Sentinel High School - Bitterroot Yearbook (Missoula, MT)

Page 14 text:

PRINCIPAL G. A. KETCHAM WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE? MISSOULA HIGH'S BAR OF JUSTICE The dominant figure in our school life is Principal G. A. Ketcham. With his kindly counsel and assistance, students feel at ease in telling him their troubles and ambitions. His executive ability meets pupils every day in the systematic and smoothly run school year. With twenty-nine years of experience behind him he upholds the traditions of Missoula County High School. He is presiding officer of the office and its proceedings. From an enrollment of 263 in 1912, Principal Ketcham has seen the school enlarge to a three story structure with an enrollment of fifteen hundred. In spite of a fire and depression, Missoula High has continued to make progress and to become a leader in the field of education. To casual on-lookers the most important job of the office seems to be the recording of absences and tardinesses. This is important because the office workers must determine excused and unexcused absences and hand out blue and white permits accordingly. All students who enter or withdraw are recorded in the files and are given counsel as to the advisability of their actions. If withdrawals are for unmerited reasons, students' mistakes are pointed out and kindly persuasion is used to lead them to continue their education. Those problem children who have no desire to learn and repeatedly break school regulations are dealt with accordingly. Detailed records are kept of each student ever enrolled in school. Future employers make a bee-line for the high school records of former students. Bad points as well as good are recorded with equal fairness. In these and numerous other ways all of us at some time come in contact with the office and learn of the tremendous everyday duties essential to a harmonious school day. DEAN'S DEN 10