Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1890-10-14
OUR COUNTY SCHOOLS.
The Teachers Bureau and the County
SUPERINTENDENT.

the county schools. 1t charges per-
centage of the salaries of those it helps
to situations and seems to have peculiar
facilities to get them places. The prin-
cipal of one Of our schools sends the HER
AID the following data and queries
anent the way IN which this bureau is
conducted:
81 can prove to the satisfaction of any
fair-minded person that the county SUI
perintendent of schools for this county
has closer relations with the Teachers
Employment agency than he cares to
acknowledge in public.
"It is notorious fact that nearly all
teachers who go to the Office OF the
superintendent to inquire about va
cancies or positions ale advised by the
superintendent or his deputies to con-
suit Boynton.
1t is we'll known also that the super
intendent tells Boynton of the very va
cancies of which he refuses to inform
teachers.
"Boynton pays his informant five dol
lars for every vacancy which he fills, so
his agreement blanks read.
81 would like to know what he pays
the county superintendent. Does he
get the same commission as other in
formants? Perhaps rates are cheaper
by wholesale; at any rate would
like to know. Z
Gin other counties than this, lists of
vacancies are kept by the. superintend--
ent, for the convenience and guidance
of teachers, and to further the cause of.
education by putting the right teachers
in the right places. q
ut was so in this county, before the
present incumbent of the most import
ant office in the county saw the wonder
full utility of the Teachers Employ
ment agency
"More than one-6fth of the teachers
OF this county are paying five per cent.
of their yearly salaries to the said
''agency" because of this unique plan.
"Query: Would it not be better to pay
the superintendent another thousand or
SO, if he cannot properly conduct his Of
flee for the $4,000 which at present he
draws, SO that the county could save a
little from its present enormous tax
fund?
"Would not the country districts have
a better opportunity to get suitable
teachers if we had superintendent who
pie, and not be so prompt in advising
"The average man knows something
of the unsavory odor of employment
offices in general, and when teachers
must be distributed on this plan, the
community is unfortunate indeed.
81 would like to ask why it was that the
class of fifteen or twenty which was pre-
pared for the examination by Boynton
last May and June at cost of $40 a
month per head was so successful in
passing the county examination. 4
"Whv was it that one of the young
ladies of that class failed to pass here,
went the next week to San BernardinO,
passed the examination there for pri-
mary certificate and was granted a GER
titicate here just after failing dismally at
the examination?
why was it that young man who
held grammar grade certificate for
Ventura county with an average of IS
per cent. in all branches was refused a
certificate by the same superintendent?
"Why was it that in the examina ton
of June, 1889, the superintendent AM
nounced to the anxious applicants that
the result of the examination would be
published within three or four days,
and then failed to announce the result
till the city board had engaged all the
teachers for the year?
''The result of that examination was
never published, nor were the applicants
informed of the result in any way for
week after he had promised to let it be
known.
"Why was it that the examination of
June, 1889, was held week later than
the rules require and week later than
was advertised?
.'Why was it that in July, 1890, the
superintendent told teacher that the
B school was engaged, and sent him
to Boynton, who gave him the same
school as vacancy?
why was it that the superintendent
sent, or tried to send, a fine teacher OF
several years, experience and with a
first grade certificate to school paying
but $371La a month when he knew of
many good vacancies. "Why is it that
the superintendent has appointed so
many men to the Office of trustees in
spite of the fact that they had been re-
jected by the people time after time
Why is it that the superintendent has
made such a mess at Pasadena that for
months no one knew who had right
to officiate in the school affairs?
"Why is it that the superintendent
iIds uCNCi CoLipiiCO WIFI CllO law ny
marking each applicants standing in
the class on his certificate?
"Why is it that the law requiring part
of each examination to be oral has
never been complied with?
"Why is it that oral credits are
marked on certificates and certified to by
the superintendent which have utterly
no foundation?
"Whv is it that other counties in this
part of the state are better managed in
every way than this county has been
for the last four years?
"Why is it that in this county teach
ers are notrequired to make out all the
reports of schools and libraries as
specified in the school law?
"Why is it that San Diego county,
with 30 per cent less money per district,
was enabled to carry off all the honors
for good work at the last state teachers,
convention held here in March, 1890?
81 have other questions to ask, but
will content myself with the above for
the present.
A Fire at the County Jail.
Shortly before one O'Clock this morn
ing Frances Kelly, who was recently
Sou,