for the subject is sad enough
without it.
And all this under the “bril
liant” leadership of Lester D.
Henderson ! ! ! I have read all
his reports from the year 1920.
I have heard him speak from the
platform many times. I have
engaged him in private conver
sation. And never once has that
man pointed out to any assem
blage wherein our schools might
be improved. Rather he has
taken pains to publicly attack
those who do offer suggestions,
on the ground that we are al
ready so good.
For example, in the States
where the school systems are in
the control of educators of
great experience or proven abil
ity, it is the custom to have a
“School Survey” by some na
tional authority who then em
bodies in his report recommend
ations. Even if such a national
authority should find that our
system were perfect, such a sur
vey should have been undertak
en. At least it would give us
some recognized standard (be
yond that of political controver
sy) bv which to judge Mr. Hen
derson. But when Senator Steel
proposed such a survey, Mr.
Henderson would lend it no sup
port
Two years ago, a large city in
Alaska wrote Mr. Henderson in
quiring about the advisability of
hiring Mr. “X.” Mr. Henderson
answered an emphatic “By all
mean' no. I cannot write you
my reasons, but will give you
the information when next I
visit your city.” Mr. Hender
son's objections were based on
moral grounds—quite proper.
But later in the same year he
sent this Mr. X to teach in
another territorial school.
fn conclusion, I feel free to
say that Mr. Henderson’s job is
pot a difficult one. He has no
real authority over schools, ex
cept the schools of unincorpor
ated districts, they being small.
The other districts are organ
ized and run themselves almost
wholly. Many of the weak spots
in our schools are not his fault
and the main point of criticism
in his connection with them is
that he lulls to sleep any con
structive improvements. He has
no authority (except that of a
bookkeeper) over our city
schools. At the beginning of
each school year, he sends to the
treasurer of the board of the un
c crated districts the mon
ey to run the schools for the
year. The books of these treas
urers are never audited although
their expenditures now amount
to over six million dollars since
Mr. Henderson took office.
What does he do when he
travels over Alaska “visiting
schools?” Mainly he plays poli
tics. Performing a liaison be
tween each local school district
and his office, and he in turn
holding his support loyally to his
boss, towit, the federal machine
whose headquarters are at Ju
neau.
I have inquired of different
teachers in schools where Mr.
Henderson visited locally and
officially, and in answer to my
question “What does he do for
you,” receive the invariable re
ply, “Oh, he makes us a nice
speech, and —.” Yes, that is
the sum total of what he does;
he makes a nice speech, smiles
on the lonesome school teacher
brings gossip that is semi-offi
cial, speaks a fine word for the
governor (it matters not who
happens to be governor). Parent
Teacher Associations, composed
of fine, well-intentioned women,
mainly, with a smattering oi
equally well-intentioned men,
hut with no knowledge of the lo
nl or Territorial school system,
fall for his line of palaver and
at the right time respond to
Henderson’s “Macedonian” cry
always delivered through some
one acting ns a sort of trans
former, with a wonderful unan
imity not unlike MASS VOTING.
Mr. Henderson grasped the
sword of politics and so it is
written that he must perish by
the sword. I have no regret;,
for I have known him and I feel
that his place can be filled very
easily.
Very truly yours,
WILLIAM L. PAUL
WRIGHT PRAISES BUREAU
POLICY
-x
Regulations of the United
States Bureau of Fisheries cov
ering the waters and streams in
the Yakutat district, have result
ed in increased runs of salmon,
declared J. Frank Wright, oper
ator of the floating cannery
Retriever, who arrived here Sat
urday with the first of his 1920
pack. The run of both kings
and reds are much heavier this
year than last year and Mr.
Wright attributes the improve
ment to the policies of the Bu
reau.
He shipped 2,000 cases of sal
mon south on the Alameda. This
is the first of the 1929 pack to
leave this port and is believed
to be the first shipped out of the
Territory to the States.
Mr. Wright’s king pack so far
is 80 per cent heavier than to
the same date last year and the
reds were 50 per cent heavier.
He predicted a big salmon year
for the Yakutat district. After
taking aboard 4,500 cases of
cans and other supplies, he will
leave tomorrow for Yakutat. -
Empire.
(The silly part of Mr. Wright’s
comment is this, the regulations
for which Mr. Wright is thankf ul
were put in force in 1928 and
could not possibly effect a sal
mon in 1929. We would say to
Mr. Wright, “Come down to
earth, and quit kissing Mr.
O’Malley’s hind foot in the -hope
of getting favors ”)