Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-23
BOARD OF EDUCATION.

inc hills were allowed South British and
National Insurance Company, SIG %; G. ID.
Krebs & Co., agents, S22 so; J. E. Hobbie,
S257 10.
The Board ordered that the schools close
August 9th and reopen October 4th.
Mr.. Butler moved that S., 800 be set aside
and appropriated for the High School fund,
he deeming that necessary under the new
Constitution, as that instrument, he said, did
not recognize that school.
MIR. Hornblower moved, as a substitute for
a resolution of Mr.. Tracy's, that committee
Of three be named to draft code of rules
governing all investigations before the Board
relative to teachers or principals.
Mr.. Tracy accepted it, withdrew his own,
and the substitute was adopted.
Mr.. Hornblower offered this resolution:
Rssotred That the failure of the graduating class
in the sacramento Grammar School to answer the
questions in arithmetic examination was not at
tributable to the teacher, A. Ii. Mcdonald
In support of his resolution he spoke at
length. He said reflections had been cast
upon him, because of his course, which were
not warranted He was acting as Director
having in charge an important trust. de
then reviewed the case. The failure OF the
graduating class in one study; the inyestiga-
ton meeting called by President Gritfitts, an
act he considered unwise, and not IN the ex-
ercise of sound discretion, for the pub
lie had been invited to prefer charges,
and the Board had not been con-
suited previously. The Board. he thought,
could have better gone on, as it had resolved
to do, and ascertain the cause OF the failure
without the iDterposition of charges. The
proceedings of the Board at the subsequent
meetings had been faithfully and fairly report.
ed in the RECORD UNION, and in one report
was language he had used saying there was
difficulty between Mr.. Adams and MIR. Nc
Donald. He had said so, and it was the
truth. MIR. Hancock at that meeting APP
peared and said the mothers in Sacramento
wanted him to represent them and wanted
man to speak for them. He believed
if that was so, they would go to their hus-
bands and not to Geo. w. Hancock, a compar-
ative stranger, and who had the interest of
relatives at heart, who are In public and hon
orable employment. Mr.. Hancock cited
Miss Slight as pupil not well taught,
hut that lady, through Mr.. Smith, de,
MES it, and says she well understood
Mr. McDonald's teachings. be then re-
viewed the appearance of MIR. Hinkson
in the case; the testimony of MIR. Sheehan,
which he declared to be in violation of jour
nalistic ethics ]: the testimony Of Mrs. Rich
ardson, Mrs. Foster and Mrs. Bassett and
found nothing in it all to warrant shadow
against Mr.. McDonald's ability to teach.
One-third of Miss Wstsons class had failed
in grammar to get 60 per cent, yet no one
preferred charges against her. Mr.. Johnson's
class had been drilled on all the puzzle ques-
tions he could hunt up, while Mr.. McDon-
AIDS class had been taught practically the
useful and everyday principles OF mathe-
mates. He declared there was a feeling
on the part of Professor Adams against
Professor Mcdonald, and cited two let
tiers published by the former in
support and said they contained grave gram
NAUTICAL errors, but if the manager of the
RECORD UNION had been called on to pro.
duce the manuscript or state the character of
it, he would not he believed, have done SO.
He cited the questions on examination in
spelling used in 1879, and prepared by MIR.
Adams, as showing a desire to puzzle and
perplex. The testimony of Mr.. SWEET he re-
ferred to at length as conclusive of the case.
He called attention to the petition in favor of
Mr. Mcdonald, signed by 300 citizens, and
he presented another signed by 100 citizens
and over.
Albert Leonard here presented petition
OF a like character, with 157 signatures.
Mr.. Hornblower said one of the papers Of
pupil in the Capital Grammar School
showed that it had been changed to make the
! spelling answers correct, and he believed the
| pupil was not the one who made the changes.
/ He praised Mr.. johnson as a good teacher,
but did not like his drill on puzzle questions.
/ Mr.. Mcdonald, under theinfanous Old system
of secret reports, which he was compelled to
make, had nplained of two teachers, and
now they We're, he believed, trying to get
even. Happily the Board had now abolished
! the secret-report rule.
Mr.. Tracy-I was not in the Board when
it was adopted.
| Mr. Griffitts-Nor I.
| Mr.. Hornblower concluded with an earnest
appeal not to convict MIR. Mcdonald on such
testimony as had been given, and said that
as for him he acted under oath, and with
deep conscientiousness and upon his sense of
Justice to his fellow man. Personally he
didn't care a snap for Mcdonald, but on such
villainous testimony as had been brought
against the teacher he could not sit still and
not raise his voice in protest.
Mr.. Grifiitts said he had called the meeting
referred to by request OF two Directors. His
shoulders are broad and he'd take all respon-
sibility. As to the questions, six of the iden-
teal questions complained Of were in the text
books the pupils had gone through, and the
others were proper for the second grade.
Several siguers Of the Mcdonald petition had
told him they were sorry they had signed,
and had been importuned till they yielded.
/ Mr.. McClatchy was surprised at the reso.
| luton, as he thought it understood that the
/ election was to go on.
! Mr.. Hornblower-Face the music
MIR. Tracy-I am ready.
Mr.. Grititts-And !.
Mr.. McClatchy moved to lay the resolu-
! ton on the table.
Ayes-Butler, Lord, McClatchy, Grifftts.
Nays-Hornbiower Stalker Tracy, Vie
meyer.
And the motion was lost.
/ Mr.. McClatchy said one class answered the
questions, and that proved they were not too
/ severe, and nothing could overturn that fact
in his mind, and the Board was justified in
| its selection of questions. OF the thirty
questions submitted, the Board selected eight
| easy and two hard ones Are the pupils III
competent? No Else how did they get into
/ the first grade aud pass all other grades
! These pupils passed in all other studies. Is not
that conclusive OF their competency? But
one thing remains then: the failure was the
/ fault of the teacher.
/ The question on the resolution was then
taken.
Ayes-Hornblower, Stalker Wiemeyer.
! Noes-Butler, Lord, McClatchy, Grifitts,
/ Tracy; and the resolution was lost.
/ A number of petitions for Mr.. Mcdonald
were fled. 4 number of applications for
/ positions were filed.
A telegram from Mr.. Parker, of Quincy,
/ Mass, was received, saying he could not send
teacher of that system before the irst week
/ in August. The Board ordered reply that
4 i would wait, and would guarantee a posi-
| ton for one year.
/ The Board disposed of considerable routine
I business end ordered the charges against Mr..
Adams. and they were read.
{ Mr.. Tracy thought them too indefinite.
/ f. l. Robinson said they made direct
charges, and that testimony might show that
! Mr.. Adams was guilty of intoxication and
other otfensss he named.
Mr.. uornblower thought the charges far
broader than those against Mr.. Mcdonald,
and far worse, and that the Board had com
mitted itself so that it must go on and exam
inc into the charges.
Mr.. Tracy said he was unwilling to be .
party to any such circus again as the Board
had been engaged IN.
Mr.. Robinson-I will guarantee that there
will he no such testimony as in the persecu-
ton OF Mr.. Mcdonald.
Mr.. Tracy (rising)-I do not approve of al
the testimony offered, but | am here as a Di
rector. acting as believe for the best inter.
ests of the city and its people, and | will not
allow you to intimate that | have prosecuted
any one. / am responsible for my acts, and
neither you nor any other man shall attack
me. II any one says or intimates that have
prosecuted Mr.. Mcdonald, he says that
which is false and without particle OF foun'