Plans for Hospital
Stricken from Alaska
Mental Health Bill
Washington. D.C. Special
Sweeping revision of existing law
for the care of Alaska’s mentally
ill was approved this week when
a subcommittee of the House In
terior and Insular Affairs Com
mittee voted to report Delegate
Bartlett’s bill to be known as the
Alaska Mental Health Act to
the full committee.
The Secretary of the Interior
would be authorized to make ar
rangements with the territorial
Department of Health to assume
the administration of the mental
health program. The main pro-1
visions of the program would in
clude authorization to the ad
ministrator of the program to
make arrangements with the
head of any hospital to admit for
observation, care and treatment
any individual who is mentally
ill or has symptoms of mental il
ness. Both non-judicial and judi
cial procedures would be provid
ed for the involuntary hospitali
zation of persons who are ment
ally ill to replace what Interior
Department officials have des
cribed as “the archaic jury system
of sanity hearings which now pre
vails in Alaska.”
The measure as originally in
troduced had provided for con
struction and operation of a hos
pital for the mentally ill in Alas
ka, but the subcommittee in re
porting the meausre to the full
committee amended the bill by
striking out such provisions in
order to concentrate at this time
on an alteration and expansion
of existing provisions of law re
lating to Alaska’s mentally ill.
“It is legislation,” Dr. C. Earl |
Albrecht, Alaska’s Commissioner |
of Health, declared in testifying j
in behalf of the bill, “that is long
overdue because it is a weil
known fact that the method now
in use for the handling, diagnosis,
commitment and treatment of
mentally ill patients in Alaska is
outmoded and inadequate. Speci
fically we think the Alaska Men
tal Act is a good act because it is
based on a model act prepared
by competent authorities—scient
ists, psychiatrists, lawyers and
other experts in this field. It ap
pears to be the only method by
which a very perplexing problem
can be solved—a problem which
deeply concerns American citiz
ens who have chosen to reside in
the last frontier of the United
States.”
Delegate Bartlett introduced
the legislation following an ex
haustive study made in 1949 by
a group of mental health special
ists under the chairmanship of Dr.
Winfred Overholser. Superinten
dent of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in
Washington, D.C.
§e//St
H/ith*
IN MEMORIAM
PRESENTED TO
THE PALMER PUBLIC LIBRARY
IN MEMORY OF “MITZY” BLECK
Mrs. Carl Meilke recently
presented to the Palmer
Library over 20 books given in
memory of her sister “Mitzy”
Bleck, former Palmer School art
teacher and local artist who died
a few years ago in Wisconsin.
Appropriately, most of the
books in the collection are on art
subjects. There is one on basket
weaving and one on ceramics.
Also included are books on
poetry and meteorology.
The above bookplate, which is
being placed inside the front
cover of all ‘‘In Memoriam” books
donated to the library, was taken
from an original Matanuska Val
ley drawing by Fred Machetanz.
It was designed at the request
of the Palmer Library Board in
response to many inquiries re
garding this increasingly popular
custom of perpetuating the mem
ory' of esteemed friend or relative
through a worthy book placed in
the community library.
HOMEMAKERS WILL NOT
HAVE BOOTH
SETTLERS DAY
• The Homemakers of the
Valley wil not have a booth
at the Settlers’ Celebration
this year, it was announced
this week.
At a special meeting of the
Homemakers Council last
Wednesday, members voted
unanimously against having
the booth.
Dr. Winston Laughlin, Paul
Martin, and Neil Michelson left
yesterday for a week’s stint of
planting spuds at the Fairbanks
Experiment Station.
Lccal Man Cited
For Organizing
Alaska S.A.R. Chapter
The Sixty-Second Congress of
the Sons of the American Revo
lution meeting in Houston, Tex
as, sent a telegram of congratu
lations to William W. Elliott of
Palmer in recognition of his ef
forts in forming an Alaska So
ciety, S.A.R.
The announcement welcoming
Alaska to membership was made
to the thouands of delgates at
tending the National Congress
from all over the United States
in this southern city. Mr. Elliott
Motor-in-Service
GENERAL REPAIRS - WELDING
GAS & OIL
Harry Duff
Phone 65J11
Bert Duff
ANY
A.L.
thing
where
lime
Smith T rucking Service
DOES IT!!
Phone 123
AnMtutcina . . .
COAL DELIVERY, WITHIN A DAY!!
SEWARD CONNECTIONS-SOONU
For Prompt-Efficient hauling by “SMITTY,” it’s SURE to
< be-numher I 2 3!!!
Homemakers' News
Gold-Dusters Club •
The May meeting of the newly
organized Gold-Dust Club • was
held at the home of Mrs. Herbert
Kopperude. • ■ *
’ Mrs. Marylou Rideout gave;a
' demonstration of “New Ideas in
, Home Sewing.” Three new mem-,
bers were welcomed in the club.
They were, Mrs. Rowena Bresee,
Mrs. Phyllis Long and Mrs. Alice
' Wever.
I Mrs. Wever will be hostess to
j the club at the next meeting to be
held June 3rd.
Butte Club
The Butte Homemakers’ club
held their May meeting at the
home of Mrs. I. M. Sandvik with
Mrs. Sam Johnson as hostess.
There were fourteen members
present and four visitors. Roll
call was answered with sugges
tions on “How to stay young”;
The topic for the day was
“Newer Ideas in Home Sewing”,
presented by Mrs. Marylou Ride
out. She showed a kit of materials
and' practical dresses and aprons.
Some of the members modeled
the aprons. The club members are
anxious to get patterns for them.
The next regular meeting will
be with Mrs. Dorothy Trudell on
June 19.
is the organizing chairman for
the Territory.
In the near future the first
meeting of the charter members
of the Alaska Society will' be
held together with election of of
ficers in the spirit of the tele
gram, “Hail to Alaska.- The
Spirit of Seventeen Severity-Six
marches on!”
TIP-TOP-INN
CAFE
Fecturincr
Steak, Chops, Chicken
Prawns, Fish and Frog
Legs or Special Salads
Ralph and Alice Horton, Prop.
MOOSE HALL OPEN TO
PUBLIC ALL DAY SUNDAY
■' Moose Hall will be open to the
public all day Sunday. June 1
during the Settlers’ Celebration,
it was announced this week.
Women of the Moose have ex
tended an invitation to the public
to avail themselves of rest room
facilities and other comforts of
the building. Home made pies,
chili and other dishes will be
available, served by the women.
REMIND ME TO BRING HOME
A CHOCOLATE
LAYER CAKE
From
Palmer Banking Co.
Where Everything's
Baked Fresh Daily!
And what a cake! Rich,
crearriy fudgy and light in
side . . . with a feather
light boiled sugar frosting
that makes you sigh and
say "Gimme another
slice!"
Known For Pasteries
Palmer Baking Co.
SHAMROCK BUILDING
LEONARD SOLEY. Manager
^ M » v V v VM V V Vt V V «« w M V V.V V UV » O U U U »..
HEADQUARTERS FOR FISHING
EQUIPMENT
Tackle Boxes—Camp Stoves
New Shipment Boots—Nets
Knives—Camp Kits
New Plastic—Pak Salmon Eggs,
light and dark.
GRASSER'S
HARDWARE &
SPORTING GOODS
OPEN THURSDAY TO 8 P.M.—CLOSED SATURDAY NITES
’'-*•************************************** *********.<c
Notice
TO’ ALL MEMBERS OF
The following Restaurants in Palmer Display a Union
House Card
WHITE SPOT CAFE
FRONTIER CAFE
MATANUSKA HOTEL COFFEE SHOP
TIP TOP INN CAFE
Their Employees Work Under Union Conditions and for
Union Wages
Please Patronize
. *
JERRY GERARDY
Business Representative Local 878