The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-05
VENALlTY'S TRACK
New Phases Of the School
Doodle Cases.
CAREW'S "FRIEND' IS KNOWN
His Name to Be Given to the Grand
Jury To-Day.
MANY ANONYMOUS LETTERS.
Just How Another School Director
Was Approached To-Day's Ex-
pected Developments.
CAREW's "FRIEND" IS KNOWN
dANY ANONYMOUS LETTERS.

pected Developments.
In all probability the scandal OF venal
appointments in the School Department
will receive fresh impetus to-day. Although
for years rumOrS touching on a corrupt
state of things in Boards OF Education have
been current, this is the first time that they
have crystallized into anything like an in
yestigatiun.
Director Carew is likely to be relieved of
the secret which has been burdening his
conscience to-day, and the Grand Jury will
be Informed officially who approached him
with an offer of $1,000 for promotion TO
principalship.
The secret is said to be already out In
the sense that District Attorney Barnes
has ferretPd out the name Of Mr.. Carew's
friend or friends for there are now said TO
be two Interested, and il will be lis duty
to lay the names before the Grand jury
1t Is understood that Carew in ended 10 give
his friend until =. N. to-day to give him.
self up and falling in that 10 diyulge the
name 10 the Grand Jury.
But now 1t seems that the names are
known anyway, and Director Carew must
still purge himself of contempt III Judge
CARRIERS court.
There are variety OF other rumors afloat
regarding the Investigations OF the Grand
Jury. 1t IS said that these will extend to
other positions besides those Of teachers,
and that evidence shows venaliIY in The
obtaining of contracts for supplies, posi-
tons as JanttOTS and other employees.
All these rumors are very unsettiinE in
the schools themselves, as well as among
members OF former boards.
No one knows where the lightning may
strike, and all deprecate the taking up Of
casual cleWS.
81 learn" said a teacher yesterday, that
the Grand Jury is receiving a large number
OF anonymous letters disclosing iucontrU-
YerlOle facts concerning teachers. TIE
teachers are not to blame. They were, per-
haps, qualified in every respect, but could
not obtain an appointment except by The
use Of money or Influence. Many OF them
did not personally know that money was
being used in their behalf by friends. But
in my opinion there IS hardly teacher 10
tina department who has not obtained her
position by money or influence. They are
both alike, are they not money aud inlu-
eDce? One is as bad as the other.
Nor does the evil Of the present system
end with the appointment of teacher. She
Is often almost owned by the appointer and
may be blackmailed in a way that is all the
more cruel because it is petty and hopeless.
Until tie appointments are taken out OF the
hands Of politicians, money or friendship
will always hurt the efficiency Of the depart
ment.
'All these rumors are unsettinG and
have bad effect on the children. But most
OF the teachers know they need not fear,
because they are conscious of their own
powers aud merit Even though assailed
through the medium of anonymous letters,
they could IN no case be removed without
particular cause. a great many of them,
indeed, might greatly benefit by being de-
prlyed Of their incubi in the persons of
prominent politicians, who consider that
by appointing them they placed them under
everlasting obligations.
Any investigation Of an evil system
should be applauded and aided. it cannot
hurt efficient, faithful teachers"
Principal James G.. Kennedy Of the
franklin Grammar School, on The corner Of
Eighth ana Bryant streets. in discussing
the subject yesterday was quite explicit on
this point
Teachers need not Worry" said he.
They know that they are de facto blame
less us TO their appointment, and that they
are IaI!y competent 10 perform their work.
Let them attend to their business and no
one will interfere with them.
The probing of bad system by the
Grand Jury and press cannot but have good
results. There IS no doubt that the system
is bad and has UceasioGed tAese rumors re-
garding The payment Of money for posi-
tiOnS.
'Wo have no dearth of material for
teachers, but the arpointees should be
graduates OF public school and elected In
Optu uOhlus az present pNpllS are per-
United to study In private schOo. and get
second class certificate, upon which they
are appointed The system is pernicious in
lending itself to the Introduction Of unfit
material.
"Friendship, SO called, has the day over
solid merit nowadays. l don't think the
School Department is a place In which
to keep friends. but competent teachers
Still after travelling all over the States
aud visiting all the public schools available,
/ 1.far hot
to the average Of any other place. In fact,
our test IS, perhaps, seyerer than that pre-
Yailing elsewhere.
This should, Of course, result in high
class teachers. ana yet 1t is undoubt-
eddy a fact that many incompetents have
been fnisted on the department by some
means"
Ex-School Director Joseph NJ. Rothchnd
talbed freely about the methods Of appoint
ing teachers in 1887.
This investigation is good idea" ne
said Both preceding and during my
service on the board L heard rumors OF
positions having been sold. and l have
heard OF 1t since. Perhaps the rumors were
exaggerated.
81 know, as far as my board was con-
cerned, not single appointment was for
sale.
Brokers? Yes. have heard that that
fellow Garness was in The business, and /
found it out in rather a curious way. had
and announced himself as friend of one
OF the parties to the suit and desired me to
be easy with him. He said he was author
lied 10 ask 1t, ard after discussing the mat
ter we walked up toward the City Hall To-
gether. While going along we passed some
mem bers of the State Central Committee,
and l thought they looked al me rather
quiZzlcally. Tie next time / saw some Of
Them they asked il | wasn't getting in my
work rather early. / could not imagine
u hot mn Mt Nv ,tol
that l had recently been elected to the
School Board and that Garness was popu-
larry supposed TO be the appointment
broker.
The next time Garness came to my office
told nm that as his reputation was bad |
must ask him to come no more to my Office
He was very indignant but made u o denial
OF his business. His words were: If can
do favor for friend in the way of nogo-
tlaling Tor an appoin tment l mean TO do IT.
Have ever been approached? Yes;
once, and once only. 1t happened in this
way: l was in public resort with c. b.
stone, Professor Anderson. Colonel Hooker,
MI Goad. Mr.. Mcdonald and others, when
man, whose name did not know, tapped
me on the shoulder and asked me If were
not School Director Rothschid. | said |
was, and he asked me to step aside mo-
ment.
he then said he would like 10 get
friend into the department. l said this was
hardly the place TO discuss such a matter,
and he had better come to my Office the fol-
lowing morning. on said he, that will
not be necessary. l can overcome all diff
cullies by paying for anything | get' In
deed! l said; 10y the way, what is your
name| oh. that makes no difference;
money talks said he. l told him TO come
down to my Office the next morning at 10: 80
o'clock, intending 10 have our conversation
overheard and TO report him, but he did not
come.
''As far as 1 heard $500 was about the
figure for an appointment
Il see references In the papers 10 men,
bers OF boards tossing up for appointments.
1t was not so Oh our board. When any va
cancies occurred C., b. Stone the chairman of