Los Angeles herald., 1890-10-29
DELICATE QUESTIONS
FOR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
SEAMAN TO ANSWER.
One of His School Principals Gives Him
Some Problems to Solve-Is He Able
to Excuse Himself and Explain His
Peculiar Conduct of His Office?


to print another letter in regard to some
OF the abuses in our schools. Before l
start in wish to say that 1 am one OF
the corps now employed in this city, that
what say can be proven, and l wish
most earnestly that the grand jury will
accept the invitation of one Gosper to
investigate all charges made against that
much abused (?) body. I am well aware
that my scalp may be taken for thus
daring to find fault with the "powers
that be-" but l trust L am man enough
to find work elsewhere, should my head
fall for my imprudence.
l, like the man who is after Seaman,
would like to ask our city board few
questions, and invite them to answer
through the same source, namely, your
paper my conundrums.
10 begin with, why are our schools
in such wretched condition today :?
L have been here two years, and
l say plainly, and in this am Joined
by every teacher with whom | have
talked, that they are in the most dread
full state possible. In what way? 1
will try to do the inquiry justice. In
the first place we have no graded
schools-none are primary and none are
grammar. Many of the teachers are
struggling along with four classes, some
with five, and nearly all with three.
Two is the exception. This is worse
than the halliday business, don't you
think? This, after all the money
wasted, is, to say the least, exasperat-
ing. We are worse off than the country
schools, for we are pinned down to a
certain amount of work whether we can
do it or not. l want an answer to my
question. Why are the schools in this
horrible condition The answer here
tofore has been, 'The strangers coming
in,' etc. That is now chestnut, and I
wish a palmer reply. My next question
is this: Why has the board elected at
least one teacher, who has had only a few
weeks experience, when their rules are
that no teacher shall be elected who has
not had at least one years experience
The answer to that can be anticipated,
no doubt, by many of us, and not few
OF the normal school girls are congratu-
lating themselves that as one of their
number who graduated December, 1889,
was elected the following June, they
sure, girls, for your father may not be a
school director.
My next question is one that has been
asked before, and remains unanswered.
Why is one principal given two school
buildings at an extra cost of $S5 per
month, as shown by Taxpayer some
time since? Why has that matter not
been made right before this? Why did
DIR. Morris say that in regard to that mat
ter 1.-The board had made a mistake
Sr,H hof Al
saving money" Does he think for a
absurd statement for the covering up of
such little fraud?
NY next question is one that will ap-
peal directly to the heart of every
teacher in this department. Why are
we as sensible, intelligent q hope) men
and women at the mercy of the spiteful
marking" of one A. E. Baker? Why
is he selected, of all people, to say
whether we shall remain in the schools?
Why is man who has had only four
years experience in this work given
the privilege of criticisiug teachers who
are as far above him as one person can
be above another? OF what normal
school is he graduate? II he were an
educated man capable of passing upon
the merits of educators, why was he
obliged to go before the county board of
this county twice before he succeeded in
getting a certificate? l think he would
better have kept On trying, as he started
in, to be a preacher; he certainly is too
narrow minded to be a teacher. His
case is one of the painful ones of where
a man has greatness thrust upon him.
l feel particularly ugly toward this
nipped-in-the-bud parson today, after
returning from a teachers meeting,
where, in addition to all the rest of our
work in crowded rooms, he has given us
enough work for the fourth and fifth
grades in zoology to keep us hard at work
for year, and we are told we must do
it in six weeks! / am only voicing
the opinions of every teacher
in our schools when I ask the board to
at least give us live men for superin-
tendents, in place of two dead ones
are dead physically, and unable, even if
capable, to do his work; the other dead
mentally, and capable only of exercising
his little spiteful, venomous marking OF
teachers, who are his superiors in every
thing.
feel that all IS not so harmonious as
it might be in the board toward these
two men, and hope if you will print
Vile 90 CoihiiiS II iOul n ICdCucI Iildt QUIET
opinions may be gotten, and that the
public may find out how we do regard
these men who WELD so much power at
present. l have many more questions
to ask, if find you are not too polite to
let teacher speak out, and shall follow
this letter with another one which will
be devoted partly to city and partly to
county school affairs. The people do
not dream Of some things we, as teach
ers, have been obliged to undergo; and
you will be doing the schools of this city
favor if you will give us a chance to
speak our minks for once, through your
paper.
More hereafter.
TAXPAYER AND PRINCIPAL.