Peek at the Past

Here’s what made the news in the Jan. 17, 1963, edition of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman:

Community college opens registration for new semester

Palmer Community College will hold registration for second semester next week, according to director Alvin Okeson. Offered for degree credit will be elementary and intermediate typewriting, anthropology, social psychology, sociology, principles of accounting and audio-visual education.

Vocational and interest courses include a beginning shorthand, co-recreational physical education, fencing and elementary surveying. Cost of the degree courses is $15 per credit or a flat rate of $75 for seven or more credits.

Big Lake residents organize volunteer fire department

The Big Lake area organized a volunteer fire department, residents announced this week. Clay Johnson and William Barnhardt of the Butte volunteers were present. They gave Big Lake residents a summary of how to organize and what would be needed to develop an effective fire department. Minimum membership fees were set at $10 per year. Ray Puhl was appointed chairman of the membership committee. All members who joined at the meeting were asked to assist in the membership drive to support the new department.

Hold borough deadline

Extension of the deadline for transfer of local government to borough status would not be in the best interest of the state, said Eugene Reid, newly elected representative for District 7, at the Matanuska Valley Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting yesterday. Emphasizing that after the deadline the entire state will become an unorganized borough and subject to taxation for necessary services, including education,

Reid expressed an opinion that residents of outlying areas will more readily take part in local borough organization when this happens. Other pending legislation discussed at the meeting included the designation of the Matanuska Valley Fair as the official Alaska State Fair. Reid reported that a suggestion has been made that the fair board contact Anchorage legislators to enlist their support for a new bill, and pointed out that bill will be introduced in this session to provide for the transfer of International Airport to Anchorage, a possible basis for bargaining.

It cost what?

According to advertisements, in January 1963, you could:

• Purchase 5 pounds of navel oranges for 89 cents.

• Enjoy 4 pounds of bananas for 98 cents.

• Buy a pint of Matanuska Maid cottage cheese for 39 cents.

• Buy 1 pound of cheddar cheese for 59 cents.