Thought of the Week:
No matter how little you pay
you can always get something
worse for less money.
VOLUME IS. NUMBER 31
I J .*
BOX 2051
PUBLISHED IN THfc INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. APRIL 25, 1963
TEN PAGES
i > ,L SOCIETY 9
U 3 U M
» VWWWVV ■*
BOROUGH MEETING
PALMER GRANGE HALL
APRIL 30 8 P.M.
PRICE 15 CENTS
Reporters—
Notebook
Mrs. Richard Anderson left
Tuesday morning for Anacor
tes, Washington, to visit her
father, Lee Hendershot, who is
recovering from a heart at
tack. Hendershot, who lived in
the Matanuska Valley about
1955, would appreciate hearing
from friends here, his daugh
ter said. His address is 1620
Commercial Avenue, Anacor
tes.
• • •
Army Reserve Pvt. Dale H.
Clarke, whose wife, Edith, liv
es at 4005 Fifteenth, N. E.,
Seattle, recently was assigned
to the 525th Military Intelli
gence Group at Fort George G.
Meade, Maryland.
Clarke, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Robert E. Clarke, Star
Route, Wasilla, is a 1956 gradu
ate of Palmer high school and
received a bachelor’s degree in
1960 from the University of
Washington in Seattle. He is a
member of Phi Alpha Delta
fraternity.
* # *
Dr. Foster R. Sims left Pal
mer April 13 for a trip to Seat
tle and to Omaha, Nebraska,
where he attended the spring
dental meeting at Creighton
University. He will be back in
Palmer this weekend.
* • •
Chuck Cope says he witness
ed the shortest summer on rec
ord Tuesday. He spotted the
first flock of geese he has seen
this year on Tuesday morning,
flying north; then on Tuesday
afternoon (It was snowing, re
member?) he saw a flock that
had apparently given up and
headed back, flying south!
* * *
John M. Wansor, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Charles A. Wansor of
Sutton, and Samuel G. Lazen
b; , son of Mr. and Mrs. Phillip
L izenby of Palmer, completed
nine weeks of basic recruit
training on April 5 at the Na
val Training Center, San Die
go, Calif. During the training,
recruits receive tests and in
terviews to determine future
training and assignments in the
Navy.
3000 Take Part
In Third Feeding
Type III Sabin oral vaccine
was administered to more than
3.000 people at Central School
on Sunday, April 21, medical
personnel reported. This feed
ing brought to a close the mass
immunization program for the
area. Those who did not receive
the type III vaccine are urged
to see their family physician
Through Saturday office hours
this week.
It is suggested that anyone
who has participated in one or
two of the feedings contact his
physician in about six weeks
time to get another type. Due
to the fact that the vaccine will
cost the private physician con
siderably, more, there will be
additional charges made for
the make-up doses.
Mrs. Foster Sims, general
chairman of the program, stat
ed that she wishes to thank all
of the volunteers who served
so ably at all three clinics.
RYAN’S LYNES
By Jack Ryan
I have a wife, three daugh
ters and a son. If I want to use
the telephone, I have to make
a reservation.
* * *
I guess I shouldn't com
plain. I can usually get in the
bathroom, if I stay up until
midnight.
* * *
My son is only 13 years old
but his feet are as big as mine
We have a dead heat, racing foi
the socks each morning.
* * *
When he's 16. I'm going
to give up. He can have my
car, if I can use his bicycle
anytime I want.
MINSTREL SHOW
Plans Told for Food Processing Plant Here
Meeting Will
Discuss Local
Option Petition
A meeting to discuss the pe
tition for the Palmer-Wasilla
Talkeetna borough has been
called for Tuesday, April 30,
at 8 p.m. in the Palmer Grange
hall, Bob Vroman, chairman of
the Matanuska-Susitna boro
ugh committee, announced this
week.
Some personnel from the
state local affairs agency may
be present at the meeting, Vro
man said.
The essential purpose of the
meeting is to clarify a few ■
points in the mechanics of bor
ough government, also to pro
vide an understanding of the
meaning of the petition, the
committee chairman added.
Vroman stressed the urgency
of filing the local option pe- j
tition before May 15, pointing 1
out that it takes four months j
to process the petition and that j
without it residents of the i
area have no alternative but 1
to wait for the Oct. 1 deadline, |
at which time the state would
take over borough organization j
for Election District 7. j ■
“If we don’t get our petition I
in, we are not in a bargaining ■
position,” Vroman said. “The I
Anchorage petition h3s already
been submitted. We need to
consider what will happen to s
areas such as McKenzie Point 1
when boundaries are set.” >1
The local option petition has c
been in circulation since April, i
1962, the chairman stated, ad- s
ding that there are sufficient t
signatures representing all the '
rural communities In both the
Matanuska and Susitna Val- t
leys, but that the petition still i
lacks enough signatures from s
the city of Palmei. i
- i
Experiment Station ;
Receives APW Funds *
c
Disclosure of the allocation t
of $65,000 in Accelerated Public c
Works funds to the Alaska i
Agricultural Experiment Sta- £
tion in Palmer has been an- \
nounced by Dr. Allan H. Mick, £
director. 1
Funds will be used to enlarge ]
the heating plant, complete I
green houses, that have not t
been finished for 12 years due
to lack of funds, and to drill a f
well for boron-free water for i
the experiment station’s green- j
houses. 1
Contracts hope to be called f
for in the next few weeks. {
Additional projects are on i
file with APW and their status
is unknown at this time, ac- s
cording to Dr. Mick. .'
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks has designated May 1st, as Youth Day to honor Am
erica’s Junior Citizens for their accomplishments, and to
give fitting recognition of their services to Community,
State and Nation; and,
WHEREAS, The Palmer Elks Lodge will sponsor an
observance on that day in tribute to the Junior Citizens
of this Community; and,
WHEREAS, no event could be more deserving of our
support and participation than one dedicated to these
young people who represent the nation’s greatest resource,
and who in the years ahead will assume the responsibility
for the advancement of our free society; and,
WHEREAS, our Youth need the guidance, inspiration
and encouragement which we alone can give in order to
develop those qualities of character essential for future
leadership; and, go forth to serve America, and,
WHEREAS, to achieve this worthy objective we should
demonstrate our partnership with Youth, our understand
ing of their hopes and aspirations and a sincere willing
ness to help prepare them in every way for the responsibil- .
ities and opportunities of citizenship: ■» ll
NOW THEREFORE, I Ralph C. Moore. Mayor of .
mer, Alaska, do hereby proclaim May 1st as Youth Day, |
and urge all departments of government, civic, fraternal 1
and patriotic groups, and our citizens generally, to partici
pate wholeheartedly in its observance.
/s/ RALPH C. MOORE.
Mayor of City of Palmer, Alaska
IAYID MARTIN WINS THIRD PLACE
N ANNUAL AMU BEETHOVEN AWARDS
David Martin, Palmer high
chool senior and high-ranking
onor student, was third-place
/inner in the Alaska Metho
ist University Beethoven
Lwards, Dr. Murray North, as
ociate professor of music at
he university, announced last
veek.
David, who has been an ac
ive student in the music de
triment throughout his high
chool course, is'the son of Mr.
ind Mrs. Paul Martin of Pal
ner.
Auditions for the awards
irere held at the University on
flarch 30, with students from
everal Alaskan communities
ompeting. David was awarded
he third prize of $300 for study
t AMU following his perform
nces both as a singer and as
pianist. His piano selections
/ere “Liebestraum” by Liszt
nd “Sonata in C Major” by
Icarlatti, and he sang “Ave
rtaria” by Schubert and “The
dajesty of the Divine Humilia
ion” by Stainer.
The first place award of $850
or study at the University
vent to Judy Loveseth, a jun
or from Cordova high school,
rtiss Lovseth, a pianist, per
ormed “May Night” by Palm
;rem and “Arabesque” by Sch
imann.
The second award of $500 for
tudy at Alaska Methodist Uni
rersity was won by Jennifer
McCrory, a senior from East
Anchorage high school. Miss
McCrory, a soprano, sang “Ded
ication” by Robert Franz and
; the folk song, “My Lover Is a
i Fisherman.”
The Beethoven Awards were
first offered in 1962 to all jun
iors and seniors of Alaskan
high schools who have high ac
ademic standing and who have
developed their musical talents
in the tielji of performance.
The awards have become an
annual event, and auditions
will again be held in the spring
of 1964.
William Combs, a 1962 grad
uate of Palmer high school,
won second place in last year's
Beethoven Awards, and is now
a music major at AMU.
JOHN NELSON ENTERS
STATE SPELL DOWN
John Nelson, eighth grade
student at Central school in
Palmer, is representing his sch
ool today in the statewide spell
ing contest in Anchorage.
John was winner of the Cen
tral school contest, in which
grades 6, 7, and 8 took part.
The "spelldown” followed the
national rules.
The winner of today’s contest
will go to Washington. D.C. to
compete on the national level.
John is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Emil Nelson of Palmer.
PALMER YOUTH
TAKE OVER CITY
NEXT WEDNESDAY
Palmer young people will be :
honored on Youth Day, Wed- j
nesday. May 1, when high '
school students will take over j
city offices such as councilmen, !
police, and firemen. The day’s J
activities will culminate with '
a banquet at the Palmer Elks j
hall at 5 p.m.
James Jeffers, Anchorage
youth worker, will be guest
speaker at the banquet, which
is sponsored by the Palmer Elks
Lodge. The annual Elks Youth
Leadership awards will be pre
sented St'
Jan v for \,\s •yoV‘’toX>Mgh sch
are grownf^o^, V®“deV S''J
BU
W . Aa^*1 v^nks
A adv of
: no *** ,.-e’Ce'Vilson
jo'*
^S^JL^'.^-dfudents will
choose*cTYy officers for the day
at an election on Monday,
April 29. Offices to be filled
will be those of city manager,
mayor, six councilmen, police
chief, city clerk, magistrate and
clerk, water department super
intendent. two members of the
street department, fire chief,
two firemen, two state police
men, tax assessor and clerk,
jailer, health officer and assis
tant, and seven planning com
mission members.
CROWTHER NAMED
ARRC MANACER
George S. Crowther, at pres
ent employed as loan examiner
with the Alaska Division of
Agriculture, is resigning, effec
tive May 17, to accept an ap
pointment as manager of the
Alaska Rural Rehabilitation
Corporation on May 20. The
previous manager, James Hur
ley, resigned recently to be
come manager of the Alaska
Hardwood Company at Wasil
la.
Crowther has been with the
Division of Agriculture since
1951 (it was the Department of
Agriculture under Territorial
status) when he was appointed
as an agricultural inspector. He
became loan examiner in 1958.
He was also acting director
during the interim of James
Wilson’s resignation and the
appointment of Sigmund H.
Restad.
Mr. Crowther was an agricul
tural inspector in Santa Maria.
California, prior to coming to
Alaska and is a native of Ida
ho. The Crowthers and their
three children live just outside
of Palmer.
Backers Need Pea
Crop Guarantee
If Matanuska Valley growers
can guarantee a 400-acre pea
crop by the summer of 1964, a
food processing plant can go
into production by August of
that year. Gerald Earp and Jim
Booky. Anchorage business
men, told a group of local resi
dents at a meeting at the Ex
periment Station library last
evening.
The two men have been ex
ploring the possibility of pro
cessing foods here since 1958,
Earp said, adding that he has
spent considerable time exam
ining plants and equipment in
the South 48. Local grocery
wholesalers and military repre
sentatives have shown an ac
tive interest in handling locally
processed foods, he stated.
As a result of the findings of
the two men, the Alaska Ex
periment Station has requested
a feasibility study from ARA, (
officials of which are looking j
at the project with considerable 1
favor, according to Booky.
If for any reason ARA cannot
support the project, other fin
ancing is available. Booky said.
What is needed specifically
now is a site close to a rail sid
ing with water, sewer, and
pow’er available, Earp said, plus
the assurance from growers of
a sufficient volume of vege
tables to keep the 4'ant in op
eration. They are interested in
the Palmer area, and plans a
survey from the air as soon as i
the snow leaves.
The plant would open with \
a small operation, that of can
ning peas, Earp said. The
choice of peas is based on the
great popularity of the vege- j
Local Teacher Named
To LOOK Honor Roll
Mrs. Alma Blunck, a teacher
of slow learning and immature
children at Swanson School in
Palmer, has been named to the
1963 National Teacher of the
Year Honor Roll, LOOK Mag
azine anounced recently. She
is cited for her “outstanding
achievement as a teacher."
The National Teacher of the
Year awards program is spon
sored annually by the United
States Office of Education, the
Council of Chief State School
Officers and LOOK Magazine, i
Purpose of the program is to 1
Council Proposal to Honor Pioneer
City street names, drainage
problems, and the equitability
of tax assessments were among
items of business taken up by
the Palmer city council at its
April 23 meeting, with an ex
ecutive sesson on sewer engin
eering keeping councilmen in
their chairs until after 1 a.m.
After study of a map drawn
by the City Planning Comm
ission, the council approved a
motion to adopt the commiss
ion plan for street names, with
the recommendation that the
street now known as Valley
and Colony be named Snod
grass rather than Alaska street,
as labeled on the map. The
alphabetical system of names
worked out by the commission
would then be employed for
the other streets.
In discussion preceding the
motion, Councilman Maze stat
ed his belief that once streets
are named and marked and
house numbers assigned, it will
be possible to get house-to
house mail delivery service.
Board of Equalization
As the first item of business
on the agenda, the council sat
as a board of equalization to
hear protests on 1963 tax ass
essments. Appearing before the
board was Bill Roark, who stat
ed that he feels the assessed
valuation $1920 of his property
on Railroad Avenue is out of
line, and that he is at present
advertising the property for
sale for $1,000.
Action on the request was
postponed until later in the
meeting, when a motion to ap
prove the tax assessor’s recom
mendation on Lot L-5 (the
Roark property) and to deny
Roark’s request for adjustment
was passed unanimously.
Councilmen expressed the op
inion that the tax assessment
on the property in question is
comparable to those on similar
pieces of property in the city.
Drainage
Nqrman Hartung and Allen
Linn appeared before the coun
cil to report that a culvert plac
ed in their neighborhood last
year has resulted in consider
able drainage into their pro
perty. They were told that the
trouble spot would be checked
and efforts would be made to
correct it.
In answer to a suggestion by
Linn that the city adopt a
perpetual improvement policy
in the matter of street and pro
perty drainage, he was told |
that the city is now working
on such a plan and is trying to j
get into the position where |
these problems can be taken
care of in an orderly fashion, j
Airport
William Kucera and Clyde j
King, representing the Air
men’s Association, appeared to
ask about progress on leasing
arrangements for the airport
from the city, and was inform
ed that the deed has not been
returned from the state and
that no formal action can be
taken on the lease until these
papers have been received.
Leasing of farmable airport
and and arrangements to j
:harge a 2c per gallon flowage |
iee were mentioned by Kucera |
and King as matters needing
.•onsideration.
King also asked city assist
ance in getting an access route
into his and Buddy Wood’s pro
perty, since it will be necessery
to close the runways to auto
mobile traffic during the j
areakup. The city manager was
asked to investagate the matter
and to report back to the coun
cil
City Manager's Report
City manager Winston Gilch- |
rist said that he has m; t with
railroad officials concerning
relocation of the ditch to allow
space for parking on Colony
Street, and that the railroad
men favor an open ditch rather
than a culvert. However, a
bumper would have to be con
structed the entire length of
the ditch.
The manager reported that
the application to the Housing
and Home Finance Agency for
advanced planning funds is
complete and will be in the
mail shortly.
He stated that Ronald Cease,
director of the Local Affairs
Agency, will meet with the
City Council and the school
board on Saturday. April 27. at
8 p.m., and that William T
Zahradnicek, commissioner of
sducation, will also be here.
Springer Loop Road
Council members decided
that a letter be drafted to Mr.
Jenkins of the Division of
Highways, expressing their
concern that drainage and ac
cess problems may develop if
the state goes ahead with its
plans to raise the grade of
the Springer Loop Road within
the city limits by 30 inches, and
that copies should be mailed to
Gov. Egan and to Commission
er McKinnon.
Other business conducted by
the council included passage of
a motion authorizing the Pal
mer Machinery Company to re
(Continued on page 7)
table, and the decision to open
the operation with canning
rather than freezing is based
on the fact that 90 percent of
peas consumed by Alaskans are
canned. Freezing equipment
and the processing of other
vegetables would be added lat
er.
Other vegetables they plan to
process are carrots, beets, cab
bage (sauerkraut), cauliflower,
broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and
perhaps some greens. Earp also
expressed interest in low-bush
cranberries < lingenberries) and
raspberries and strawberries.
Dr. Dearborn of the Experi
ment Station staff said that
the station has developed a
*ood red strawberry, but that
it would take four to five years
to get fields into production.
Dearborn’s figures on experi
(Continued on page 7)
Military Galls
For Goal Bids
Invitation to bid on 632,000
tons of coal to supply military
bases in Alaska were issued
last week by the Defense Pe
troleum Supply Center, Sen.
' Bob Bartlett announced Fri
day.
Proposals for one-year con
tracts are to be submitted by
April 29.
Included in the total tonnage
are 120,000 tons for Elmendorf
Air Force Base, 120,000 tons for
Fort Richardson, 196,000 tons
for Fort Wainwright, 120,000
tons for Eielson Air Force Base,
and 76,000 tons for Clear.
encourage all teachers to aspire
to greatness in their chosen
profession and to interest more
young people in pursuing
teaching careers.
Mrs. Blunck is one of nine
teachers in the country to be
named to the Honor Roll and
will receive a framed award
certificate. The certificate has
been sent to William T. Zahrad
nicek, commissioner of educa
tion in Alaska, who will ar
range for presentation.
This year's top National Tea
cher of the Year Award went
to Elmon Ousley. a teacher of
speech, American government
and teacher training at Belle
vue Senior High School, Belle
vue, Washington. President
John F. Kennedy is scheduled
to present the award to Mr.
Ousley at a White House Cere
mony at noon on April 22.
An article on the top winner
and a listing of the nine Hon
or Roll winners, appears in the
May 7 issue of LOOK which
has not yet appeared on local
newstands. Mrs. Blunck’s pic
ture appears in the article.
The National Teacher of the
Year award winners are chos
en from nominations submitted
by state departments of educa
tion. After a preliminary
screening, finalists are observ
ed at work and judged by a
committee of national educa
tional leaders.
The sponsors of the awards
program point out that all 10
winners represent the thous
ands of outstanding teachers in
our nation's schools. They sym
bolize the highest standards of
the teaching profession in
every state and community.
The eight other teachers,
who will receive National Tea
(Continued on page 7)