a realistic yardstick with
which to measure the capabilities
of their community’s Civil De
fense organization to meet sud
den emergency. 3. It would give
civilians an understanding of the
manner in which Air Defense
warnings are declared and dis
seminated.
Because of the intense and vital
activity which goes on in the Air
Defense Control Center, alter
nate dates for the visit will not
be possible. Because of the like
lihood of certain community re
presentatives being unable to at
tend at a specific time, it was sug
gested that each district director
name alternates who will attend
in their absence.
Determination as to who shall
represent the community is to be
made by district and area direc
tors. Each person selected to visit
the Tenth Air Division ADCC
must be advised that his name
will be checked through civil and
military security files in advance
of the visit. This is necessary be
cause the entire area to be visit
ed is restricted.
WILLOW PTARMIGAN
NAMED ALASKA BIRD
The school children of Alaska
and members of the 1955 Legis
lature have named the willow
ptarmigan as the official bird of
Alaska. Governor Heintzleman
voiced misgivings about it be
cause the ptarmigan is a game
bird, stating that he feared that
in time it may be necessary to j
protect the bird by law, and
thus—“deprive the sportsmen of a
plentiful game bird and the peo
ple of some areas of a needed
food supply”.
<^VWS^WWWV>A^*V%%*VSI^VN^N^VS^W»
VALLEY POTATOES
FLOWN TO OREGON
Four hundred pounds of
Matanuska Valley potatoes
will grace the banquet tables
at the Portland Chamber of
Commerce Alaska Day festiv
ities.
The locally grown spuds
were flown to Portland on
Wednesday of this week by
PNA.
Rev. Edward Ikim
Accepts Cell le
Washington Church
Rev. Edward H. Imme of St.
John’s Lutheran Church ir. Pal
mer will preach his farewell ser
mon to the congregation here on
Sunday, February 12. Holy Com
munion will also be celebrated.
On Sunday night Rev. Imme
and his family will leave by plane
for Aberdeen, Washington where
he will be installed and take up
duties in his new field the follow
ing Sunday. The church to which
he has been called is Calvary Lu
theran Church of Aberdeen.
“During the course of our three
and one half years in Palmer, we
have been privileged to form
many wonderful friendships both
in the church and in the commun
ity”, Rev. Imme said this week.
“We shall hate to leave them and
will long treasure the memories
of our days in Alaska and the
good people with whom it has
(Continued on page 8)
TWO MEA OFFICIALS
TO ATTEND MEETING
IN ATLANTIC CITY
Justine Parks, president, and
Bruce Graham, board member,
the Matanuska Electric Asso
hation are leaving this week for
Washington, D. C. and Atlantic
Ihty, New jersey.
In Atlantic City the MEA offi
cials will attend the National
Rural Electrification Association
four-day convention will be held
February 14, 15, 16 and 17. Prior
to the meeting in New Jersey,,
Mrs. Parks will spend a day in j
Washington, D. C. and following I
the convention both she and Gra- I
ham will go to Washington. Be
fore returning to Palmer Graharrt
plans a visit in Seattle, Wash,
where he will visit his brother j
and other relatives.
Last year’s convention was held
in Miami, Florida. i
NEW HIGH SCHOOL
OPENS THIS ™X;
STUDENTS TRANSFER
Palmer High School students
and one section each from the
seventh and eighth grades of ju
nior high school, moved into the
new Palmer High School on Tues
day of this week and axe row
enjoying attendance at one of
the territory’s most modern
schools.
Desks, books, and other equip
ment were moved from Central
School by bus and truck and
done so efficiently that by Wed
nesday morning classes were
already in normal function.
In addition to the high school
staff, Miss Lois Metzger and Lee
Plumbley, eighth grade teachers
and Betty Jo Riddle, seventh
grade teacher, have moved to the
new school. In addition to her
eighth grade teaching, Miss
Metzger also teaches high school
typing class. Plumbley, band
master, will spend half of the
school day at the new school
where he will have band practice
and three classes. The afternoon
session will see him at the Swan
son School. Miss Riddle teaches
biology, in addition to her sev
enth grade.
Although equipment for the
kitchen has not yet arrived, stu
dents may purchase milk in the
lunch room and, at least for the
time being, are carrying their
lunches from home.
Next year all junior high stu
dents are expected to attend Cen
tral School and a junior high
band will be formed. This year
there is only a senior band and
those students in junior high who
moved to the new school are all
band students.
Many valley residents visited
the new school during open house
held last Sunday afternoon.
Have you though of getting
one of the smart short hair
styles? We Make Evening
Appointments
Valley Beauty Shop
CO-OP SHOPPING AREA
Valentine Flowers — Bouquets
Corsages — Arrangements
Telegraph Delivery Service
MATANUSKA VALLEY
GARDENS
Phone 32J11 Palmer
DISTRIBUTION PL MT
TO INCLUDE STORAGE,
OFFICE AND GAI ®E
The purchase of five lots on
Northern Lights Boulevard in the
Spenard district by the Matan
uskat Valley Farmers Cooperating
Association was announced this
week by Stewart Durrani Co-Op
general manager. The purchase
was voted by the board of direc
tors at their recent meeting.
The Co-Op is planning to build
a 60- by 86-foot distributing plant
for the Anchorage market. The
new structure will supplant pres
ent quarters of the Matanuska
Dairy and will cost in the neigh
borhood of $100,000. Milk, ice
cream, and vegetables will be dis
tributed from the ne / plant
throughout the Anchorage market
area.
The plant will consist of a large
sharp room, in which ice cream
will be stored; a larrc refrigerat
ed section for milk and eggs; a
large vegetable refrigeration sec
tion* and space to house six
trucks. The trucks will load and
unload inside the building.
Construction will probably be
of either cement block or con
crete walls, Durrant said. Plans
are being drawn for the new
building and board members hope
to award the bid early enough to
permit occupancy before the fall
harvest.
The Anchorage operation of the
local Co-Op will be conducted
from the new building, under the
supervision of Hoy Brock, pres
ent Matanuska Dairy manager.
The 15-year lease on the associa
tion’s present Anchorage quarters
will expire this winter, Durrant
pointed out. Business in the An
chorage area has expanded sev
eral fold since its first operations
making present quarters far from
adequate. At the present time ad
ditional cold storage space is be
ing rented in Anchorage to aug
ment needed storage space.
Council Notes
There was no Palmer City
Council meeting this week be
cause of a quorum lack. This is
the second week there has been
no meeting.
The next regular meeting is
scheduled for Tuesday night,
February 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the
office of the City Clerk.
Evan Jones Company
Successful Bidders
On Eska Property
According to an announcement
made by Land Office Manager
Virgil O. Seiser, the Evan Jones
Coal Company was successful bid
der on 320 acres of coal land ad
joining their property at Jones
ville.
The acreage was formerly held
by Eska Coal Leasing Block No.
7, and was up for public auction.
The Jonesville coal company
was the only bidder, offering an
nual rent of $2 per acre and a
bonus of $500. According to the
land office manager, royalties of
15 cents per ton are required.
NWVWSA/WWWWWWWW^^^WW'/
I CORRECTION ..
jl On front page of Kos
j| losky's color folder in
I; sert, Juice Glasses are
j| listed at regular 6c ea.
ji This is a typographical
error. The regular price
| is 16c each with sale
ji price at 9c each.
KOSLOSKrS
ELKS HOME
Sunday, Fab. 13 - I P.M
ELKS AND FAMILY ONLY