The daily progressive-miner., 1918-02-01
PROFESSOR HENDERSON FAVORABLY
 EXPRESSED
Compliments the Faculty And Makes a Few Timely
 Recommendations

Just before leaving for the north last evening, Prof. l.. D. Henderson, of the Terri orial Board of Education. left the following statement for publica- ton of the condition he found here in
 the public school:
 T am very favorably impressed
 with the work which both the faculty and pupils of the Ketchikan schools are accomplishing. There is evidence
 that the schools are well managed and that the superintendent and school Board are developing them along the
 lines indicated by the best modern school thought. Vocational lines of
 work are well represented in the man. ual training and domestic science de- paitment In fact. there are but two
 other schools in the Territory ill
 which work along these two import ant lines is as well organized and con-
 ducted as in the Ketchikan schools.
 The addition of courses in commercial
 subjects such as shorthand, typewrit-
 'ng and bookkeeping, as now contem-
 plated b. Superintendent Knox, will
 'rrther increase the opportunities
 which the schools offer to those seek ing training in the more strictly voca-
 tional subjects
 It is gratifying to note the spirit of
 loyalty and the desire to be of service to the national government in the cri-
 sis thru which our country is now pas
 sing, which is evidenced by the pu- pills of all grades.-Such a condition
 can only arise as a result of high
 ideals on the part of teachers and in the homes from which the school chil- dren come.
 There is enc department of school
 work which I should like to see given
 greater cmphacis than it is at present receiving, namely, physical education. The war has revealed this important
 fact-SiXty-eigh percent of those presenting themselves for physical eX- animation prior to entrance into the
 U S Army are found to have bodily defects Of more or less serious na- ture Further, from eighteen to twen- ty-fve percent more of those coming from rural communities and small towns and villages are found to be de- fective than of those coming from larg- CT towns and cities.-The first condit- ion shows the need for greater atten. ed States, generally and more especi- ally in the schools of the nation. The second condition is attributed directly to the fact that definite physical edu
 cation and medical and dental exam nations are made a part of the work Of city school systems, while being al. most entirely neglected in small towns and rural communities. In view of these facts it is important that those Alaska communities who find it possi- ble, give attention to this matter and introduce physical education togeth- CT with medical and dental examina- tions of all school children.
 Three Alaska towns now have med ical inspection and dental examination of all school children annually and results of this work have clearly dem. onstrated the need for 1t.
 It is scarcely necessary for me to call to the attention of this communi- ty the fact that those members of a school faculty who are eminently sat isfactory become more valuable year
 by year and that an effort should be made to retain them for as long a time as possible. Many Alaska schools have suffered as a result of too ire. quent change of teachers and especi- ally because of too frequent changes
 in the executive head of the schools. school system in order to be brought to the highest state of efficiency must be advanced year by year in conform ity with some definite policy which is laid down by it's superintendent-The school systems of the United States
 which are worthy of more than pass ing attention have been brought into this condition with one superintendent at the head for periods of five, ten, fifteen, twenty and twenty-five years. Alaska towns cannot hope for their school systems to be highly efficient except by adopting the same methods and retaining competent men and wo- men in all departments for as long a period as possible even at the price of increased salaries"