Valdez News
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i VOL. I. NO. 25
VALDEZ. ALASKA, FRIDAY. AUGUST 1. 1590
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PRICE 10c
Relentless Crackdown on Lawbreakers Continues
Igloo-ites Fill
Days With Plane,
Train Construction
The Busy Igloo is fairly hop
ping up and own on its founda
tions these days, there is such a
quantity of activity bubbling
through its-interior. To date, the
Igloo’s tenantry is primarily of
the trousered class, but they’re
turning out such a variety of in
teresting handicraft work that
members of the fair sex momen
tarily are expected to snatch
tools from their hands and begin
a feminine craft session.
As might be expected with such
masculine predominance in the
classes, much of the early work
turned out has been of the model
plane and model train variety.
However ivory work also is in
teresting many craftsmen, and
Rev. Richard Teeter, who spon
sored the project, is finding sev
eral clever workmen among his
ivory-carving students.
In fact, the ivory jewelry being
fashioned at the Busy Igloo is of
such fine craftsmanship, that
Reverend Teeter expects to install
a display counter at the Igloo,
where boys may sell the ivory
trinkets they do not wish to keep.
However there is much more
than finished craftwork that can
be credited to the hands of the
boys who are registered in
classes at the Busy Igloo. Stu
dents constructed many of the !
work benches and tables in order
to get the shop started. They’re
planning, right now, to fashion a i
sign for the building’s face. It j
will take its theme from the shop i
name.
•Reverend Teeter is instructing
all who use the shop in the prop
er manner of handling tools and
facilities there. Valdez parents
are united in their gratitude to
him for his unselfish contribution
of time, talent and labor. Rever- j
end Teeter personally assumed |
the responsibility for planning i
the shop, and he worked out the j
financial problems which made j
the Busy Igloo a reality. Valdez :
parents truly appreciate his ef
forts.
CITY CLERK WRITES
FOR "ADVENTURE"
City clerk Halley Gates is the
author of a short story appearing
in the latest “Adventure” maga
zine. The story is preceded by a
short biographical sketch of Mr.
Gates’ life.
The magazine already has been
sold out on Valdez newsstands.
SUMMER VISITOR
^RETURNS TO STATES
Miss Agnes Clohessy. who has
been the guest of Miss Helen
Long of Valdez this summer, was
a passenger on the southbound
Alaska last week. Miss Clohessy
plans a trio to California, where
she will visit friends before re
turning to her Chicago home.
GO TO CALIFORNIA
Mrs. Charles Pool of Visalia.
Calif., and her grandson, Robert
Dolan of Valdez, left on last
week’s Alaska for California. Mrs.
Pool returns to her Visalia home.
Robert plans to enroll in the Uni
versity of California at Berkeley.
Should You Be In the News?
We read an editorial in the Kodiak Mirror recently
that says everything there is to say, we think, about
small town news reporting. We liked the Mirror's ideas
so much, that we take the liberty of letting you read
them, too, in the paragraphs below. Because we find
the problems the Mirror meets are identical with those
that Mrs. Thatcher copes with in the Valdez News,
we're using our own newspaper name, rather than
that of the Mirror.
Here's what the Mirror's editor has to say about
small town newsgathering and small town newspapers:
The purpose of the Valdez News, as it is of any
newspaper, is to bring the news to its readers.
Sometimes the newspaper fails to do that, primar
ily because it hasn't been informed of the news by per
sons involved, or because it hasn't heard a news tip or
bit of conversation to follow. (So many people think
that a reporter knows everything, just because he is a
reporter, forgetting that he knows only what someone
tells him.)
Again, a newspaper sometimes fails to give the
complete story because those who make the news
won't co-operate with the necessary information.
In a small town like Valdez, the same people fre
quently make the news. Their names are often popping
up in print. That's because those are the co-operative
people in our town. But often there are others who
say they "don't want it in the paper," or "wait until
next week and I'll tell you then."
Possibly these persons forget that they like to read
the news made by others, and that when the position
is reversed, others will want to read the news about
them.
Too, such an attitude puts the paper in the unfor
tunate position of appearing to be ignorant of what's
going on, when often it isn't—it's just a matter of
holding something in confidence that has been re
peated "off the record." When everyone in town is
talking about an event, and no mention of it is made
in the paper, readers are apt to blame the paper first,
not thinking that perhaps the individuals involved
have begged for "nothing in the paper this week."
We try to bring you complete coverage of Valdez
events, but we can do it only with your help. Before
you refuse information to our reporter, consider what
the Valdez News would be, if everyone did so. Re
member that it's the people in town who make the
news, that other townspeople want to read about.
Again we'd like to emphasize the fact that a news
paper doesn't make the news—it only tells the things
which happened. When an act or an event occurs that
may be considered unfavorable to our town, the news
paper is honor-bound to print an account of that hap
pening, if there is proof of its truth. No reputable
newspaper will print unbased accusations or half
truths without foundation. But a newspaper must
report all the events, activities and incidents which
come to its attention, if it is to be a good newspaper.
It is a Chamber of Commerce function to broadcast
the rosy-tinted facts about our town. Their job is to
inspect only the bright side of life in Valdez. It's a
newspaper's job to look at every side, and to make as
accurate a report as is humanly possible of everything
that happens.
NOTICE
In order lo prepare the
school plant for the opening
of the fall term on Tuesday.
Sept. 5. roller skating has
been discontinued for the
next two weeks, it was an
nounced this week.
A new schedule will be
posted, when skating can be
resumed in the gymnasium.
Anchorage Lawyer
Will Open Offices
In Gilson Building
Peter Kalamarides of the law
firm of Kalamarides & Tyner in
Anchorage has announced plans
for the establishment of a law
offfice here. Mr. Kalamarides !
will be the first resident lawyer i
to maintain a practice in the city ;
during the past 15 years.
The Anchorage attorney was in j
Valdez last week to secure a ]
lease on office space. His office ;
will be located in the new Gilson
building. Workmen have been j
rushing construction on the new
store building, so that the inte
rior may be laid out in offices.
Mr. Kalamarides will be in Val
dez on only a part-time basis. He
expects to commute between Val
dez and Anchorage.
Longshoremen Sponsor
Labor Day Dance Here
The Labor Day holiday in Val
dez will be marked by a dance at
Eagle’s Hall. The Valdez local of
the Longshoremen’s Union will
sponsor the dance. A committee
spokesman has announced that
there will be a three-piece band
to play for the evening’s dancing.
The dance is scheduled for Mon
day, Sept. 4.
Whole Bargeload
Of Letters Arrives
The largest single shipment
of mail ever to enter the port
of Valdez arrived here last
Thursday, Aug. 17, aboard the
barge Elsol. The Elsol carried
100 tons of mail when she
docked here.
Mrs. Kelsey Plans Visit
With Parents at Long Beach
Mrs. John Kelsey and her
daughter, Bonette, left on the
Alaska last week. She plans an
; extended visit with her parents
| in Long Beach, Calif. Mr. Kelsey
expects to join his family in Long
| Beach, for a vacation, later this
I year.
VTSIT IN CORDOVA
Mrs. Stuart Starbuck and son. |
Stevie visited in Cordova for a
week recently. They were guests
of Mrs. Mildred Majors of that
city.
Files Return to Seattle
Mr. and Mrs. Jim File and baby
daughter left on last week’s Alas
ka. They were going to Seattle,
where they are students at the
Seminary there.
COMMISSIONER FINES
THREE DRUNKS, GIVES
TWO JAIL TERMS
Continuing her efforts to make*
Valdez a home town that Ala
kans may take pride in, U. I .
Commissioner Margaret Harrais
handed down four fines and is
sued two jail sentences this w-eek^
Two trials were held in commis
sioners court during the past
week.
At the first, on Tuesday, Aug.
22, three men were haled into
court on drunk and disorderly
charges. All of the men were
found guilty. Two of the offend
ers were given $100 fines and 30
day jail sentences. The third of
fender drew a $25 fine.
Mrs. Harrais sat at the second
trial of the week on Aug. 26th,
when Nick Mishko was tried on a
count of discharging firearms
within the city limits of Valdez.
Mr. Mishko admitted shooting a
neighbor’s dog, which he had
trapped in his garden.
Witnesses said that the accused
man is known to set traps in his
garden, for the purpose of cap
turing stray dogs wandering
there. They told of instances in
which Mishko had trapped dogs
and had allowed them to die in
the traps, unless released or dis
patched by his neighbors.
The man was given a $25 fine
and a suspended 30-day jail sen
tence. Commissioner Harrais also
administered a stern warning to
“stay out of trouble,” promising
that any further difficulties
would lead to a more serious pen
alty than a suspended jail sen
tence.
OES GRAND MATRON
FETED BY VALDEZANS
DURING VISIT HERE
Mrs. Abbie Hanson, Worthy
Grand Matron of the Order of
the Eastern Star, was entertained
by members of the Valdez chap
ter of that organization, when she
visited here recently. Mrs. Ha
son has just completed a visit
all Eastern Star chapters in the
territory.
The honor guest, who was ac
companied by her husband, ar
rived in Valdez from Anchorage
on Aug. 19. That evening she
was entertained at a buffet din
ner served at the home of Mrs.
B. D. Stewart, Jr. Members of
the yaldez chapter of the East
ern Star also were guests at the
buffet dinner.
A special meeting at the lodge
room in Pioneer Hall followed
the dinner. Several visiting mem
bers participated in this meeting.
At the conclusion of the evening'
session, Mrs. Stewart again was
hostess to the visitors at a sup
per of coffee and cake served at
the Stewart home.
The following day Mrs. Ray
mond Huddleston and Mrs. Owen
Meals drove Mrs. Hanson and her
husband to Copper Center. There
they joined several members of
the travelling party for dinner
at the Copper Center Roadhouse.
Mrs. Hanson and her party left
Valdez for Cordova on Aug. 22.
Goes to Cordova on Business
Mrs. Melva Bollinger of Valdez
■ment a three-dav business trip in
Cordova last week.