Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-08
Letter from Director Chadderdon.

EDS. RECORD UNION: What did YOU
put Rowell out of the Sacramento Gram
mar School for? That conundrum has
been asked very often, and in many differ
ent forms, to wit: Is his discipline bad?"
" Is he immoral" q Has he violated any
of the rules of the Board of Education -
" Is he incompetent" Rowel's record
recommends and removes all doubts as tn
his competency, and is as follows: Per
cent. of promotions from the entire school
for five years-In 1881, 1925; 1882. rs. so =.
1883, $40; 1884, 1885 1885, rs. so. Pro-
motions from first grade-1SS1, 6S; 1889.
100; 1883 1870; 1854, TO- 1885, "a. so,
Further proof Of his competency and
thorough course of instruction will be
found in the graduation of the HIGH
school. OF the seventeen graduates this
year, thirteen OF that number We're from
the Sacramento Grammar School. ana fonr
from all other sources. Why did thew mt
Rowell out To make place for Bah
cock, is all the reason, SO far as is known
Tor there were several citizens before the
board, VINO asked in a respectful manner
that RoWel! de retained, and they also stated
that they represented large majority of the
patrons of the school, who did not wish TO
take any chances in making a change in
teacher, as they were perfectly satisfied
The answer they received was. IF any
one has anything further to offer. now is
your time; If not we Will proceed to the
election OF Principal of the Sacramento
Grammar School, which was accordingly
done, and resulted in the election of Bah
cock. W hen the result was announced. one
OF the citizens present, in greatly surprised
as lnA IN n
The citizen was answered by Director that
Babcock was an old and experienced school
teacher, perfect gentleman every inch of
him. and the most capable business man
that he ever came in contact with, and that
the citizens would never have cause f., re-
greet employing him as a PRINCIPAL of the
Sacramento Grammar School. | must say
that L agree with the Director in some re-
spects, but differ with him in others rsne-
cially in regard to his being a success as n
school teacher or Grammar-school Princi-
pal. Babcock informed me that he had
formerly been a school teacher, but had
become incapacitated for that profession and
left II and became a " road AGENT for the
school book publishers, and had followed
that profession for eleven years. He has
the appearance of a gentleman of good adj
dress and pleasing manner, and from his
long experience as school-book agent |
should consider him as capable of sizing
up the average School Director or Board OF
Education as accurately as any school-book
agent ever came in contact with
Section 1867 of the school laws saws
" Instructions must be given in all grades
of schools, and in all classes during the en-
tire school course III manners and MORALS
No standard of morals are mentioned in
the section quoted. The code of morals
quoted to me by school-book agents
is as follows: The end iustifies
the means The means almost in
variably made use of by the agents
are bribery and corruption The end--the
introduction of their text books. The book
agents have informed methat they consider
that method of doing their business both
legitimate and honorable, and is practiced
by all OF them. The section of the school
law quoted is mandatory, and the teacher.
if left to choose for himself what grade or
quality of morals to teach, would naturally
select that which he had become best edu-
Gated in and practiced most. The teachers
of morals outside of the public schools
would be better qualified to discuss the
subject of morals and the standard of mo-
rality than am. The parents and guard
ians of the five hundred pupils in the Sac
ramento Grammar School are no doubt in
terested in that question, and feel some
anxiety as to the influences brought to bear
upon their children while being educated.
j. L. CHADDERDoN.
Sacramento. September 3, 1885.