VALLEY FRONTIERSMAN
Owned and Published by Anchorage Shopping Guide, Inc.
PRINTED AT PALMER, ALASKA, EACH FRIDAY
EStered as second class matter on Oct. 21, 1947, at the post office at
Palmer, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Viola Daniels .Editor
Barbara Carter .Wasilla Correspondent
Mrs. Jack Thatcher ..Valdez Correspondent
Subscription Rates.50c a month, $5 a year
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
No printed material in the Valley Frontiersman may
_be reproduced except by permission of the publishers.
DANIELS—In the Lion’s Den
"Abolish the Valley Chamber of Commerce,"
someone suggests. "It's dead. Let's bury it and for
get it ever existed. It has long outlived its usefulness."
Now there's a man we'd like to rise right up and
take issue with. We don't think the Valley Chamber
of Commerce is dead. We think it's dormant. And
we think it's dormant because it's got a lot of dead
wood in it that ought to be pruned away and discarded
before it can flourish again.
The Chamber of Commerce in itself is nothing.
It takes its character from its membership. If Cham
ber members sit and do nothing for long enough, then
the Chamber is going to take on the outward appear
ance of death, we grant.
We agree that it would be much easier to bury
this seemingly dead body than it will be to do the
pruning and inject new life into it. It's going to take
effort on the part of everyone concerned to get its
bloodstream flowing again.
We have an idea how it might be accomplished.
When we talk about dead wood, we're not directing
snide remarks toward the president's chair. The presi
dent of any organization is only the front man. Ideas,
opinions and suggestions flow from his aides and ad
visers, most commonly his board of directors in Valley
organizations.
*■ We'd say the dead wood was clustered about the
directors' table. And we'd be mighty high-handed
about eliminating it in a hurry if we were Chamber
president Clair Stock. So far, the Chamber hasn't
been able to take action on any matters this year, be
cause president Stock hasn't been able to get a
quorum of board members together more than two
or three times.
We'd suggest to Mr. Stock that he bring into
effect that provision of the Chamber's by-laws which
states that any director who misses more than three
successive meetings shall be dropped. If we were Mr.
Stock, we'd call three board meetings on three suc
cessive nights. If no quorum appeared by 15 minutes
after the appointed hour, we'd dismiss the meeting
and call another for the next night. Then, on the third
night, we'd start the pruning process. And we'd get
to work on a new board right then and there.
High-handed? Sure, but if our affairs can be man
aged only in a high-handed manner, then we're all for
it. And tactics like that probably would give the anvil
And tactics like that probably would give the anvil
chorus of complaints a melody in a new key, anyway.
We're a little weary of that old tune.
READY NOW
For Your Greenhouse
Tomatoes
Eggplants
Green Peppers
Flowers SVZZL
GLENN’S GREENHOUSES
2¥2 Miles South of Polmer
Organizations Agree
Fair Needs Queens,
More Fres Shows
Representatives from almost a
j dozen Valley organizations met
j with members of the Matanuska
Valley fair board last week to
discuss ways and means of better
j ing this year’s fair.
Clair Stock, president of the
j board, presented the tentative
; budget for the 1950 event, and
outlined preliminary plans which
have been discussed in fair board
meetings.
He queried the group of repre
sentatives as to the sentiment on
another queen contest this year.
The group concurred in the feel
ing that this contest adds great
ly to the publicity value of the
fair. It was suggested that fu
ture contestants be limited to
girls, unmarried, between the
ages of 15 and 20 years.
I It also was agreed that greater
showmanship value will be re
flected for the fair if the queen is
crowned on opening day, and
then is featured in a three-day
reign.
It was the unanimous opinion
of representatives present that
the fair should offer more fea
tured attractions without cost.
Suggestions ranged from radio
programs, quiz shows, and ath
letic events to band and solo mu
sician concerts.
It also was agreed that the live
stock exhibition departments of
the fair must be built up, as well
as farm produce displays. All
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VARIETY V06UES
Work Begun
(In Palmer Airport
{Wednesday Morning
Work started on the Palmer air
port project here last Wednesday
morning. Contractor J. C. Hern
ol the Palmer Construction Co.,
said a small crew of seven or
eight men began slashing timber
at the lower end of the nortn
south runway on that day.
A dozer is also operating at the
airport, to pile stumps and de
bris in preparation tor burning
operations.
.ri larger crew is expected to
start work next Monday morning.
Mr. Hern said he still was inter
ested in interviewing local men
who wish to work. Job priority
is being given to Palmer men. It
is anticipated that the work will
be continued without interrup
tion since the ground is thawing
rapidly now, the contractor said.
°ne runway at the port will be
kept open at all times. At present,
uot,n runways may be used.
present felt the need for greater
farmer participation in this part
of the fair, but suggestions were
few as to how greater co-opera
tion might be obtained.
Representatives complained
about the petty pilfering which
has occurred at past fairs, and
asked that an adequate policing
system for the grounds and build
ings be established during fair
week. *
Representatives of the Home
makers’ clubs in the Valley also
asked that the competitive club
booth department be resumed at
this year’s fair.
Flu Closes Cordova Schools
Cordova schools were closed » •
a short time recently, because : *
a mild epidemic of influenza. T1 :•
wave of sickness closed the doc 3
of churches, movies and otb T
public gatherings, as well as those
of the school building. Doctors
said the disease itself was not
serious, but thought it wise to
take all precautions to stem the
tide of the epidemic.
Is Hospitalized Here
Eileen Oskaloff has been ad
mitted to Valley Hospital for
medical treatment.
VALLEY
REAL ESTATE
(Theatre Bldg.)
5-rm. house in town;
$2,000 cash down;
terms on balance.
20 acres cleared land,
furnished house, mod
ern; $5,000 down,
terms on balance.
3-bedroom stucco, mod
ern, basement, terms.
100-acre farm, 35 acres
cleared, $4,650 down,
balance on easy
terms.
140-acre farm, 40 acres
cleared, terms.
2 cabins, close in, 2 lots.
LOTS OF LOTS
ACREAGE
Listings Wanted
But why not give her a
break and take her out
to dinner occasionally?
You'll both enjoy our
tasty, well - seasoned
meals.
Home-Made Pies
and Cakes
Short Orders
Steaks Chops
R0N-DA-V00 CAFE
Tires - Tires - Tires
U. S. Army Surplus Tires for Sale
9.00x16, 7.50x20, 9.00x20 — Also Larger Sizes
•
General Automotive Repair
Crankshaft Grinding
MOORE'S GARAGE
1 Mile South of Palmer on Matanuska Road Phone 81-Y-l