The record-union., 1892-02-10
GOVERNMENT OF SCHOOLS.
Charter-Makers Decide That Directors
Should be Elected.
The one-Man Power Denounced and
Commended-Kindergarten sys-
tenn to be Established.

Johnson, Simmons and Roberts.
Mr. White, who was recently added to
the Committee on Revenue and Taxation,
stated that the regular committee had had
several meetings and had agreed to rec
ommend most of the provisions on this
subject contained in the Oakland charter.
These provisions were contained in the
Political Code, and were
QUITE VoLUMINoUs,
And many of them were notapplicable to
the government Of the city, as they refer
mostly TO the requirements of the State
There were nearly three hundred of these
Superfuous sections. 1t would not be sat
lsiactory to the people to see in their
charter all the details and processes by
which they are to be taxed by the State
VINO shall collect these taxes ETC. He
had, therefore, prepared a report con-
Gensing these three hundred sections into
1hIrty-four sections, and he thought he
had obviated many Of the difficulties that
would come by reason of the frequent
amendments to the code by the Legis-
Iature. These amendments would be
sure TO confuse matters eventually.
On motion of Mr.. Weinstock, Mr..
Whites report was ordered printed.
MR.. HALLS SUGGESTION.
Under the head of unfinished business,
QIr. Cox spoke with reference TO the mi
hority report submitted by Mr.. Hall on
the government of the police department.
de said he was the only one of the com
mittee present, and was not ready to de-
1end the majority report alone.
MIR. Hall said he thought the minority
report was to be considered Thursday
evening, but the minutes did not show
this.
After some discussion it was decided to
fhaaV
day evening.
Mr.. Cox said he would not be present
Thursday night, and he desired to state
now that he was in favor Of electing the
Chlef of Police instead of appointing
that official. as suggested in Mr.. Halls
report.
The report of the Educational Com
mlttee was then taken up.
Mr.. Johnson moved to amend the first
section so as to provide that director
shall be elected every other year, thus
Keeping up a constant revolution. The
amendment was adopted.
APPOINT OR ELECT?
Mr.. Weinstocl1 offered an amendment
10 the effect that the School Directors
snail be appointed by the Mayor instead
OF being elected by the people.
This amendment met with vigorous
opposition from Mr.. Johnson. He did
not believe in one-nlan power and he did
A-Ob DOilGNC tllelL JlIS p6OIIS NOulQ NOLG 1Or
any such proposition. The peoples de-
sires had to be considered, and if not they
would assert their rights. Mr.. Johnson
said that the people demanded the privi-
lege of voting for their officers, so that
they could Oust an official at the polls
who had not done his duty. He cited the
incident Of Timothy Lees election as
Chief Of Police six years ago. The people
belleved they were going to have reform
and elected Mr.. Lee over a popular Re-
publican candidate. Then when Mr.. Lee
did not do his duty, as he had promised,
he in turn was not replaced in the office
he had occupied.
MIR. White thought MIR. Johnson was
getting too personal.
Mr.. Johnson did not care, however, re-
marking that he was responsible for his
acts and utteranceS.
Dir. Neinstock defended his amend
ment. He wanted individual RESPONSE
bility. lie wanted the people to look to
one man with their complaints. In the
past the Board of Education had not done
ny the schools what it should. yet the re-
sponsibility could not be centered The
point that Mr.. ohnson made for the cleo
tion of the Chief of Police was the very
one which prompted Mr.. Weinstock to
suggest the appointment of the Board
of Education by the Mayor. The Chief
OF Police could be held responsible for
his acts, and the Mayor could be held re-
NONE WOULD WANT IT
Mr.. Cox doubted if man could be
found who would accept the office of
Mayor with all the responsibilities it was
proposed to attach to it.
Mr.. Weinstock's reply was that men
had been found easily in other cities
where these responsibilities were vested
in the office.
Mr.. Johnson did not see how the Po-
lice and School Departments could be
compared. The Police Department was
subject to temptations and corrupting in
HuenceS, which was not the case with
the School Department. He was not in
favor of giving the Mayor or any other
officer the powers Of a Gar. The Ameri-
can people were not yet ready to surren-
der their rights, and they would not sub
mittO any such propositions
Freeholder Smith said the question was
an Important one and deserved deep con-
sideration. he was a believer in one
man power and the concentration of re-
spOnsibility; still he had not lost his con-
fdence in the people. The people would
be aroused 10 the importance of electing a
thoroughly good man as Mayor when
they knew that he would have unusual
powers invested in him.
AVOIDING THE BOSSES
Mr. White thought that the arguments
on both sides were unsound-that the
main point had been lost. He thought
that good School Directors could be Sc
lected by either method. He quoted from
an article written by Seth Lowe. ex-
Mayor of Brooklyn, in which the latter
advocated placing responsibilities in the
hands OF the Mayor. Powers were then
placed in responsible hands, whereas un-
der the elective system these powers were
in Irresponsible hands-in the hands of
the ''bosses, or political magnates. This
argument said Mr.. White, was a sound
one, SO far as it referred to such offices as
Chief of Police, as there should be some
one who should have the authority to
force such an officer TO get move on''
when he became lax in his duties; but the
argument could not apply to the Board Of
Education.
After some further argument Mr.. Wein-
stocks amendment was voted down.
Section was amended so that the
President of the board shall hold his seat
two years, instead OF one; and SO that the
Mayor shall NIL vacancies instead of the
board.
THE KINDERGARTENS.
There was a discussion over Section 3,
which defines the powers of the board,
and provides that it shall maintain among
The public schools a kindergarten de-
partnent.
Freeholder Johnson was not in favor OF
including the kiudergartens Just yet The
,itv WAS going to have "hard squeeze
10 get through financially during the
next five years, and the kindergarten ad-
dition would add something like $40. 900 a
year upon the expenses of the city. He
thought that an amendment should be
inserted TO the effect that the board may
include a kindergarten system. Then at
the end of five years when the financial
strain was over, the system could be
added