Knout you* VHwe**Uy
The big fellow with the big
smile, who stands six feet one
and tips the beam at 225, is Har
old Gronroos, president of the
Gastineau Chapter of the Univer
sity of Alaska Alumni Associa
tion. His “distinguished high
forehead” comes from years of
brain work. “A decade ago I was
slender and had the finest crew
haircut on the University of Alas
ka campus,” he maintains.
Harold’s earliest memories are
of Alaska. His father had worked
for August Buschmann when the
Port Arthorp cannery was built,
and he had many tales to tell of
the Northland.
Harold was born September 29,
1918, at Kirkland, Washington— j
or, to be more exact—at a place
locally known as “Finn Hill” be- ,
cause of a fine settlement of
hearty folk direct from Helsinki.
He attended high school in Kirk
land, then, at age 15, headed for
Alaska.
He spent the next three sum
mers working with pile driver j
crews at Skowl Arm Cannery, 50
miles west of Ketchikan on Prince j
of Wales Island. Winters he at
tended the University of Wash- ;
ington where he was enrolled in
the School of Engineering.
The summer of 1938 Gronroos
was back in Alaska, this time:
working for Karl Thiele at the
Diamond K Packing Co. at Wran
gell. That season Gronroos de
cided that Alaska was his coun
try and that he was going to stay.
Harold saved his money to at
tend the University of Alaska,
and arrived in College for the
second semester in January, 1939. i
He got along fine until about i
March 1, when his supply of dol- j
lar bills had diminished to the
vanishing point.
“Like a lot of other lads on
the campus, I was inteersted in
having a private chat with Presi
dent Bunnell,” Harold said. “I
had never met him, as he had
been in Juneau for his biennial
round with the Legislature.
“The first day the President
returned to the campus, the line
formed on the right,” Gronroos
said. “When my turn came, I said, j
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‘Dr. Bunnell, I think I can make
it if I can borrow $35.’
“Dr. Bunnell took a look at me,
reached for a pad of counter
checks, and said, ‘All right. By
the way, what is your name?”
And that was my introduction to
the President of the U. of A.”
Harold worked for the Univer
sity Food Service, and the com
bination of washing dishes and
keeping books paid for his month
ly board bill. He had switched
from Engineering to Business Ad
ministration when he started at
the U. of A., and compressed a
four-year course into 2l/z years.
“That was a right, long grind,
let me tell you,” he reminisced.
After graduation in May, 1941,
Harold joined the Fairbanks of
fice of the Alaska Territorial Em
ployment Service, and gave many
a man his job at Ladd Field. In
December he was transferred to
the Kodiak office; six months j
later he enlisted in the Army. |
Harold received his commission
as Second Lieutenant at the Or
dinance School at Aberdeen Prov
ing Ground. Maryland, and then
was attached to the 91st Division
which was being alerted on the
West Coast for Far Eastern Duty.
But Harold’s background must j
have been a deciding faictor. In •
the dead of winter he found him- i
self at Dawson Creek, B. C., dol
ing out ordinance supplies to all
points along the Alcan highway.
Months later his outfit was
transferred to Texas. Here, on
October 17, 1944, Harold was
married to Bonnie Jo Gooldy, of
Fulton, Missouri, whom he had
met in Dawson Creek, where she
was attached to the U. S. Army
Medical Corps.
Soon afterwards, Harold left
for Seattle, Hawaii, a tour of the
staging points in the Central Pa
cific and the campaign at Okin
awa. “I found out it really is a
small world,” Gronroos related.j
‘On the island of Mog Mog, which !
is about a thousand feet long and |
three feet high, I met Olavi Wahto ;
and Stanley LaFond of the Uni- j
versity of Alaska. We drank green .
cocoanut milk to celebrate the j
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Start off a wonderful eve
ning by bringing your best
girl here for dinner. We'll
be ready for you with one
of the finest meals you've
ever eaten. Women enjoy
having somebody else do
the cooking for a. change.
Mixing your favorite drinks
is our specialty.
And Remember
We Are Open
24 Hours a Day!
ALPINE INN
Mile 61, Glenn Highway
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Phone l-J-31
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meeting.”
After the war was over, Gron
roos returned to the States via
Iwo Jima and Guam and was
discharged at Fort Lewis.
He immediately returned to
Alaska. His first job was Field
Supervisor of the U. S. Employ
ment Service. In 1946 he joined
the Veterans Employment Serv
ice, a part of the U. S. Depart
ment of Labor.
As this piece is being written,
Gronroos has received a big pro
motion into the placement divi
sion of the Alaska Native Service.
Harold Gronroos was elected
the first president of the newly
established Gastineau Branch of
the University of Alaska Alumni,
and he is enthusiasitc about the
growing number of U. of A. alums
in Southeastern Alaska.
“Our first important function
was the testimonial dinner for
Andrew Nerland, president of the
Board of Regents,” Mr. Gronroos
declared. “This event, and other
affairs to be staged by our organ
ization, will bring the name of the
University of Alaska before our
young people. We want them to
know of the advantages of the
Territorial University when they
decide on their college careers.”
liT us
YOUR
USED FURNITURE
BOUGHT AND SOLD
SEE
G. A. KRISE
Basement Palmer Drug
r UJl/im am jinc nm i
Two Newly-Formed
Volley Firms Incorporate
Among western Alaska firms
recently filing articles of incor
poration with the territorial au
ditor’s office are two newly
formed Valley organizations.
They are the Hallea lodge, in
corporated to operate a tavern,
restaurant and beverage dispen
sary at Wasilla. Incorporators are
William Olsen and Sam Odel of
Anchorage and Sam E. Frederick
of Wasilla. Capital stock is $50,
000.
The Valley Development Cor
poration of Palmer has incorpor
ated with a capital stock of $100,
000. Directors are Jack Maze and
John L. Sullivan of Palmer and
Ray James of Seward.
r
FROM ANCHORAGE
Anchorage visitors who spent
! Monday and Tuesday here on
business this week included Jack*
W. Jacobson and Emery E. Potts
of the National Public Service In
surance Company. Mr. Jacobson
is general division manager and
Mr. Potts resident agent of the
insurance firm.
IN WASHINGTON. D. C.
Earl J. Smith, REA field rep
resentative stationed in Palmer,
is now in Washington, D. C., on
business. He went on to the cap
ital following an REA meeting at
Spokane, Wn., held during the
middle part of February. Mr.
Smith expects to return to th?
Valley within the next two
weeks.
ANCHORAGE LITTLE THEATRE
Presents
THE
DRUNKARD
Directed by Don Harling
One Showing Only
9:30 P.M. March 9
PALMER BAR
Admission $1.50
Tickets on Sole at Bert's Drug Store
Ruth & Bob Burgess Are Back and Will
Be Playing Before and After the Show
mi Jllll muilH Jim mi /li» Jl.wnwm n n Jim mu h » >i » «.» ;mrrm n n rnrmi nm »m m I
LaBrie's
5 Wishes to Welcome All Visitors from the Valley
When They Are in Anchorage
SMORGASBORD
An Added Feature on Sundays
Prepared by Scandinavians
4th & Borrow — Open 4 p.m.-? — Phone 30351
Also American Dinners Being Served
Visit the Cocktail Lounge