The record-union., 1891-04-28
PROFESSOR LIPOWITZ AGAIN.
An Effort to Have the German In
struCtor Reinstated.
An Extended Statement from the Pro-
fessor-A Delegation of Germans
Plead in His Behalf.

There were present Directors Sherburn,
Tufts, Gardner, Chapman, Harrison,
Payne, Davis and Secretary Hart.
Chairman Erlewine presided.
A delegation of German residents was
also present--for the purpose, it soon de-
veloped, of urging the board to reinstate
Professor Max Lipowitz, the German
teacher who recently earned considerable
notoriety through charges being brought
against him of having brutalIy beaten
Charles Geiger, a Sacramento Grammar
School pupil. The German delegation
which numbered about dozen-also
came to demonstrate with the board
against discontinuing the teaching of the
German language in the Grammar
Schools.
LIPOwITZ'S RESIGNATION.
Chairman Erlewine, in calling the
board to order, stated that the Lipowitz
matter would be taken up before the reg
ular order of business, for the convent
ence of the delegation, and he asked
Secretary Hart if he had anything of an
official nature on the subject TO place be-
fore the board.
The Secretary replied that he had just
received communication from Professor
LipOwitZ which would be of interest to
Hart explained that when the board in
Structed him to notify Mr.. IipoWitz that
his presence was desired at an inYestiga-
ton, he prepared communication to
that effect but before he mailed it, he re-
ceived letter from the professor, inclos-
ing his resignation as teacher of German
IN the public schools. The Secretary
said he considered that this put an end to
the whole matter, and he did not mail
the notification he had prepared. Since
then, however, he had received another
communication from the German Pro-
fessor, Withdrawing his resignation, and
subsequent TO this he had received still
another on1municatiOn-which was the
one he was about to read.
The Secretary then read Professor Lipo-
Owitz's letter. 1t was as follows:
THE PROFESSORS STORY.
"Albert Hart, Esq, Superintendent Of
City Schools, iSTcrdnte11tO-DEAR SIR: In
the latter part of March, on a Wednesday,
when teaching at the Sacramento Gram
mar School, Master Charles Geiger IA
member Of the first grade and q boy
whose general disposition is best charac-
terized by what | said Of him to his
father, when meeting the latter about two
weeks previous to this Wednesday above
referred to, designated said Charles g. a
nuisance in the German class, as usual,
miSbehayed in a fragrant manner, when,
to avoid further trouble, / ordered him
out OF the schOoI-roOm. He positively re-
fused to GO, whereupOn temporarily dis
missed the remainder of the class and
then forcibly elected the boy, who, cling
ing TO the desks, fought me like cat or
rat III this proceeding. I at once reported
the suspension of the boy from the Ger
man class to your office, adding that his
was case of expulsion from school.
''On Monday next succeeding the
Wednesday referred to, toward the close
OF my German lesson, in the first grade
of the Sacramento Grammar School, there
walked into my classroom, with bearing
insolent aud look defiant, said Charley
Geiger, and thrusting paper into my
face sulIenly said: Here is a bill my
father wants You 10 pay; you have torn
my pants | calmly ordered him To leave
the room instantly, which he refused to
do; whereupon | gently elected him.
4 few minutes later / passed out of my
Schooi-rOOm on my way to lunch, when
was struck in rapid succession by two
blackboard eraSers hurled at me by said
Charles Geiger, who was lying in wait
for me behind the open door of the first
grade school-room, one of said shots
striking me in the left groin, where 1 am
ruptured. L then lay in wait for that
boy captured him, dragged him
into the German class room
and chastised him, until he did apollo
gize for his brutal behavior giving him
ample of breathing time between each
him the question whether he was ready
TO make the apology. The accident of
the bleeding gave to the tranSac-
ton rather sanguinary appearance and,
no doubt, tended to shock the feelings OF
the tender lOokers-on.
In disgust. despondency and despair
fOOlishly resolved to quit my position,
the city, and, perhaps. even more, which,
excepting the last item, [ have carried
out.
''In justice to myself, my family, and
the profession of teaching, / considered
it my duty to lay this statement herewith
before the board. Truly yours,
MAX LIPowITZ.
''San Francisco, April 26 1S9l''
DEFENDING THE TEACHER
After the communication had been
read, Chairman Erlewine informed the
waiting friends of Lipowitz that the
board was ready to hear from them.
The first speaker was Professor Charles
Winter. He said that the delegation
present had had no previous information
as to the communication Just read by the
Secretary. But they were there primarily
TO call the attention of the board TO the
fact that the teaching of the German Ian
guage in the public schools had been in
terrupted, and at present the pupils were
deprived of that branch of their educa-
ton. They, as taxpayers and parents,
were desirous that the study should be re-
buHleur anu, beilcNIig tnab Professor
LipOwitz was an unusually able and COM
petent teacher they requested the board
to reinstate him.
Several other gentlemen, Germans, also
pleaded for the reinstatement of the erratic
professor They excused his actions on
the ground that he was passionate, cranky
and hasty, and they assured the board
that if taken back the German teacher
would do better
DR.. Bruno said he had received a letter
from Professor LipOwitz in which the
latter said he would be willing to again
accept the position he had left
Joseph Hahn said ne was not present
particularly to advocate the claims of
lipowitz. He did not know whether or
not the professor was guilty of the charges
brought against him, and he didn't care.
board not to discontinue the teaching Of
Serman III the public schools.
4 CHAMPION INDEED.
NJ. r. Beard, however, was there as
Iipowltz's defender and friend. He de-
clared that in his opinion the professor
could not be replaced-he was without
peer IN California as teacher of the
German language. Mr.. Beard said
that IN his several years incum-
beney as School superintendent
he was quite intimate with Professor
lipowltZ, and was familiar with his
method Of teaching and also with his
idiosyncracieS. lie knew that the pro-
fessor was irritable and cranky. but he
also knew that the professor in all his
experience never had any trouble with
the good boys in his class. The sneaker
made an earnest plea for the reinstate-
ment of Lipowitz, and assured the board
that by so doing it would meet the gen-
sral approval of the public.
After a few remarks by Mr.. Hebron