The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-05
COGSWELL COLLEGE.
1t Is Not Likely to Continue a
Public School.
The Trustees Propose to Garry Out The Original
Trust and Compromise the Doctors
Suit to Break 1t.

It was stated yesterday upon reliable Gu-
thority that the Trustees Of the CogSweH
Polytechnic College have decided, upon the
advice OF their counsel. not to renew the
lease Of the college property to the Board Of
Education next July, when the present
lease expires, but to take possession them
selves, ami endeavor to carry cut the Origi-
nal purposes of the trust
This is not exactly admitted by the parties
concerned, nor is 1t denied, but from facts
disclosed to different members of the Board
Of Education it is believed to be true.
The apparent object Of this course is to
pacify the founder Of the institution, and
prevail upon him not to prosecute his suit
recently brought against the Trustees to re-
call and annul the trust.
Il is understood that the attorney for the
Trustees has advised them that they have
not a leg 10 stand on in defense of the doc
tors suit, because the trust has not been
carried out in any respect, and the splendid
objects designed for the institution have
been completely lost sight Of. In fact, it is
as complete a case of perverted trust as the
doctor could possibly wish if he desired
good grounds on which TO break It,
HIS AMBITION FOTLED.
1t has been the pet ambition Of Dr. CogS-
wei > llt 10 SEE Ills pbi9 bFNlllttN Nb4iN@t ~
the fun enjoyment Of the high purposes
originally conceived for it, and be believes
that il might have been In that t0uriSh!nG
condition at the present time If the trust
had been properly handled.
He wants to see a school in successful
operation where the young, as many as de-
sire, can receive good practical training In
me h9nics, and be fitted IN more than
ordinary common or high school course to
60 out in the world ana earn their own lIy-
ing
As the school IS now maintained It serves
no such purpose. \ few students are each
year fitted for the University, and The
longer they stay there tie less they know
Of the practical side OF life and how to earn
a living. Besides. The school Is M unusual
burden 10 the city. costing nearly 20 per
cent more than such q school ought and
producing results much less satisfactory
DIR. CoGsUELL RIGHT.
Superintendent SWEET was asked last
night what be knew about the CCgsweil
school affair and replied that no had heard
as above stated. but could give no authentic
inform alton. lie inclined to the belief, too,
that the position taken by Dr. C0gswell is
right not only in fact but In principle.
The school Is not, by a long way, fulhHIug
the mission for when II was established
Without directing his remarks TO any
particular case. the Superintendent added
that In his Judgment the popular idea OF
LlEI ~HllUtl IdlAliE Is al NItNns ne
great aim seems TO lie 10 I'll a few papils for
the University regardless Of cost or cOnse-
Queacps. No Thought whatever IS given to
fitting them for the practical side Of life,
and The poor little children, who out
number them 100 10 /, and are really tie
ones iLat need attention, are overlooked
altogether.
For instance" continued the Superinteu-
dent we spend In THIS city $4,000 a year
for teachers IA the public schools. or that
sum $4,000, or 1872 per cent, IS consumed
by The high schools when IN fact those
schools contain less THAN per cent Of the
pupils So You see ttC0stS more than four
times as much 90 maintain pupils IN the
high school as 10 the other departments.
UNEQUAL AND UNFAIR.
Possibly no objection could be urged
against the unequal and unfair distribution
from il but the statistics show the ratio IS
in the opposite direction.
The notion about high school training
seems % he sally ont Of joint. All our ac-
tive educational workers appear o. run mad
with tie idea that nothing is too good for
the high school. Money is iayished over &
right and left. aud the high school pupils
are fairly smutheTed in luxury, while the
thousands of primary pupils from the
poorer classes As 4 rule, and who, heaven
knows, need public care the most. are
tucked away IN TonkeT.es aud novels all
over the Cty, actually denied the decent
comforts AMI sanitary priv eyes Of public
school regulations. According 10 my Jadg-
ment that IS all wrong"