Weather
High Low Precip.
Sept. 18 52
Sept. 19 55
Sept. 20 59
Sept. 21 58
Sept. 22 . 55
Sept. 23 . 48.
Sept. 24 .57
43
43 .05
38 .03
39
41 Trace
43 1.55
40 .05
Seward
The Gatezvay City of Interior Alaska Since 1903.
e 0 P 0 r f
Record
Sezvard’s All-JVeather Port is Alaska’s Greatest Asset.
Only newspaper in the
world that gives a hoot
about Seward, Alaska.
Vol. X, No. 13
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1953
Price 10 Cents
Rehabilitation Center Offers
Training To Handicapped
By Paul Nelson
Vocational Rehabilitation a
Seward Sanatorium is activel;
giving training to thirty-six di
ents of the Territorial Rehabili
tation program.
This program was set up as ;
result of appropriation of $50,
000 by the last Territorial Legis
lature, which is to be matehee
with Federal funds. These mon
ies are to be used for purpose
of training the handicapped, ant
retraining people who need U
change their vocation due t(
physical limitations.
The appropriation was no
made to the Seward Rehabili
tation Center but to the Terri
torial Rehabilitation progrurr
for the purpose of buying train
ing services. The Seward Re
habilitation Center will offei
this service to qualified rehabili
tation clients and will be re
imbursed from the Territoria
Rehabilitation program for an>
service they can offer. At tin
present time these services art
being purchased from rehabili
tation programs in the States.
Although the program at tin
Rehabilitation Center has beer
developed chiefly for the pur
pose of training patients whe
have been hospitalized at the
Seward Sanatorium, other han
dicapped people will be trainee
there also.
From an organization stand
point, the rehabilitation pro
gram is being established sep
arate from the Seward Sana
toriitm. Shoe repair, dental tech
nician, bookkeeping, skin sew
irig and seamstress, telegraphy
dental assistant, medical assist
nnt, photography, key making
saw filing and setting, too:
sharpening, typing, shorthand
retail store operating, weaving
with craft shop operating, elec
trie appliance, motor, radio, of
fice machine repair, gas station
attendant, training; introduction
to business, filing, business Eng
lish and small business operation
(bedside), will be established
This training follows an out
lined course of study followed
by on the job training, hue time
of the training must be in' line
with the Physician's reetimm. n
dations as to the limitations oi
the individual. The trainers in
each class are well qualiihou and
must meet set standards.
Commercial activities to be
established to give on the jol;
training are a shoe shop, piiotc
and handicraft shop, grocer}
store, electrical repair shop anci
gas station. This training will be
closely supervised at all times
The client will start out on a
two-hour a day schedule, the
time limit will be increased until
the full eight-hour day work
limits are met.
The Rehabilitation Center
may be compared to a vocational
school. Instructors will be em
ployed by the Rehabilitation
Center and tuition and mainte
nance for clients will be charg
ed to the Territorial Office ol
Vocational Rehabilitation.
The program is being financed
by the Women’s Division ol
Christian Service of the Metho
dist Church and will be operated
as a non-profit enterprise. Any
income over expenses in the
operation of any of the commer
cial activities will be reinvested
in helping the clients.
Rehabilitation is a modern
trend in tuberculosis care and
is rapidly gaining recognition.
The Seward Sanatorium is for
tunate to have facilities to be
able to develop this program.
Cancer Drive Opens
Here October 15
IT'S LATER THAN YOU
THINK! This is serious business,
It may concern you. Yes—it's
the Cancer Drive—and it is be
ing given impetus by the Sew
ard Woman’s Club.
Remember, the best defense
against cancer lies in everyone
having periodic thorough physi
cal examinations.
It is silly to think you have
cancer, but it’s smart to make
sure you don’t. Help speed this
drive on its way. Contribute tc
the Cancer Drive when the ap
peal comes to you.
Official opening date for the
local Cancer drive is Thursday
October 15, when literature wil
be inclosed with electric bill:
as was done last year.
The drive is sponsored bj
Seward Woman’s Club aga-ir
this year and they hope that th<
same splendid response will bi
given as in the past.
School Enrollment
Hits High of 610
School enrollment In Seward
has now reached the Unprece
dented figure of 610. A break
1 down by grades and teachers as
reported by Carl R. Carlson,
superintendent of schools, is as
l follows:
First Grade: Mrs. Marie Elbe,
28: Mrs. Virginia Rounds, 28;
Mrs. Sue Hollenbeck, 24.
Second Grade: Mrs. Margaret
Frampton, 28; Mrs. Dorothy
Frost, 35.
Third Grade: Mrs. Helen Car
penter, 29; Mrs. Alice Soroski,
23.
Fourth Grade: Mrs. Nancy
Tousley, 28: Miss Lurline Wil
kins, 38.
Fifth Grade: Mrs. Leone Cook,
30: Mrs. Becky Cox, 30,
Sixth Grade: Mrs. Hilda
Moore, 29; Mrs. Ruth Connelly,
30.
Seventh Grade: Mr. Donald
Dalberg, 28; Mr. James Watts,
24.
Eighth Grade: Mrs. Lee John
son, 26; Mrs. Ivis Whitbeck, 25.
Total elementary school, 483.
High School
Freshmen, 29: Sophomores,
45: Juniors, 28; Seniors, 25.
Total high school enrollment,
127.
Of these grades, Mrs. Hollen
beck's class is in the Methodist
Church; Miss Wilkins’ is tem
porarily in the Odd Fellows
Hall: Mrs. Carpenter is tem
porarily in the Episcopal Church
and grades taught by Mrs.
Frampton, Mrs. Soroski, Mrs.
Tousley and Mrs. Cook arc at
Bayview. Miss Wilkins’ and Mrs.
Carpenter’s classes will move
into the James building on
Fourth Avenue early in October.
A.5.C. Returns Three
Ships to Maritime
Throe Alaska Steamship Com
pany knot-type 6.000 ton vessels
on nharter from the Maritime
Administration are being re
delivered to the government in
order to reduce expenses of
maintaining them in layup dur
ing the off season of the Alaska
trade, D. E. Skinner, company
vice president and general man
ager. said this week.
“We plan to obtain satisfac
tory replacements for these
ships before next season either
through charter or purchase or
a combination of the two,”
Skinner pointed out.
The vessels involved are the
rr.atorships Ring Splice, Flemish
Knot and Sailor's Splice. The
Ring Splice was to be delivered
September 23, the Flemish Knot
September 24 and the Sailor’s
Splice in a week or ten days.
The Ring Splice and Flemish
Knot have served the Alaska
trade since 1947 and the Sailor's
Splice since 1949. In the past
these vessels have been laid up
at the Lake Washington Ship
Yards at Houghton during the
winter, but are now being de
commissioned and sent to the
Olympia reserve fleet.
With the redelivery of these
ships, Alaska Steamship Com
pany’s fleet will include four
combination freight and passen
ger vessels, three Liberty ships,
a knot-type vessel and the steam
er Victoria—all company owned
—and seven knot-type ships un
der charter from the govern
ment, two of which are reefers.
ALASKA NURSES TO GIVE
NEW PLYMOUTH CAR
A 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook
sedan will be given by Alaska
Nurses’ Association October 17
in Anchorage.
The nurses are trying to raise
funds to pay for the services
ftf a full time executive secre
tary. The organization has
grown to such a size that it is
no longer possible to keep up
with the work on a volunteer
basis, but funds are not available
for paid assistance.
Tickets are available at the
Blue Shop. A photograph of the
car is also on display at the
shop. This is a Territory-wide
organization of nurses organized
in recent years and struggling
hard to bring a high standard of
professional work to Alaska.
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to thank the many
people of Seward who showed
us great kindness and considera
tion during our recent bereave
ment.
FRANK SPADARO AND SON
Cause Unknown In
Somsen Death
An inquest held September
24 into the death of Lewellyn S.
Somsen, whose body was found
in his room September 23, re
sulted in a verdict of death due
to causes unknown.
Somsen, a longshoreman,
member of Local 1-39, had not
been seen since Thursday of the
week before. His coat hud been
on a box in the hall since that
time and one of the roomers re
marked about it to Win. Bern,
proprietor of the apartment
house. Upon investigation Mr.
Bern found Somsen dead in his
bed.
Dr. Norman Hall stated that
the man had been dead from
three to five days; the body was
badly decomposed.
At the inquest Dr. Hall stated
that he had treated the man for
anemia and hemorrhoids earlier
in the year and that Somsen had
seemed to improve, gaining
weight. He was unable to es
tablish cause of death without
a postmortem examination.
Efforts are being made by
Commissioner Southard to con
tact Somsen's family for instruc
tions as to disposition of the
body.
Records show that Lewellyn
Somsen was born in Wyoming
March 26. 1904. His former wife
lives in Pocatello, Idaho and
there is a son. Gene Somsen,
whose last address was Glacier
Park, Montana.
Somsen was a member of the
Mormon church and had lived
in Seward for the past several
years.
Save October 23 For
High School Carnival
The High School Carnival
this year will be held Friday,
October 23, in the school gym.
Plans are underway to make
this the biggest and best carni
val that Seward High School
has ever put on. There will be
lots of good prizes and games
and concessions for all ages.
Proceeds from the carnival
will be used to pay for ne.v
basketball uniforms tor the Sea
Hawks. The flashy new uniforms
will be on display sometime
after the first of October.
Keep this date open for the
best entertainment of the year.
—Mark it on your calendar—
October 23.
Young Republican
Club To Form Here
Seward is to have the first
Young Republican Club formed
in Alaska, according to Mrs. Cal
Brosius, vice chairman of the
Republican Central Committee.
The club is being formed at
the suggestion of Sullivan E.
Barnes, National chairman of
the Federation of Young Repub
lican Clubs. Age brackets in YR
cover young men and women
from 18 to 36, with the object of
training those under voting age
for work in later life.
Win Ervin has agreed to un
dertake the organization of a
club in Seward. After it is on
its feet, the only contact will
be with the National organiza
tion in Washington. Other com
munities are expected to organ
ize the Young Republicans on
the same national plan.
Light Thunder Storm
Amazes Seward
On Wednesday afternoon a
little thunder storm wandered
in and in astonishment at find
ing itself in an unkown area,
flashed around, grumbled a few
times and spilled itself all over
Seward.
No less astonished, Sewardites
could not believe their own ears.
Thunder and lightening are
practically unheard of in this
area. Many children heard it
for the first time and several
oldtimers claim to have heard
it in Seward only once or twice
before.
Heavy showers accompanied
the storm for a few minutes,
reminding outsiders of the old
home.
Anchorage Guests At
Eastern Star
Seward Chapter Order of
Eastern Star will entertain mem
bers of the Anchorage Chapter
Monday at 6:30 p.m. with a din
ner in Masonic Temple.
Members who have not been
asked to donate food for the
dinner are requested to contri
bute $1.00 each toward expenses,
making the cost $2.00 per cou
ple. * ,
ARR Asks Aid Of
Master Seamen In
Planning Seward Dock
A letter has gone out from
H. E. Sterner, assistant -operat
ing manager, The Alaska Rail
road, to all masters and ship
captains of both Alaska Lines
and Coastwise Line concerning
Seward docks.
Railroad officials “desire the
advice of masters and officers
as to suggested locations and
type of docking facilities” most
suitable for this port. Seamen
are also asked for an opinion as
to whether the existing dock
should be enlarged and modern
ized to handle vessels and pro
vide more warehouse space and
sidings for rail cars.
“The ARR feels that the ex
perience you have gained in
docking and undocking vessels
at Seward, and the discharging
of all types of cargo, will en
able them to determine the
proper type of construction to
consider.”
Letters were sent to individ
ual ship masters, asking them
to compile their opinions by
letter and send airmail to the
ARR at first port of call.
Lions Club To Furnish
Glasses For Jesse Lee
Approximately 20 children in
Jesse Lee Home are in need of
glasses. The Territorial Depart
ment of Welfare furnishes funds
for examination but not for
lenses. The Seward Lions Club
has taken on the project of se
curing the glasses for these
children.
Ambulance J.aid Up
Again For Repairs
Once again the old ambulance
had to be laid up for repairs aft
er a run Thursday night. In the
meantime, the SVAC has been
given use of the Fire Depart
ment crash truck when called
for ambulance service.
The crash truck is kept in the
Fire Hall and is easily available,
although not as comfortable as
the ambulance.
(Reporter's
Notebook
Word has been received that
Helen (Varnell) and Pedro Den
ton, who are living in College,
Alaska where Pedro is attending
the University, are proud par
ents of a baby boy. The little
fcliow has been named Stephen.
Grandmother Varnell is there
to watch aittr the first few days
of her first grandson.
Miss Jane McMullen, who
gave us the word of the Denton
baby, also says, "Tell the kids
at Jesse Lee that Gerry Boston
works in the Registrar's office at
tire University of Alaska.” Miss
Boston was an the staff at Jesse
Lee for a while.
_' /
Speaking of Jesse Lee Home,
everybody has noticed, no doubt,
that the new paint job is under
way. Gray walls and red roof.
The former Dufresne house,
which stands alongside the new
airstrip, is for sale by the Dept,
of Aviation. It must be moved
from its present location.
There is going to be another
one of those now famous fish
fries at the Legion Club Sunday.
Hours from 4 to 8 p.m.
Work lias begun on the new
Seward Baptist Church at the
corner of Fourth Avenue and
Jefferson. The congregation will
use the basement this winter,
Rev. Carpenter says, and con
tinue building next year.
Mr. and Mrs. Elton Stevens,
formerly of Fort Richardson,
dropped in on Gene Kirkpatrick
Friday noon. Stevens and Kirk
patrick were buddies at Ft. Rich.
The Junior Women's Club met
at the home of Mrs. Gil Anthony
Tuesday night. It was a social
meeting and 28 members at
tended.
Alice B. Titus and Wm. F.
Stei’o were married in the Com
missioner's office Wednesday.
Steib is from Seldovia. Their
witnesses were Lena S. Titus and
Fred Lequier.
Kathryn Galen is a patient at
Seward General Hospital.
Mrs. Phil Harding has been
confined to her home this week
with an attack of flu.
Seward C. of C.
To Incorporate
The constitution of Seward
Chamber of Commerce was rati
fied at the Tuesday noon meet
ing this week, thus completing
the arrangements for full incor
poration of the local organiza
tion.
A large attendance crowded
the capacity of the Diner for a
longer than usual meeting. The
nominating committee was ap
pointed with W. C. Erwin as
chairman, to supply a slate of
officers for the election in De
cember.
Guests at the meeting were
Jack Stern from Anchorage,
manager of Cordova Airlines.
He introduced the new Seward
manager, Mr. Gene Majors who
will take over here soon.
Other guests were Miss Grace
Ushler, Paul Nelson, McKenna
Wemark of Wales, and Sarah
Warncke, Nome. The latter two
are Sanatorium patients and cli
ents of the new Seward Reha
bilitation Center.
Mr. Nelson, administrator at
the Sanatorium, explained the
new set-up at the Rehab Center,
where it is planned to open a
retail grocery store and filling
station for the purpose of train
ing handicapped persons in mer
chandising business. Lengthy
discussion followed Mr. Nelson’s
statement that the business will
be run on a strictly competitive
basis but without price-cutting.
Merchants agreed to meet with
Mr. Nelson at the Sanatorium
to view the stores and discuss
further plans of the new ven
ture.
City Offered Use Of
Federal Jail
Police Chief Balrnat reported
to the City Council this week
that he had a communication
from Mr. Huckill, superintend
ent of the Federal jail, now
under the Federal Bureau of
Prisons, in which the govern
ment offered to rent the jail to
the city on a nominal basis to be
operated as a city jail after the
new prison in Anchorage is
completed.
Federal prisoners from this
area would be paid for on a per
diem basis with the city in
charge of feeding and care of all
prisoners.
The matter was tabled for fur
ther discussion by a full council,
as some /members and Mayor
Painter were absent from the
last meeting.
Spadaro Services
Held Wednesday
Funeral services were held
for Mrs. Florence M. Spadaro
Wednesday, September 23, at 2
p.m. in the Elks Lodge room.
Christian Science service was
conducted by Mrs. Rachel
Puckett.
Florence M. Spadaro, wife of
Frank Spadaro, was born in
Minnesota in 1889. She died in
Seward General Hospital Sep
tember 20 after an illness of
several weeks.
Mrs. Spadaro is survived by
her husband and a son Frank E.
Spadaro, both of Seward, and a
brother, Warren Stegner, of
Haure, Montana. Burial was in
Seward Cemetary.
SEWARD MACHINE SHOP
GETS BID FOR
CITY VEHICLES
Bids were opened Monday
night by the City Council for
furnishing a new police patrol
car and a dump truck for the
street - department. Seward Ma
chine Shop, being low bidder on
both vehicles, received the bid.
They will furnish a Ford se
dan for police work and a Ford
6x8 truck for the street depart
ment.
HOMEMAKERS CLUB
ORGANIZING
Seward homemakers interest
ed in Homemakers Club work
met with Mrs. Winey, assistant
Home Demonstration Agent,
Wednesday. Seven women met
at the home of Mrs. George
Dangler and planned an organi
zation meeting at the home of
Mrs. Frank Woods Friday after
noon.
TURKEY DINNER
A turkey dinner with all the
trimmings is being served by
tiie Women's Auxiliary of St.
Peter's Episcopal Church Satur
day, September 26, from 5 to 7
p.m.
The committee preparing the
dinner are Mrs. Hazel Erwin,
Mrs. Pearl Milroy and Mrs.
Mable Lewis.
Candidates Slow In Filing
For Municipal Offices
Although there are a number
of petitions out for office in the
coming municipal election, Oc
tober 6, very few have been
filed to date.
Those definitely filed are
Robert Biggs for city council;
BULLETIN
At press time today, three
names had been filed for City
Council. They are Robert Biggs,
Gilbert C. Anthony, and George
Giardina, all for the two year
term.
Leon Lewis and Elsie Whitmore
for school board.
No petitions have been filed
for the ol'liee of mayor or the
utilities board. Closing date for
filing of petitions is 3 p.m. Mon
day, September 28.
LIONS CLUB URGES VOTERS
TO REGISTER
Seward Lions Club, meeting
Friday noon, went on official
record this week as urging ev
erybody who is eligible to reg
ister and vote in the coming mu
nicipal election.
To date, something over 450
is the record of registration, and
Lions Club members feel that
there are probably a greater
number of eligible voters in
Seward than the number already
registered.
Lutheran Minister
Due Next Week
Reverend Dwight J. Boc and
family will arrive on the Denali
next week to assume the pastor
ate of Seward Lutheran Church.
Rev. Boe, a former classmate
of former pastor Kent E. Spauld
ing, comes to Seward from the
Seabold Community Lutheran
Church at Winslow, Washington
on Bainbridge Island. He is a
westerner, born in Los Angeles
in 1025. He attended the Los
Angeles public sciiool system
and Culler Academy, graduating
in 1043.
His college work was taken
at Los Angeles Pacific College,
Occidental College, the Lutheran
Bible Institute and he graduated
from Pacific Lutheran College
with a B.A. degree in 1047. ILs
theological training was taken
at Luther Theological Seminary
in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Mr. Boe was ordained in the
Evangelical Lutheran Church
June lb, 1051 and has served
churches in Port Madison, Beth
any and Winslow, Washington.
This is to be his first experience
in Alaska.
Church Work Parly Sunday
Clarence Larsen will conduct
services at the church this Sun
day, after which all work parties
will stay for work on the par
sonage and have potluck to
gether.
Nurses Examination
in Anchorage
Tiie State Board Test Pool
examination for the licensing of
the professional and practical
nurse will be given at Anchorage
October 17' and 18. The exam
ination for the practical nurse
will also be given at the lVlt.
Edgecombe School of Practical
Nursing October 2G and 27.
Twelve students that graduate
from the Mt. Edgecumbe School
■on October 23 will write the
examination. This is the second
class this year to take the ex
amination; the first class of nine
students wrote the examination
in June and did very well. These
students were the first practical
nurses to be licensed in the
Tefritory.
All applicants for the profes
sional and practical nurse ex
amination must submit proof of
graduation from an accredited
or approved school of profes
sional or practical nursing.
Applications must be filed
with Mrs. LaPreal F. Die, K.N.,
Executive Secretary, Alaska
Nurses' Examining Board, Box
714, Seward, Alaska on or be
fore October 3.
$10,000 SUIT FILED
AGAINST CITY
The City of Seward is defend
ant in a suit filed by Lola and
Fred Lequier in District Court
this week.
Mrs. Lequier is asking dam
ages for an injury received in a
fall on Fourth Avenue a few
weeks ago. caused “by danger
ous condition of the sidewalk.”
Date for the trial has not been
set.
REGISTRATION BOOK
OPEN AT NOON
Reminder is made to Seward
residents who wish to vote in
the coming municipal election
that the registration book is
open at the City Hall during
the noon hour.
Although announcement has
been made that the registration
book is open from 9 a m. to 3
p.m. week days and from 9 a.m.
to noon on Saturdays, many
people have supposed that they
could not register during the
noon hour.
Recreation Group
Starts Survey
The Seward Recreation Com
mittee's Survey got under way
Thursday, when 25 to 30 vol
unteers from the 5th, 6th, 7th
and 8th grades began distribut
ing the questionnaires through
out Seward, Bartlett and the
surrounding areas. The High
School is having a separate sur
vey, which also began Thursday
under the direction of Dick
Erickson.
The purpose of this survey is
to determine which recreational
activities are desired in the com
munity by adults, high school
students, grade school and pre
school children, so that the Rec
creation Committee can plan ac
cordingly.
In filling in the questionnaire,
be sure to mark the activities
each member of the family is
interested in or would partici
pate in should that particular
activity be developed by the
Committee. The questionnaires
are to be picked up Saturday,
the 26th. In case no one calls
for yours by the 27th, it is re
quested that they be left at the
office of the Public Health Nurse
in the Ray Building or mailed
to Box 110.
The next meeting of the Rec
reational group is Thursday, Oc
tober 1, in the City Council
chambers at 8:00 p.m. Everyone
is invited to attend, including
high school students, parents,
individuals and young married
couples—anyone interested in
making Seward a better place in
which to live.
Following is a copx of the
Recreational Committee's ques
tionnaire. If you did not receive
one, clip this out and fill it in;
leave it at the office of the Pub
lic Health Nurse or mail it to
Box 110, Seward.
What RECREATIONAL ACTI
VITIES are your family interest
ed in? Under each age group
indicate the number interested
in the various activities. Mark
only those activities in which
you or members of your family
will actively participate.
The High School is being sur
veyed separately.
Mark everyone in the family
who is out of High School in the
adult column.
Grade Pre
Adults School School
Basketball
Holler Skat inn
Swim minis: • •
Hobbies:
a. Woodcraft
b. Model
building •
c. Arts-Craftr*
Square Dancing
Skiing
Ice Skat inn
Sledding
Ballroom
Dancing . .
Superv.
I 'lay g t on ml
Hi fiery . . .
Other chokes:
Xante (head of family)
Address .—
Phone . **•*■*• **ox*
Total Number in Family