* Gtybdinp ihe (Mm ef Ma&k(& &i(tri Mdoi'ic tfiJand
Published every Saturday at Kodiak, Alaska
Yearly Subscription Rate $6r00
Entered in the Postoffice at Kodiak, Alaska as Second
Class matter under act of Congress of March 3,1878
THE ISLAND PUBLISHING COMPANY
Sig J. Digree, Editor and Publisher
Betha Digree, Executive Secretary
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tlie Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use or republica
tion of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in
Khis paper and also the local news published herein.
Proclamation
WHEREAS the waters off Kodi
ak Island have been favored by a
bountiful Nature with large num
bers of King Crab, which have be
came a. basic economy of the City
of Kodiak, furnishing a livelihood
'to numerous fishermen and others
engaged itt processing and mar
keting this delicious, crustacean,
AND, WHEREAS, it is custom
ary to recognize an outstanding
product with which a town or
district is identified,
NOW THEREFORE, I, Merrill
Coon, Mayor of the City of Kodi
ak,, do hereby proclaim Kodiak,
Alaska the “King Crab Capital
of the World,” and that May 2nd
and May 3rd, 1958 be known as
“Crab Festival” days, and do ask
the people of Kodiak to join at
that time in he ->ring “King
Crab” with appropriate celebra
tion.
M. C. COON,
Mayor of Kodiak
Spread the Word About Teaching
The teacher shortage, a 10-year
Wight, is still infeoting our edu
cational system and cheating our
children. Every member of this
community has a stake in ending
this shortage. Not erne of us can
’wash his hands of the matter and
say “Teacher recruitment has
nothing to do with me.”
We can’t leave it poor old hard
working “George.” We must do
it ourselves, right here and now.
How can we help in this vital com
munity “do-it-yourself” project?
We can spread the good word
about teaching . . that oppor
tunities have never been greater
. . . that salaries are "on the up
swing . . . that teaching is a proud
profession
We can urge our more capable
young people to become teachers.
A recent survey showed that 7 out
of 10 newly-graduated teachers
go back home to teach. So — if
more of our youngsters study
teaching—we’ll have more teach
ers in our town. We can hold the
fine crop of teachers we already
have by showing them that we re
spect them and care about their
problems.
The month of April has been
set aside by the National Educa
tion Association in cooperation
with more than 50 national pro
fesional and citizen groups, as
Teaching Career Month ... in
order to attract nationwide at
tention to the recruitment, pre
paration and retention of top
quality teachers for a strong
America. For our own sake and
the sake of our children — we
would be wise to give Teaching
Career Month our full local sup
port.
Youth Day
WHEREAS, the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks has des
ignated May 1 as Youth Day to
honor America’s Junior Citizens
•ior their accomplishments, and to
give fitting re cog • a . u-.r
services to Community, v »;: ? uni
Nation, and,
WHEREAS, Kodiak Elks Lodge
No. 1772 will sponsor an observ
ance on May 1 in tribute to the
Junior Citizens of this Communi
ty; and,
WHEREAS, no event could be
more deserving of our support and
participation than one dedicated
to these young people who repre
sent the nation’s greatest re
source, and who in the years
ahead will assume the responsi
bility for the advancement of our
free society; and,
WHEREAS, our Youth need the
guidance, inspiration and encour
agement which we alone can give
in order to develop those qualities
of character essential for future
leadership; and,
WHEREAS, to achieve this wor
thy objective we should demon
strate our partnership with Youth,
our understanding of their hopes
and aspirations and a sincere will
ingness to help prepare them in
rvery way for the responsibilities
and opportunities of citizenship:
NOW THEREFORE, I, Merrill
Coon, Mayor of Kodiak, do hereby
proclaim May 1 as Youth Day,
and urge all departments of gov
ernment, civic, fraternal and patri
otic groups, and our citizens gen
erally, to participate wholeheart
edly in its observance.
M. COON,
Mayor of
CITY OF KODIAK
LOYALTY DAY
Governor Stepovich has desig
nated May 1 as Loyalty Day, and
urges all Alaskans to note the ob
servance of the day with approp
riate reflections and fitting cere
monies.
Here There Everywhere
* * r INSIDE INFO—Who is
winning in the Queen contest?
Queen contestants—wouldn’t you
like to know? Due to a method
employed no doubt by Queen con
testant? the world over, of holding
back on turning in stubs on tick
ets sold, until the last night,
makes it virtually impossible to
gauge accurately who leads the
pack at this point.
However, this method does not
obscure entirely the young lady
leading during any one period. As
a tipster, we won’t reveal our
method or the source of informa
tion, but here is the tip: Watch a
certain blonde contestant (she is
worth watching for other reasons)
who is getting wide support in
town, and another one, who is
clicking on the Naval Station. The
finish of the race will see both of
these running close. But then,
with still about a week to go, the
other four fillys may get their
heads higher into the wind as the
finish line looms closer.
* * * OUT OF THE RED—We
learn from Eldon Lester, in
charge of the ticket sales, the
Committee is breathing easier
these days, since ticket sales con
tinue to mount and the Festival
Committee is assured of a nice
balance after all expenses paid.
Two events other than the two big
dances, that ought to stir up some
interest, is the crab cooking con
test, and the crab shaking contest.
There ought to be some keen
competition in both of these
events.
* * * ANOTHER SMOKER. Bob
Fredericks, local wrestler, says a
smoker is being planned. Date is
now set for May 17. The popular
ity of the last two smokers staged
here has resulted in a few of the
boys getting together another
card. Further details as to place,
participants, etc., will be announc
ed soon.
* * * HISTORY REPEATS. A
speech delivered by the late Merle
Thorpe on March 17, 1954, reads
like 1958. In if, he said: “Depres
sion is becoming the most widely
advertised product of 1954.” His
subject, “How to Promote a De
pression.” He noted that the five
factors “all tried out successfully
in the promotion of the degres
sions of 1857, ’73, ’93, 1907 and the
‘thirties’ ” were at hand. They
were: 1. Politics. The “outs” pick
on the “ins”—charge the admini
stration with hard times and doing
nothing about it. The “ins” think
up defenses. 2. Statistics. May be
used for any purpose. No one
questions a statistic. 3. Bad News.
The public loves to hear it. 4.
Plans. The “perpetual-emotion” of
the 30.’s. The more cock-eyed the
“plan” the more useful. 5. The
universal desire of human beings
.... to find a scape-goat to blame
for their own faults. . . . Mr.
Thorpe assured his listeners that
by exploiting all these factors the
nation would soon “have more
idle tongues than; idle hands.”
We liked the remark of Red
Motley, president of Parade
Magazine, when he said: “It’s not
so much that hard times are com
ing, but that soft times are go
ing.”
* * * SELL. Licking the recession,
it appears, is a question of just
that—sell! Esther Williams has
gone into the swimming pool bus
iness, and says they are selling
faster than they can be manufac
tured. Her company! reports its
1958 first quarter as 150 percent
ahead of the same period in 1957
.... they’re even selling them in
Alaska. The point in telling this
success story is that it seems to
prove Americans have money to
spend.
* * * SALARIES. The mayor and
council members found they could
not raise or lower their salaries
without an ordinance. They can
set compensation for future coun
cils provided none of the present
ones are in office at that time.
We weren’t in on the original
discussions, but it seems someone
wants the councilman to be paid
for the meetings attended, and not
monthly, as now. As you may
know, the mayor draws down the
munificent salary of $25 monthly
and the council members $10 each
-7 7 Low pay, I’d say. But this
is one job you can’t attract better
men by better salaries—the. thing
would get out ,, of hand. If my
figures are correct the seven men
collectively draw down about $40
for each council meeting, or less
than $6 a piece.Wear and
tear on the car and gas to get
them there, coffee and refresh
ments afterwards, doesn’t leave
much. ... We don’t know yet
whether they wanted to raise or
lower their salaries.
Cleanup Campaign
Proves Effective
The city’s clean-up campaign,
sparked by Mayor Coon, is prov
ing effective in cleaning up the
trash and unsightly buildings and
areas throughout the city. More
than a hundred loads had been
carried to the dump by city trucks
in the past week.
More than 20 men turned out
Saturday m assist in cleaning up
the Torgramson property on Alas
ka Way. This is the site of the
old Lyric Theatre, which partially
burned down some years ago. The
remains of the old structure has
been an eyesore since, and per
mission was granted the city to
clean up the property, by the
heirs of the late “Topsy” Tor
gramson.
The clean-up crew then moved
to the Erskine property across
from the city hall and burned off
a part of it. They assisted city em
ployees in loading and unloading
the trash picked up throughout
the city.
Historic landmarks without
any value historically, were load
ed in the trucks and removed.
One “two4ioler,” Chic Sale vari
ety, one of the last within the
town’s boundaries, Was taken to
the. dump. Property adjacent to
the downtown school has bee*
cleaned, arid everywhere through
out the city, residents are co-op
erating in cleaning up unsightly
areas. Inspections are continuing,
according to Coon, and concentra
tion on congested areas behind
buildings is being made.
The mayor has called for volun
teers for today, and specific areas
will be cleaned up. “Much re
mains to be done,” he stated.
DAIRY PROBLEMS
Continued from Page 1)
ing to the finished product in the
can. Pictures will be taken during
the festival, also.
Dr. Bob Johnson reported a
brochure to be used for tourists,
describing Kodiak and its historic
sites, is now in formation. An
earlier brochure has already bee*
distributed.
Bob Miller announced the start
of a “Little League” here, but
stated a heavy roller is needed to
level off the grounds to be used.
This is on the Kodiak Baptist Mis
sion property.
Ole Johnson was selected to
head the Chamber of Commerce
at the election in June. His Dame
was submitted by the nominating
committee. Others named to ap
pear on the ballot were Dick Berg,
1st vice-president; Chuck Edris,
2nd vice-president; secretary, Art
( Brooks and Douglas Preston. The
board of directors selected by the
committee are Ben Kraft and Dr.
Bob Johnson. The president, John
Gibbons, automatically becomes
a member.
NOW THAT WINTER IS OVER
AND SUMMER IS HERE
THINK OF AUTO INSURANCE
AND GET IT HERE.
Drive carefully, and don't insist on
your rites!
Kodiak Insurance & Bldg. Corp
THOMPSON TRANSFER
CLEAN HEAT! Both Standard
Furnace Oil and Standard Stove Oil
are super-refined to burn clean.
Call us today for prompt service
For your convenience we have
Automatic Keep-Filled Service
Home & Office
Phone 3131
Standard Plant
Phone 4303