I
-VWVS^WWWWVWWfWWWi^WWWWV’
Buy an
AMERICAN LEGION
Poppy
On Saturday, May 24
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.
VOL V. NO. 37
PALMER, ALASKA, THURSDAY, MAY 22. 1952
PRICE TEN CENTS
LEGION PLANS MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES
World Around Us
IN CORDOVA last week Judge
Anthony J. Dimond denied a re
quest for an injunction to pre
vent the city of Cordova from
issuing bonds to purchase the
electric, water and telephone fac
ilities of the Alaska Public Util
ities. Three Cordova taxpayers
had filed suit against the city
charging that the $304,000 price
the city had arranged to pay for
the utilities was far beyond the
property’s value. In his decision
Judge Dimond ruled against the
plaintiffs and awarded the de
fendants court costs and attor
neys fee’s of $1,000.
* * *
IN SEWARD the School Board
authorized a $400 blanket in
crease for its teachers next year.
With an increase of over 10 per
cent in enrollment expected and
a drop in Territorial rebates from
80 percent to 75 percent because
the enrollment is over 300. the
school budget totalled $214,188.75
for next year, an increase of $23,
595 over the 1951-52 budget.
• * •
IN JUNEAU city electors will
go to the polls Tuesday, May 27.
to vote on the question of setting
aside the present 1 a.m. closing
time for bars on special occasions
as decided by City Council.
* * *
IN NORTH POLE, ALASKA
residents of that Fairbanks sub
urb will go to the polls on Tues
day, June 17, to vote for or
against the incorporation of the
600 acres comprising the area, in
to a city of the second class.
• • •
IN WRANGELL High School
Graduate Carolyn Mickelson was
given the Territorial Ell*s $400
Scholarship Award as the out
standing student of all Alaska.
Chosen by a committee of the
Department of Education at the
University of Alaska on a record
of marks, dependability, and cit
izenship, Carolyn had a straight
A average from the first grade
through high school. Exalted
Ruler Don House presented the
award.
No Quorum;
City Council Meeting
Postponed 'til Monday
A regular meeting of the City
Council, scheduled originally for
last night—the usual time, will be
held next Monday night in the
Co-Op Club Room.
A quorum was not present at
the meeting last night, so no
action could be taken on several
important matters. Frank Brown
was ill; Steve Ward and his wife
are Outside; and Allan Mick has
not returned from Fairbanks. It
is expected that six of the coun
cilmen will be present at the
meeting Monday. <
SCHOOL ENDS WITH
NO ADJUSTMENT IN
TEACHERS’ SALARIES
The question of wage increases
for members of the Palmer
School District faculty remained
unsettled last week as many of
them left Palmer for vacations
| in the States.
On. Wednesday evening May
7th. a committee of teachers at
: tended the Palmer Board of Edu
cation meeting to present the re
quest of the Teachers’ Association
for a salary adjustment. Statis
tics were recited to show that
cost of living was higher in Pal
mer than in Anchorage, although
slightly lower than Fairbanks.
Also, the recent wage increases
of the Anchorage and Fairbanks
teachers were cited.
The results of the cost-of-living
survey among Palmer teachers
conducted by the Association
showed that the average teacher
had a net deficit at the end of
the year.
The benefits derived by the
school, through teachers receiv
ing a sufficient wage, thus induc
ing them to remain longer in
Palmer, were pointed out.
An answer was requested by
the Salary Committee regarding
a salary adjustment by May 15th.
No formal reply was received by
that date by the teachers.
At a meeting of the teachers
held the last day of school a re
quest was sent to the Board ask*
ing that all teachers be notified'
by mail by July 10th of the defin
ite decision of the Board regard
ing a salary adjustment.
Unless such an adjustment is
made, it is believed that there
will be several vacancies on the
Palmer School staff.
Attorney General
Clarifies Law on
Veterinarian’s Fees
The Territorial veterinarian is
not restrained by Territorial law
from retaining fees for treating
dogs and cats, according to a re
cent decision, made by Alaska
Attorney General J. Gerald Wil
liams.
In answer to a letter from
Commssioner of Agriculture
Clyde G. Sherman, who had re
quested an opinion on this mat
ter, the Attorney General stated:
“—this Act (31-1-2 ACLA 1949)
provides that feees or charges for
services rendered by Territorial
Veterinarians to farmers and
others, at their request, in caring
for ‘livestock and poultry’ shall
be transmitted to the Commis
sioner for deposit in the Territor
ial Treasury. A search of the
cases reveals that generally the
word ‘livestock’ does not include
dogs. Such was the case in (two
citations). It is to be assumed
that cats would fall in the same
category.
“Therefore, it is my opinion
that if, in the absence of an ad
ministrative ruling to the con
trary, the Territorial Veterinari
an treats cats and dogs on his
own time, he should be entitled
to retain the fees for his ser
vices.”
IN FAIRBANKS members of
the Woman’s Club were amazed
recently to learn that they had
won third prize in a nation-wide
Traffic Safety Contest. It was at
the invitation of the Woman’s
Club last October that represen
tatves from other services or
ganizations came together to form
the Fairbanks Safety Council.
MAYOR CARL MEIER BUYS FIRST POPPY
Mrs. Ann Demining, chairma n of fhe Legion Auxiliary
"Poppy Day" committee, pins t he Valley's first 1952 American
Legion poppy on Mayor Carl M eier. Other citizens of fhe com
munity will have a chance to g et their poppies on Saturday,
May 24. —Photo by Palmer Studio
BILLY JONES, CANINE PATRIARCH FROM
LYNDEN, REPORTS ON NEW HOME IN PALMER
The Lynden (Washington) Tri
bune recently featured a letter
and a poem from Billy Jones, a
former resident who now makes
his home in Palmer. The editor re
ported in his story that this was
the first time his paper had ever
received correspondence from a
dog. The reprinted letter and
poem follows:
“The Editor of The Lynden
Tribune:
“Dear Sir:
“I know that it is against your
policy to publish anonymous ma
terial, and only for that reason
will I reveal my identity. My
name is Billy Jones, and until
a few weeks ago I lived across
the street from you. I am the dog
of the Richard Jones family. This
is perhaps the first letter you
have ever received which was
written by a dog, at least I am
the first ever to write you that
would admit he was a dog.
“As you no doubt remember,
my family recently moved north,
to my bitter disgust. Everything
is strange here except my im
mediate family, Dick, Gladys,
Don, Ann and Bryan Jones. I am
very homesick and there are a
lot of things here I don’t like. En
closed is an account of one of my
adventures which I would like
the dogs I left behind to read, if
you can find room for it in your
paper. You have printed a lot
worse doggerel, if I may say so,
which was written by humans.
Arf, arf, arf!
Bless your bones,
B. Jones”
Billy Jones is an elderly dog—
In years, he is ten plus two.
All of them spent on Front Street,
And all of them happy, too.
He’d scarcely win any prizes
At a show for fine pedigrees—
But he stays out of jail,
Keeps wagging his tail,
And appreciates the trees.
Now, a morning walk, for Billy,
Is a thing that must be had;
He takes his constitutional
Be the weather good or bad.
He’d tret up ’round the Co-Op
And around the Christan School
The eight-day clock
Of Harry Mock
Could be set by Bill, as a rule.
The Lynden dog took his habits
North—
Still takes his morning trip.
He feels it wards off rheumatiz
Arthritis, shingles and grippe.
But now, where he used to find
I Meurer’s yard.
He walks through t towering
spruce.
I think it occurred
On May the Third,
Bill ran smack into a moose.
V . •
The aged nose had recorded no
scent;
The bull was standing still.
(There was something wrong
with his nose, too,
For there’s no trouble smelling
Bill.)
“What manner of Great Jehoso
phat is this?”
Jones thought. “Great Scott, he’s
big.
Have I nerve enough
To stand here and bluff,
Or shall I turn around and dig?
Also puzzled, to say the least,
Was the wild and cagy moose.
“Should I step on this big chip
munk,
Or show him my caboose?”
He had never visited Lynden—
Having always declined the call;
For one of his ilk
Doesn’t give much milk,
In fact, scarcely lactates at all.
This yarn about a Lynden dog
And a Matanuska Moose
Could go on forever
.Just like the Korean truce.
Put reinforcements soon arrived;
More dogs, and kids throwing
stones.
A half-ton of meat
Made a hasty retreat.
So this wag ends the tale of
Billy, the Jones.
(The address on Billy’s airmail
letter was “W. Jones, Bow wow
300, Ruff Ruff! St., Palmer, Alas
ka. However, it occurs to our ca
nine commentator that Billy’s
correspondence is being handled
by a talented former Tribune
poet, Paul Combs. Mail addressed
to Bill or Paul at Box 48, Spen
ard, Alaska, will be promptly an
swered by the verse-a-tail pup.)
KINCAID RESIGNS AS
C OF C PRESIDENT
At another poorly attended
meetng of the Chamber of Com
merce yesterday, President O. K.
Kincaid announced his resigna
tion following the Settlers’ Cele
bration. He said the pressure of
other duties had led him to this
decision. Vice-President William
T. Zahradnicek is next in line.
LOCAL AUXILIARY URGES EVERYONE TO
JOIN IN REMEMBERING DEAD VETERANS
Special Events
Scheduled for Annual
Settlers' Celebration
Eugene Kirsch. chairman of the
contests to be held during Set
tlers’ Celebration announced this
week that a varied program has
been planned for Sunday after
noon, June 1. The events will in
clude bicycle races, foot races,
three-legged races, tug-of-war,
pie eating contest, rolling pin
throw, sack races and a wheel
barrow race.
There is still concession space
available, Tom Lepak committee
man reported today. Anyone de
siring space during the three day
celebration may make arrange
ments for it by contacting Mr.
Lepak.
The Three Elks
Find Intruder
Is Not Goldilocks
“Somebody broke into this win
dow!” said the Biggest Elk in
a deep, bass voice.
He walked on through the
Elks’ cottage with the middle
sized Elk and the little Elk until
he came to the first door.
“Who kicked in this door?”
asked the middle-sized Elk in a
middling baretone. But nobody
answered, so the three Elks walk
ed on until thc^y came to another
door. This door, also, was kicked
in.
“Somebody’s kicked in this
door,” observed the little Elk in
a quavering tenor voice. The
three Elks walked on until they
had passed five doors—all kicked
in. The fifth door led to the re
freshment pantry, which wras al
ways kept locked.
“Somebody’s been in my pan
try!” said the Biggest Elk. His
voice was still deep and bass,
but it belied the foolish look he
gave the great big key that dang
led from his watch chain.
Meanwhile the middle-sized
Elk had entered the pantry.
“Somebody’s been drinking out
of my bottle!” he yelled in his
middling baritone voice.
Alarmed, the other two Elks
investigated.
“Somebody’s been drinking out
of my bottle!” said the little Elk
in his quavering tenor voice.
“And it wasn’t Goldilocks!”
And then he pointed to the in
sensible form of a man lying on
the floor, an empty bottle still
clutched in his hand.
"This is one for the law,” ob
served the Biggest Elk. And
straightway he made for the
phone, which had not been
wrenched from the wall. Deputy
U. S. Marshal William Bouwens
quickly, appeared on the scene,
and placed the rudely awakened
man under arrest. Other officers
of the law also arrived at the
cottage, so the trapped man could
not jump out of the window and
escape.
He was in no condition to be
taken before the U.S. Commis
sioner, so after he had given his
name as James Kenison and in
formed officers that he had been
Alaska only ten days, he was
taken to the Federal Jail in An
chorage. The bewildered, little,
dark-haired man could not ac
count for his actions.
Arraigned before U. S. Com
missioner Dorothy Saxton Mon
day morning, Kenison was
charged with the felony of break
ing and entering on complaint of
the Biggest Elk. Denison waived
his rights to a preliminary hear
ing and was bound over to the
Grand Jury. He was returned to
the jail in Anchorage.
Next week Friday, May 30,
is Memorial Day.
It is a special day set aside for
honoring the dead heroes of this
' country’s wars—wars for the
preservation of the democratic
way of living, in which many of
these men gave their lives.
In Palmer appropriate cere
monies for honoring these depart
ed Veterans will be conducted by
the local American Legion Post
at the Palmer Cemetery. All local
organizations and individuals are
invited to join in this solemn ob
servance of Memorial Day.
Commander Stanley Laird of
Matanuska Valley Post 15 an
nounced that the Memorial ser
vices will begin as usual at 11
a.m. Members of the local Post
will make up the color guard
and the firing squad. Chaplain
Eugene Kirsch will offer the rit
ual prayer.
Remember on Memorial Day
Mrs. Florence Dunlap, presi
dent of the American Legion
Auxiliary called upon people of
the Valley to remember the true
purpose of Memorial Day. She
asked that everyone set aside a
few moments of the holiday to
join in the special services honor
ing the dead. She asked particu
larly that each organization send
a representative to be present at
the Legion-sponsored ceremony
at the local cemetery.
In Palmer the dead Veterans
who will be honored are Edward
Soderquist of the Spanish-Ameri
can War; Lloyd Bell, Laurence
Dreghorn, Grant France, Ivan
Johnson, and Bruno Ueeck of
World War I; and Joseph Ander
son, Rudolph Dernac, William
Granger, Darrell McKechnie,
James Monahan, Lars Peterson,
Albert Ring, Dale Sandvik and,
W. Walker of World War II.
Display Your Flags
Mrs. Dunlap also reminded
Valley citizens that Memorial
Day is one on which the Ameri
can flag should be displayed. Cer
tain respect is due this emblem
of the United States of America
at all times, and there are special
customs to be observed in its
display on Memorial Day.
On Memorial Day the flag is
flown at half mast until noon in
memory for the dead; it is then
raised to full mast to signify
that the Nation still lives. In rais
ing a flag to half mast, it should
first be raised to full mast and
then lowered, from which posi
tion it should be raised to full
mast before being lowered.
When a flag passes in parade,
spectators should stand at atten
tion and men should lift their
hats. A stationary flag is not sal
uted.
When a flag is carried with one
other flag, it holds the place of
honor, the marching right; with
more than one flag, it is either
at the marching right or carried
in front of the other flags.
When displaying a flag across
a street, the points of the compass
are used: The blue field should
point toward the north when
hung across an east-west street;
the blue should be toward the
east when hung across a north
south street.
In hanging a flag against a wall,
either horizontally or perpendi
cularly, the blue field should be
at the spectator’s left.
The flag should never be allow
ed to touch the ground.
The law specfically forbids the
use of and the representation of
the flag in any manner or in any
connection with merchandise for
sale.'