The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-08
A WEARY GRIND.
Prof. KnowltOn's Competency
Still Under Inquiry.
Old-Time Pupils and Expert Teachers Called
as Witnesses and Testified Strongly
In His Behalf,

All the members were present at the
specfaI meeting Of the Board of Education
last night.
President Sabin reported the Illegally OF
the consideration of the boards action in
granting Professor LeszynsRy, teacher In
the evening school, commercial school GER
tifcate when the Board Of Examiners rec
commended a commercial evening school GER
tificate.
On Director Hyde's motion a certificate
was issued then in accordance with the rec
ommendation Of the Examiners, and the
time was extended from October Is, 1891, to
April 10, 1892, to enable Professor Leszynsky
to prepare himself for a first grade exami-
nation.
After the board adjourned, and on Mr..
Hyde's motion that it go into Committee oil
the Whole to investigate charges against
Mr.. Knowlton, Director Woodward made
motion that the investigation of KnOwlton be
indefinitely postponed aud that he be trans
ferred from the Boys High School to the
ce-prlneipalship OF Franklin Grammar
School.
The motion met with determined opDosi-
ton on the part of Directors Scwell, hyde
and others, and when put to vote was
lost, only two voting in the affirmatlVei
ANOTHER LARGE ATTENDANCE.
The board then W6uL lHIO Seoolou do a
Committee Of the Whole, Director HYDE IN
the chair. There was very large attend
ance, many pupils of the public schools and
their parents being present, and the pro-
ceedings were watched with great deal OF
interest.
formerly a School Director was first called,
and stated that two of his boys were edu-
Gated under Mr.. Knowlton's direction. and
he had never heard anything derogatory, to
Mr.. Knowlton. He knew him personally,
and considered him a thorough gentleman
as we'll as a competent educator. Inc eX-
animation was conducted by Attorney JoF-
dan. Chairman HYDE doing the croSs-eXam-
D ming. i,
Attorney E. D. PeixO:to was very good
witness. BE attended school under Knowl-
ton in 1885, and when asked whether the
bows ever groaned at the teacher, replleQ
that they groaned only when tue Board OF
Education came up. Asked as 10 ClSoIuef
in the class, he said there was less ID MI.
Knowlton's class than in many others. as
showing the regard Of the class for MI
Knowlton, the witness qqotea me Oh d
school song, reading, Mr.. knowlton, SO
smart, we love him from our heart, that
was written by the schoo[boys. When the
witness was asked in regard TO the nature
Of a disturbance in the school one Jay,
necessitatng the calling In OF tue boatd VI
Directors, he announced that the boys nau
turned an animal loose.
In whose room T. DIRECTOR 1OOlu tohOu'
"In Mr. Whites" was the reply.
KNowLTON's FORMER PUPILS.
There were large number Of witnesses
examined, principally young men who had
attended school under Knowiton, and EN-
bracing period of time running from early
in the seventies until quite recently. The
testimony of all Invariably was favorable
TO Mr.. Knowlton. Among those examined
were: A. Ruef, NJ. S; EisneT, Mr.. Matson,
Mr. Beaver, William Fuller. Isidore Brown,
Mr.. Richmond, Lincoln Savage, Assistant
City and County Attorney, and many 9th
ers. None Of them had ever heard him
crack joke, act the buffoon, tell vulgar
stories or in any way comport himself DINER
lSAfhan in deeorous manner
After about dozen witnesses had been
examined, all testify ing to Mr.. knowlt0n'
good character and competency, Mr.. Har-
ney interposed an objection, stating that
the evidence was reitefating itself, and ask
ing that the matter be condensed, and that
the evidence be brought down to the pres
ent time.
Attorney Jordan volunteered to take Pro-
lessor Knowlton's present class and offer It's