Los Angeles herald., 1890-10-31
WHERE rs SEAMAN /?
SOME MORE SCHOOL PROBLEMS FOR
HIM TO SOLVE.
A School Teacher Asks the Super
intendent's Attention to Several Cues
.tions--How About Different Books?

The following communication from a
school teacher will be found of inter-
est, both by the public and School Su-
perintendent Seaman, the Republican
who is now seeking reelection:
EDITORS HERALD: Another week has
vanished since wrote to you concern
ing the school scandal. 'Seaman's
threats to knock out the HERALD have
likewise vanished.
The Tribune of last Thursday an
nounced that Seaman was about to ap-
pear at Pasadena, for the purpose of
knocking out the HERALD for its at
tacks on himself and Prof. Boynton, of
Pasadena"
Why appear at Pasadena to knock out
the HERALD? Has your circulation there
increased so much that you make it your
headquarters? Why not assault you
through the columns of the Times, Ex-
press or Tribune? Are they not anxious
to exonerate the gentleman? With the
money he is expending on his campaign
he could start paper of his own.
A few blocks from where | am writing
there is one of the largest bookstores in
the city. A friend of mine who clerks
there informs me that heretofore they
have supplied many of the schools with
library books; that Seaman has paid no
attention to the school law, and has al
lowed all manner Of trashy books to be
purchased with the school funds; that
last week, within few days of the ap-
pearance of my letter asking why he
disregarded the legal list Of books, he,
the said Seaman, refused to allow dis
trict to purchase good book giving
rules of order or parliamentary law.
When asked why it could not be in
cluded, he said it was good book, but
that it was not on the lawful list, and
that the school funds were sacred.
Sacred indeed! Yes, very sacred, for
it is campaign season now. How long is
it since Rider Haggard's trash, ]. w.
Bulls cutthroat stories and a thousand
other conscienceless scribblers' hideous
Nightmares " ere thrust upon the school
children by means of this ''sacred fund"
and this sanctimonious superintendent ?
Anyone who will take the trouble to
examine the library of the nearest school
can verify this for himself. The legal
list is in every school house, and every
teacher knows the law concerning it..
In this county more than $4,000 has
lately been expended for school books
most of it injudiciously, as every reader
knows.
For the last four years the county sup
erintendent has evaded the school law
in almost every way. The law fixes the
time and manner of holding examina-
tions. 1t says that each examination
shall be partly oral, and partly writ
ten, and that each applicants standing
in the class shall be marked on his GER
tiicate. Several times in the last four
years the examinations have not been
held at the fixed time; the examina-
tions have not been in part oral,
yet Seaman has marked oral credits on
certificates and has certified that such
credits were obtained according to law.
He has not marked each applicant's
standing in the class as the law plainly
requires.
To me it seems as though he has man
aged or mismanaged the county schools
in order to fill the pockets of Boynton
Let honest men investigate.
As / have said time or two already
1 have more questions to ask and more
statements to make, but will content
myself with these at present.
ONE Who KNOWS.