The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-18
WILL Be INVESTIGATED.
Commercial Night School Pupils
Assessed So n Head.
The Board Of Education Will Inquire Into
Principal Leszynsky's Proposed Scheme
for Making a shew."

Isidor Leszynsky will be investigated By
the Board OF Education tonight.
Superintendent SWEET himself is authority
for this statement, and that Is as much as
saving that there Is no doubt at all about
the matter.
When a CALL reporter told Mr.. SWEET
yesterday afternoon that Isdor LesZynsky
had levied n tax of So head on all members
of his graduating class to pay for COM
mencement exercises Mr.. SWEET was not
little surprised.
This is entirely against our rules" said
the Superintendent, ''and | am very glad
that you have brought the matter to our
attention. / will bring it before the Com
mttee on Rules tonight, and tomorrow
night. when the board meets, will lay it
before that body. You may be sure the
matter will be thoroughly investigated.
And Superintendent SWEET made mem
Orandum OF the case so as not TO forget IT,
Only voluntary contributions are per-
mitted By the board, and this only after the
Committee on Rules has duly considered
the case and granted leave for the exercises
CT exhibitions for which the donations are
made.
This is the law on the subject, and this is
how that law has been infringed by lsidOr
LeSZynsky, principal of the Commercial
1@fCHlhS ONhVVit va OHSAA oNANSNt hS"A
Clay:
Ladies and gentlemen" said Principal
LesZYnSky 70 the members or his gradual
ing class. "our exercises this year will cost
about $50. | expect about % of you will
be given diplomas this year. That makes
81 head. | hope the money will be paid
as promptly as may be"
Perhaps these were not the exact words OF
LesZynsky but that he uttered words OF
much the same purport is vouched for. first,
by an anonymous correspondent Of The
CALL, and second by several teachers and
pupils of the Commercial Evening School
who were interviewed by reporter yester-
''And Leszynsky added" said one Of the
pupils interviewed, ''that he did not want
the exercises on his own account but to
make a good showing before the board"
This is not the first time that LesZynsky
has been investigated By the board. though
the possibilities are decidedly In favor OF
It's being the last
WANTS TO GET SOLID.
"He wants to get solid with the board"
said aDother pupil, "and expects US to pay
for it,"
Said teacher: 'He will be the one bene-
flied by the exercises, so he ought TO be Will
ing to pay his own fiddler"
But that is not Leszynsky. And mark
the subteness OF his proceedings, as re-
lated BY a pupil 10 CALL reporter.
''0f course, you know, we don't have to
pay the 81 but you wont find pupil am
bilious to graduate this year, be he or she
ever so needy, who wont scrape that 50
together somehow. Why? Because, in the
nature of things, the one rh0 negectS to
pay the assessment is the one who may not
graduate this year. Do you see the poInto"
Another pupil expressed 1t In this way:
''Only those who expect to graduate are
expected TO pay. Now. no one knows for
sure who Is going to graduate until the very
last moment, for the diplomas Will be
awarded during the exercises. 1t would be
pupil with good deal more confidence in
himself and his principal than l have who
would. if he wanted 10 graduate. decline TO
pay the So assessment"
In plain English, the point implied in the
whole thing is that graduating diplomas
may be had for the payment Of 81.
Granted that the proposition was not put
thus broadly TO the pupils, but their own
statements show that Is the view they take
of the little assessment
Was IL an asssssmentf May IL not have
been voluntary contribution. as allowed
by the board?
in no possible way could II be looked
upon as voluntary contribution, says
pupil In ne sense OF the word was IL
spontaneous movement The pupils did
not originate the idea themselves. 1t was
not canvGssed over among the scholars and
then propOsed 10 the principal. 1t was the
managed it from first to last and consulted
us only as 30 paying the bills.
The plan Is TO hire Saratoga Hall from
Z 80 o'clock on the evening OF the Goth Of
this month till one hour past midnight.
From 10 TO u o'clock there is to be daucing
SIX musicians are to be engaged at So each
and some vocal talent secured. Altogether
it is to cost $50, and the members of the
honorary class have been given notice that
their s. head will be acceptable as soon
as possible.
THE PUPILS.
Who are the pupils of the Commercial
Evening SCHOOL, Sons and daughters Of
prosperous business men and bankers aud
merchants?
BY no means. They are young men and
women. in age from II to % who work
hard ali day in inferior capacities. They
earn from 81 30 week TO 81, aud those
who earn the latter figure are in a very
small majority. Three dollars is the aver
age.
They are sons and daughters OF poor
parents, widowed mothers, sometimes in
valid or disabled fathers, and their wages
in most instances are sOrely needed TO exc
out the meager incomes Of their families
But they are ambitious scholars. They
work hard all day and every evening study
bookkee ping, shorthand aud typewriting,
arithmetic and penmanship, that they may
acquire the knowledge which will enable
lDtul " StCult bCllcl pdNl INK SltudIiOuS.
The free night-schoOl has made it posi-
BILE for these young people to get ahead in
the world. For this very purpose was the
ngbt-school instituted, and its founders
meant that 1t should be as free as air to all
willing 10 learn.
Now a long, hard course Is nearly ended,
and those in the foremost class look for
ward to receiving the prize for which they
struggled so manfully and wOmanly-the
precious diploma that will open to them
the doors of better situations and salaries
more in keeping with their dire necessities
They have earned that diploma b. hard
work.
When they began the course it was with
the understanding that the diplomas were
as free as salvation to all who would.
Now comes Principal Leszynsky at the
last moment and places a 81 tariff on the
diplomas, for that Is the practical effect of
the assessment.
BY what right is the tax levied?
Though ii is burdensome the pupils i'll
pay 1t with never a murmur. unless the
Board of Education shall intervene and de-
clare the dance and the vocal music and the
big ball on the 26.h unlawful
The latter is quite probable, for Superin-
tendent Sweet; has promised there shall be
an investigation. If the investigation be
thorough and conscientious the facts will
be found precisely as herein stated by The
CALL.
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La Prise d Q la Bastile.